STOP GUN CONFISCATION BILLS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

The newly amended bill makes it so ANYONE who is involuntarily committed in NH will have their firearms confiscated and be reported into the National Instant Criminal background System (NICS).

A person will have committed no crime nor are they violently mentally ill or suicidal. It could be a distraught Mother who just lost a child and has a breakdown, but doesn't want to hurt herself or others.

It would apply to an elderly man, who just lost his wife of 60 years, and is so distraught he needs help, but does not seek to harm himself or others.

The amended bill does NOTHING to stop those who are violently mentally ill or suicidal from committing violent acts against others or suicide. The bill intentionally harms those who are not violently mentally ill or suicidal.

The real issue is what to do with violently mentally ill people. WHY is someone who is violently mentally ill not being kept IN a mental health facility where they cannot harm themselves or others? 

If someone is so dangerous to themselves or others that they are committed to a mental health institution, WHY are they being let out before they are well again? WHY are they being let out if they are NEVER well again? These people are IN the hospital, they have already lost all freedoms. What is the necessity in confiscating firearms they don’t have access to?

The sponsors of this legislation have been too cowardly to solve the real problem. Instead, they seek to create a gun control bill that only targets gun owners and does NOTHING about mental health.

**NOTE: People with mental illness are more likely to be victims of crime rather than commit crimes.**

This legislation was brought up due to the tragic murder of Officer Haas, a seasoned, retired law enforcement officer, who was working security at the NH State Psychiatric Hospital. Haas was UNARMED at the time. The only reason more people weren't murdered by the violently mentally ill killer was there happened to be an armed NH State Trooper, who stopped the killer.

As we are all very aware, those who are violently mentally ill don't care what 'weapon' they choose to commit acts of violence against others. Why aren't cars, knives, pressure cookers, or other means of harming people being confiscated as well? Because it's a gun control bill, not a bill seeking to solve a problem.

Confiscating firearms will not stop a violently ill criminal from getting a firearm.  According to a U.S. Department of Justice report from 2016, a majority of criminals in prison reported they obtained their firearms illegally. How does this bill prevent that? It doesn't.

If the NH Legislature were to ever fall into the hands of the gun control crowd again, they can easily turn these bills into Red Flag laws, with just a few simple changes. 

If the past few years have shown Granite Staters anything, it's that governmental agencies aren't the best people to be making decisions about anyone's mental health OR physical health. 

There have already been cases where patients were denied due process thanks to mental health 'professionals' in the state.

Are Granite Staters really willing to give up their fundamental rights to state government agencies and courts?