Support HB 564, Gun Free Schools

Background

The federal Gun Free Schools Act prohibits students from bringing firearms into schools, and the Gun Free Schools Zone Act prohibits all other persons unless they are licensed by the state to carry a firearm. But New Hampshire has major gaps in our state law that has left school districts and police departments in murky water on enforcement and jeopardizes safe spaces for our children to learn and grow. HB 564 is a bill in the State Legislature to clarify statewide gun free school zones in New Hampshire.

It is important for elected officials to take action to ensure safety for our students and educators. Please sign the petition or add your own message urging Governor Sununu and the state legislature to support gun free schools.

Additional Points

• Right now, an adult could bring a gun into a school and unless they issue threats or start shooting students, school administrators and local police departments have little recourse. Meanwhile, school procedure is to go into lockdown.

• The presence of firearms in our schools disrupts learning environments and takes school personnel and resources away from their primary job of teaching our children.

• The vast majority of states – 47 of them – and the District of Columbia prohibit carrying or possessing a firearm on K-12 school property or events. Only Hawaii, New Hampshire, and Wyoming do not.

• New Hampshire is putting its students, educators, school districts, and police departments at risk by not making it abundantly clear that school districts and police departments can enforce gun free schools. This is a major insurance liability and public relations crisis for our schools at best – and the loss of student and educator lives at worst.

• We have a responsibility to ensure our students’ safety. Let’s empower our school districts and police departments to take action to deter a dangerous situation before it becomes a deadly one.

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Dear Governor Sununu and State Legislators,

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