In my last update I told you about HB 687, the gun confiscation bill. HB 687 has been scheduled for a public hearing in the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee on March 5, 2019, at 10 AM.
However, there is another, even more sneaky gun confiscation bill which is cleverly disguised as a bill to help older adults. HB 696 will be heard by the House Health Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee this week, on Wednesday, January 30 at 2PM.
HB 696 will allow the “guardian in fact” of a “vulnerable adult” to violate that person’s Second, Fourth, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendment Constitutional rights through a “secret” telephone call — with no court hearing whatsoever, no chance for the accused to defend himself or to state his point of view.
Similar to HB 687, the gun owner would not receive any notice until the police arrive to confiscate otherwise lawfully possessed firearms and ammunition. And if he resisted, to arrest and possibly shoot him. This is exactly what happened in Ferndale, Maryland, to 60 year-old Gary Willis, a “gentle” man who was targeted by a vindictive relative, and was shot to death when police arrived at his darkened house at 5:17 a.m. Like, HB 687, law enforcement agencies can charge fees to store someones firearms and cannot be held liable for any damage while they are holding your guns.
Sure, after the order is entered and the guns are confiscated, you can spend thousands of dollars on attorneys and experts to attempt to convince a judge to return your property. That is NOT due process; true due process occurs when the presumption of innocence remains and the accused has an opportunity to be heard in court before their property is taken.
HB 696 is another, blatant attempt at injecting government into every aspect of people’s private lives through the use of court appointed, court ordered guardians and fiduciaries who, if HB 696 is adopted, will be given the authority to have your guns confiscated. In one section of HB 696 vulnerable adults are described as: “…means that the physical, mental, or emotional ability of a person is such that he or she is unable to manage personal, home, or financial affairs in his or her own best interest, or he or she is unable to act or unable to delegate responsibility to a responsible caretaker or caregiver.”
But then, in another section of the same bill, the “vulnerable adult” can authorize the Department of Health and Human Services to act on their behalf. A state agency that has an abysmal record at caring for those who actually need help. So, even though these older adults are allegedly vulnerable and unable to manage their personal affairs, they can authorize a state agency to act on their behalf and petition the courts to restrain others and confiscate their guns. Talk about political double speak.
HB 696 seems to allow the courts to look back in time indefinitely: “The court shall not deny the plaintiff protective orders based solely on a lapse of time between an act of abuse, exploitation, or neglect and the filing of a petition, provided that the underlying act presents a credible threat to the plaintiff’s current safety or physical, mental, or financial well-being.”
Even if the gun owner survives the “knock-on-the-door” in the middle of the night, it is unlikely that he will be able to summon the resources to defend his constitutional rights in court.
Gun confiscation and violation of civil rights comes in many different packages and HB 696 is one of them.
Here is what you need to do to help:
Use this email address: HHSEA@leg.state.nh.us to contact the members of the Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee and send them this pre-written message:
Dear Committee Members,
HB 696, is a long complex bill, that is attempting to create a new standard in New Hampshire that will allow third parties to petition the courts, in ex-parte hearings to take away a person’s Second, Fourth, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment rights without due process. Sure, the “respondent” can request a hearing — after the fact and spend thousands of dollars on attorneys and experts. But that is after property has been confiscated and rights have been violated. Ex-parte hearings should never be allowed. The accused should always be part of any hearing conducted. Please vote HB 696 “inexpedient to legislate”. Thank you.
If any committee members write back, please send me a copy: arice@nhfc-ontarget.org
Finally, I want to provide you with this list of public hearings on the following bills, please plan to attend:
House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee:
- February 13, 1PM HB 109 ban on private sales;
- February 13, 230PM, HB 514 up to a 9 day waiting period between sale and delivery of guns or ammunition that will likely ban internet or mail order ammunition sales;
- March 5, 10 AM, HB 687 the so called, “red flag” gun confiscation bill.
We still do not know when the two criminal safe schools bills, HB 101 and HB 564 will be scheduled for public hearings by the House Education Committee but as soon as we have any new information I’ll send an alert.
Thanks for your support!
In liberty, Alan M. Rice
President – NHFC, Inc.
P.S. Our national partners at Gun Owners of America are urging the US Senate NOT to confirm anti-gun William Barr as US Attorney General. Click here for their alert and instructions on how to take action. After this alert was posted, GOA released some information on Mr. Barr’s involvement in the now infamous 1992 raid on Randy Weaver, Ruby Ridge, Idaho. Click here to read that and take action.
