Sam Farrington of the State of New Hampshire said April 15 that self defense is a natural right, given by God, as the Senate considers legislation that would prohibit public colleges and universities from restricting lawful firearm possession on campus.
The proposed measure, known as the Protecting College Students Act, has drawn attention for its potential to change existing policies at New Hampshire’s public higher education institutions. Supporters say it would align state law with those in other jurisdictions that allow constitutional carry on public campuses.
“This bill will protect the 2A rights of college students and professors at our public universities. We’ve learned from the Old Dominion shooting that gun free zones do not exist. Self defense is a natural right, given by God. I will never give up the fight to protect the Constitution,” according to Farrington in a social media post immediately following his presentation of House Bill 1793 to the New Hampshire Senate. The Protecting College Students Act previously passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 188 to 165 and now awaits action in the upper chamber. The measure would bar public colleges and universities from regulating the possession or carrying of firearms and non-lethal weapons on campus. Farrington serves as the prime sponsor of the legislation according to his statement.
Public colleges and universities in New Hampshire currently prohibit firearms and non-lethal weapons on campus according to existing institutional policies. The University of New Hampshire maintains an active campus safety department that compiles annual Clery Act crime statistics for its Durham campus and other locations. Officials track incidents ranging from theft to assault to inform security planning for the student population. The proposed legislation would remove those restrictions for eligible adults according to university reports.
Nineteen states currently permit some form of campus carry for law-abiding adults according to national gun law trackers. The March 2026 shooting at Old Dominion University in Virginia occurred in an area designated as a gun-free zone where the shooter was able to fire on ROTC students before being stopped. Campus carry supporters cite such incidents as evidence that restrictions do not prevent determined attackers. The New Hampshire bill would align state policy with those in other jurisdictions that allow constitutional carry on public campuses according to national records.
Farrington is a Republican member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives representing Strafford District 8. He was elected in 2024 and assumed office in December after defeating the incumbent. A lifelong resident of Rochester, he is a current student at the University of New Hampshire and has prioritized legislation advancing Second Amendment protections according to Ballotpedia.
