State Rep. James Thibault said on April 30 that he was disappointed with the New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee’s decision on legislation about firearms on public college campuses.
The committee voted 3-2 along party lines to amend House Bill 1793 and instead establish a study committee to examine allowing firearms on public college campuses. The original bill would have prohibited public colleges from restricting lawful possession or carry of firearms and non-lethal weapons, according to the official bill text.
“Disappointed to see the committee reject the preservation of Granite Staters’ constitutional rights. There should not be two classes of citizens based on where they live or their choice to pursue higher education,” Thibault said on X. “The loudest arguments I heard during the hearing were that students are too drunk, stupid, or mentally ill to own firearms. If that argument is taken at face value, that says far more about these schools’ standards than anything else.”
New Hampshire maintains the ninth-lowest gun death rate in the country, with 19.9 deaths per 100,000 people in 2023. According to Omnilert, the state’s crime rate has dropped each year since 2017, when New Hampshire began allowing permitless carry.
As of 2025, more than a dozen states permit concealed carry of firearms on public postsecondary campuses, either by statute or court ruling. Research has found no significant changes in overall crime rates on affected campuses after such laws were implemented, according to a study published in the journal Injury Epidemiology.
Thibault represents Merrimack County District 25, which includes Franklin and Northfield. He was elected in November 2024, according to Ballotpedia.
