There are no public hearings on firearms legislation this week. However, I am writing to update you on what will happen at the Statehouse very soon, maybe even next week.
I know this email is long; but please bear with me and read through to the end, there are important updates that you should act on.
We told you about how the new, anti-gun majority in Concord banned self defense, (concealed carry) in the House Chamber, we also told you that their agenda goes from bad to worse.
Text is now available for some of the worst anti-gun bills, such as HB 101 that will allow local school boards to ban self defense. HB 101 is very similar to the Hennessey Amendment that was defeated last year thanks to your activism. It is naive to think that a rule and a sign will stop a murderer. A legally armed adult is the only thing that stands between a murderer and our children.
We will also be fighting against HB 109, which I have retitled, “sell a gun to a friend and go to jail”. HB 109 resembles, HB 201 which, like HB 109, was sponsored by gun ban extremist, Representative Katherine Rogers.
We are also very concerned with CACR 3, CACR 4 and CACR 8. CACR 4 and CACR 8 are proposed State Constitutional Amendments that will enable home rule. Translation: if enacted preemption will be gutted and local gun bans will be authorized. In 2018 we opposed CACR 19 and CACR 4 and CACR 8 are just as bad and must be opposed.
CACR 3 is a different sort of Constitutional Amendment that is bad, very bad because while it attempts to elevate hunting to a Constitutional Right it subjects those rights to statutory provisions and administrative rules. That’s right, CACR 3 includes specific language that says this newly granted right is “subject to laws and regulations”. CACR sets a new, dangerous precedent. No Constitutional right should EVER be subject to laws and regulations, especially regulations promulgated by the notoriously anti-gun, anti-Constitution, New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. The Constitution is the supreme law of the land and in this case, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department has shown that they are a rogue, out of control agency so it would be foolish to give them additional power and enshrine it in the New Hampshire Constitution.
While the text of HB 101,HB 109, CACR 4 and CACR 8 are public and similar to old, thoroughly discredited ideas and CACR 3 is obviously regressive, the greatest risk to your civil right to be armed is still an LSR # 2019-0007 and text is not yet public. The assigned title is: “relative to extreme risk protection orders” and one of the co-sponsors, Representative Jerry Knirk, wrote an article which was published in the Conway Daily Sun.
- I’ll just refer to LSR # 2019-0007 as the gun confiscation bill.
Thanks to Representative Knirk’s candor, we have a pretty good idea that LSR #2019-0007 tramples on several longstanding Constitutional rights. Representative Knirk admits that current law requires a conviction before someone loses their Second Amendment rights. So he makes clear that if someones speech is deemed by a family member or law enforcement to be unacceptable, then the guns are gone. So much for the First Amendment.
Representative Knirk is also OK with violating the Fourth Amendments right to be free of unreasonable searches and seizures. Especially since he admits in his article that the bar for loss of rights in current law is just to high. To high a bar to prevent the loss of Constitutionally protected civil rights? This man is dangerous and ignorant of the oath of office he took.
The most dangerous part of LSR #2019-0007 is that the promised hearing will be conducted ex-parte, which means the person whose guns are to be confiscated won’t learn of this until the police arrive at his/her home to take their property and violate their Constitutional rights. A recent case in Maryland resulted in a gun owner being shot dead by police. The accused will have no opportunity to object and offer evidence showing that those who are seeking to confiscate his firearms are wrong. Even though Representative Knirk claims that the accused will have a hearing in 14 days to make their case; this can cost thousands of dollars for competent legal counsel and it is generally an uphill battle to convince a judge to return firearms after someone has been deemed dangerous. No judge wants to be “that judge”. This is why Representative Knirk is offering a hearing after the guns are confiscated instead of before. If the accused were heard from before it would likely show that the accusers are wrong and guns should not be taken in the first place.
Representive Knirk and the ten co-sponsors are some of the most virulent gun haters to ever disgrace the New Hampshire General Court with their presence; their goal is not preventing suicides or murders, or even public safety. Their goal is to take away your guns and your right to defend yourself and most of all your ability to be self reliant. We must defeat LSR #2019-0007.
Representative Knirk claims the his gun confiscation scheme would reduce or maybe even prevent mass shootings. Did he even read the report on the Parkland Shooting? The MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION made it clear that the Broward Sheriff’s Office ignored warning signs before the shooting, signs that could have led to arrest and prosecution under existing laws. An ERPO was not needed. The report also faulted Broward Deputies for not engaging the murderer. Finally, the report called for arming teachers and other school personnel. The report did not recommend so called ERPOs or gun confiscation laws.
Right now none of these bills have been scheduled for a public hearing. However, it is never to early to start letting State Representatives and Senators know that you oppose all of the above bills, especially, LSR #2019-0007 gun confiscation. Click here for our fact sheet on how this takes away your rights without due process. If you prefer to watch, instead of read, click here for an excellent video on gun confiscation by Guns and Gadgets.
Click here for contact information for all State Representatives.
Thanks for your support!
In liberty,
President – NHFC, Inc.
