Rogers, Baldasaro Team Up to Get Tough on Illegal Guns

CONCORD, NH - Politics, as the saying goes, can make for some strange bedfellows. But at the same time, many political leaders in the Granite State work hard to come up with bipartisan solutions to society’s nagging problems.

Such is the case with a new bill – HB 1635 – that proposes to crack down on criminals with guns by implementing new penalties for thieves that steal weapons during burglaries.

The bill is co-sponsored by state Rep. Katherine Rogers, D-Concord, and state Rep. Al Baldasaro, R-Londonderry, complete opposite side of the aisle when it comes to gun issues – Baldasaro is a gun rights advocate, who often speaks at 2nd Amendment rallies; Rogers is a gun control advocate who is active in the Democrat Party who has made gun issues a cornerstone of her work in the Legislature.

“We are cracking down on illegal activity in New Hampshire,” said Baldasaro in a press statement. “We need to enforce the laws on the books, and this proposal sends a message that if you are going to steal guns in New Hampshire, you are going to face an even longer jail sentence.”

Rogers said the changes the bill proposed were a “common sense approach” to get guns out of the hands of criminals.

“Our goal is to reduce gun violence and to shut down the pipeline of illegal guns streaming out of New Hampshire,” she said. “(It’s) proof that both sides can work together to reduce gun violence in our communities.”

HB 1635 adds the words “theft of a gun” to a list of crimes that are considered on the worst list when it comes to burglary charges. It would raise the penalty to a Class A felony – or up to 20 years in prison – for the theft.

The approach, they noted, was consistent with other New Hampshire laws that carry stiffer penalties for crimes committed when a gun is involved. The bill will be heard by the House Criminal Justice Committee at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016, in Room 204 of the Legislative Office Building.

This bill isn’t the first time Rogers and Baldasaro have worked together on issues important to both of them and their communities. Two years ago, they co-sponsored the K-9 Veterans Bill that was signed into law by Gov. Maggie Hassan, D-Exeter.