CHAPTER 255

HB 1246 – FINAL VERSION

05/16/12 2231s

6June2012… 2428CofC

2012 SESSION

12-2784

04/09

HOUSE BILL 1246

AN ACT authorizing the county sheriff to issue pistol or revolver licenses under certain circumstances.

SPONSORS: Rep. Hoell, Merr 13; Rep. Cunningham, Sull 2

COMMITTEE: Criminal Justice and Public Safety

AMENDED ANALYSIS

The bill authorizes the county sheriff to issue pistol or revolver licenses to residents of unincorporated places and, if designated by the board of selectmen, in towns that have no police chief.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

05/16/12 2231s

6June2012… 2428CofC

12-2784

04/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twelve

AN ACT authorizing the county sheriff to issue pistol or revolver licenses under certain circumstances.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

255:1 Pistols and Revolvers; License to Carry. Amend RSA 159:6, I to read as follows:

I.(a) The selectmen of a town [or], the mayor or chief of police of a city or [some] a full-time police officer designated by them respectively, the county sheriff for a resident of an unincorporated place, or the county sheriff if designated by the selectmen of a town that has no police chief, upon application of any resident of such town [or], city, or unincorporated place, or the director of state police, or some person designated by such director, upon application of a nonresident, shall issue a license to such applicant authorizing the applicant to carry a loaded pistol or revolver in this state for not less than 4 years from the date of issue, if it appears that the applicant has good reason to fear injury to the applicant's person or property or has any proper purpose, and that the applicant is a suitable person to be licensed. Hunting, target shooting, or self-defense shall be considered a proper purpose. The license shall be valid for all allowable purposes regardless of the purpose for which it was originally issued.

(b) The license shall be in duplicate and shall bear the name, address, description, and signature of the licensee. The original shall be delivered to the licensee and the duplicate shall be preserved by the people issuing the same for 4 years. When required, license renewal shall take place within the month of the fourth anniversary of the license holder's date of birth following the date of issuance. The license shall be issued within 14 days after application, and, if such application is denied, the reason for such denial shall be stated in writing, the original of which such writing shall be delivered to the applicant, and a copy kept in the office of the person to whom the application was made. The fee for licenses issued to residents of the state shall be $10, which fee shall be for the use of the law enforcement department of the town or city granting said licenses; the fee for licenses granted to out-of-state residents shall be $100, which fee shall be for the use of the state. The director of state police is hereby authorized and directed to prepare forms for the licenses required under this chapter and forms for the application for such licenses and to supply the same to officials of the cities and towns authorized to issue the licenses. No other forms shall be used by officials of cities and towns. The cost of the forms shall be paid out of the fees received from nonresident licenses.

255:2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

Approved: June 18, 2012 Effective Date: August 17, 2012