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HB 352 · 2025 · House · Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee

Banning guns at polling places

AI-generated

prohibiting possession of a firearm at a polling place.

Prohibits knowingly carrying a firearm within 100 feet of a polling place during elections, with exceptions for law enforcement, and allows voters unwilling or unable to comply to vote by absentee ballot instead.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · February 20, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill prohibits possessing a firearm at a polling place and includes certain exceptions. This bill further allows individuals who are unwilling or unable to comply with this prohibition to vote by absentee ballot.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as introduced. Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site

“No person shall knowingly carry a loaded or unloaded pistol, revolver, firearm, or other deadly weapon as defined in RSA 625:11, V, whether open or concealed, or whether licensed or unlicensed, within 100 feet of a polling place during a federal, state, or municipal election.”
RSA 159:28
“Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.”
RSA 159:28

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Timothy HorriganDPrime
  • Rep. David MeuseDDeputy Ranking Member· Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Also: Rep. Jodi NewellD, Rep. Loren SeligD, Rep. Suzanne VailD

Public testimony

309 signed in online · 83 wrote testimony

79% support21% oppose0% neutral

ForFirearms at polls are unnecessary and intimidate voters

AgainstBill is an unconstitutional infringement on gun rights

AI-generatedLeading arguments, summarized by the testimony tool.

Read the arguments

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“Must put lives of children and the public above profits from gun sales”
— Amy Feitelson, Ryesupports
“As a member of the voting public I support this bill. Poll workers and voters should not feel afraid to be at the polls and participate in democracy. In today’s charged and divisive political environment, extremism is becoming too common place.…”
— Aileen Maconi, Hamptonsupports
“As a Supervisor of the Chedklist for Ward 3, Dover, NH, I strongly support banning firearms of any sort at the polling place. Introducing firearms into the voting process I believe is a form of intimidation and a possible safety issue.”
— Richard Spence, Doversupports
“Creating a defacto "gun-free" zone at NH polling places is unnecessary and sets us up for a disaster waiting to happen.…”
— John Mooney, Northfieldopposes
“Again. Stop messing with my rights affirmed in the nation's and state's constitution.”
— Simon Berrio, Daltonopposes
“Must we do this again? New Hampshire is always either the safest or the second safest state in the union each year, usually swapping the honor back and forth with Vermont which has just as proud a tradition of an armed citizenry helping produce that result.…”
— Jeffrey Jordan, Lyndeboroughopposes

Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced
  • Jan 30, 2025HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate8–7
    Overall
    53% yea
  • Feb 20, 2025HouseRoll callInexpedient to LegislateAdopted211–161How they voted
    Overall
    57% yea
    Party-line vote
    Republicans
    207–0100% yea
    Democrats
    4–1612% yea

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 30, 2025Public hearingHouse Criminal Justice and Public Safety2:21:25–2:33:2311m 58slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate — roll call; Public Hearing; Executive Session
  • Feb 20, 2025Floor debateHouse floor3:22:00–3:32:1810m 18slocated in the stream transcriptInexpedient to Legislate — adopted, roll call 211-161

Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.

Legislative history

  1. Jan 8, 2025HouseIntroduced 01/08/2025 and referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety HJ 2 P. 16
  2. Jan 30, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 01/30/2025 12:00 pm LOB 202-204
  3. Jan 30, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 01/30/2025 10:30 am LOB 202-204
  4. Jan 30, 2025HouseMajority : Inexpedient to Legislate 01/30/2025 (Vote 8-7; RC) HC 12 P. 15
  5. Feb 11, 2025HouseMinority : Ought to Pass
  6. Feb 20, 2025HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA RC 211-161 02/20/2025 HJ 6 P. 34

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.