New Hampshire Senate rejects letting school boards ban guns

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — With students looking on from the gallery, the New Hampshire Senate has rejected an attempt to give school boards explicit authority to ban guns on school property.

Though the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act bans weapons within 1,000 feet of a school, New Hampshire law gives the state Legislature the sole authority to regulate guns.

The Republican-led Senate voted along party lines Thursday to reject Democratic Sen. Martha Hennessy's amendment to give local school boards the power to prohibit guns in designated safe school zones.

Democrats emphasized New Hampshire's long tradition of local control and accused Republicans of being "pistol-whipped" by the National Rifle Association.