Today, in a surprise move by the state House Leadership, Senate Bill 88 was brought up for a vote. The state House voted to override the Governor’s veto of SB 88 by a 251 to 111 vote. Last week, the state Senate overrode the Governor’s veto by a 17 to 7 vote. SB 88 is now law and will go into effect in sixty days.
Senate Bill 88 would restore the right of self-defense in New Hampshire and establish that the law-abiding have the right to defend themselves from assault wherever they have a legal right to be when they believe there is an imminent threat to their life and well being.
On July 13, Governor John Lynch vetoed this common-sense legislation that 28 states across the country have enacted with broad bipartisan support. SB 88 originally passed overwhelmingly in both chambers – in the state House by a 283 to 89 vote and in the state Senate by a 19 to 5 vote.
Thank you to everyone who contacted their elected officials in support of this important self-defense legislation. Please check the above roll call votes to see how your legislators voted and thank them if they supported SB 88. Contact information can be found here.