There are 4 anti-gun bill hearings next week and we need your help to stop these bills!
During the past week, a number of our members contacted us regarding SB469, so we are highlighting that bill in this alert. The other bills are equally as bad and in need of just as much effort to stop them. If you want to help NHFC, on future alerts, or on graphics, please contact us through our contact tab.
Do you like going to the range to practice your skills?
Well, Senator Jeanne Dietsch wants to change that. She has introduced her namesake bill, the “Sen. Jeanne Dietsch Range Closure Act” and if she gets her way, you might lose your place to practice.
On 23 Jan 2020, at the Concord NH State House, Room 100, at 10:00 am, there will be a hearing on a critical Senate Bill that impacts all NH firearms owners. This bill, SB 469, proposes to allow legal action against, and closure of firing ranges that have been in existence for decades and legally grandfathered into continued operation through existing law under RSA 159-B. This statute recognizes the ability of firearms ranges that are legally operating to continue to do so after neighborhood expansion places housing near the existing ranges.
The new bill, SB 469 “Sen. Jeanne Dietsch Range Closure Act” which is proposed to REPEAL the good protections under the existing law in RSA 159-B, and replace those with new burdens for the gun ranges. This eliminates the protective provisions which have been the law in NH for decades putting all of our ranges in danger.
It is totally unacceptable that people building a residence near a long-time, existing and legal firing range should expect that their concerns about “noise” should trump the legal right of the range’s operation.
SB 469, as proposed, replaces the existing law in RSA 159-B which provides for the grandfathering-in of shooting ranges that were established and legally operating prior to any restrictions on noise. The new language provides for new noise ordinances to be imposed on existing and long-standing ranges because of urban sprawl where people not familiar with or friendly to firearms have moved into residences where they can hear the sound of firearms being discharged at firing ranges. These people might have thought to do some research prior to purchasing/building a residence in proximity to a firing range. There is NO quantitative definition of “noise” in the bill, meaning that it is unenforceable. Is it average noise? Peak noise? At what level and by what dB scale is it measured? Where is it measured? A law with this level of ambiguity is not passable.
To make matters worse, we were just informed that one NH range was recently issued a complaint by someone who lives over 1.5 miles away over NOISE…
Further, SB 469 proposes to limit the rate of fire to one round every two seconds. In addition to preventing two people from shooting the same type of firearm at the same time, most law enforcement and civilian firearms users practice double taps, which by definition fire two rounds in less than two seconds. There should be no limit on our ability to effectively train and practice this effective self-defense method.
People of NH – NOW is the time to act! We need to push back and end these anti-2A bills that keep coming in front of us. Contact your representatives, show up at the State House to voice your opposition. We don’t want to become New Jersey or look like Virginia given all that is going on there…..
Please contact the Senate members here and send them this letter explaining why this bill needs to be defeated:
Dear Senator:
I am asking that you vote SB469 Inexpedient to Legislate. SB469, the “Sen. Jeanne Dietsch Range Closure Act” proposes to REPEAL the good protections under the existing law in RSA 159-B, and replace those with new burdens for the gun ranges. This eliminates the protective provisions which have been the law in NH for decades putting all of our ranges in danger.
It is totally unacceptable that people building a residence near a long-time, existing and legal firing range should expect that their concerns about “noise” should trump the existing legal right of the range’s operation.
SB 469, as proposed, replaces the existing law in RSA 159-B which provides for the grandfathering-in of shooting ranges that were established and legally operating prior to any restrictions on noise. The new language provides for new noise ordinances to be imposed on existing and long-standing ranges because of urban sprawl where people not familiar with or friendly to firearms have moved into residences where they can hear the sound of firearms being discharged at firing ranges. These people might have thought to do some research prior to purchasing/building a residence in proximity to a firing range. There is NO quantitative definition of “noise” in the bill, meaning that it is unenforceable. Is it average noise? Peak noise? At what level and by what dB scale is it measured? Where is it measured? A law with this level of ambiguity is not passable.
To make matters worse, we were just informed that one NH range was recently issued a complaint by someone who lives over 1.5 miles away over NOISE…
Further, SB 469 proposes to limit the rate of fire to one round every two seconds. In addition to preventing two people from shooting the same type of firearm at the same time, most law enforcement and civilian firearms users practice double taps, which by definition fire two rounds in less than two seconds. There should be no limit on our ability to effectively train and practice this effective self-defense method.
For those that want to contact your house members by email on this or the the other bills, the contact information is located here:
