It’s crunch time now.
We at NHFC have been extremely busy making sure politicians don’t trample on your rights.
Up till now, our constant pressure on legislators has, for the most part, kept them in line.
But, now I need your help.
You see, several important bills have been stalled in the Senate.
Imagine walking out of the grocery store with your children in tow and, suddenly, a man steps out of the shadows, charges towards you, pulls a knife, and demands your money.
Imagine your wife or daughter returning to her car from the Mall of NH when a man runs up to her swinging a baseball bat and demanding she get in his car.
Imagine walking to your car after a hockey game at the Verizon Arena, and two men pop out from behind a car, guns drawn, and demand that you…
In each case, if you defend yourself with deadly force, if you can’t prove that you could not retreat safely, you may be forced to defend yourself a second time in a courtroom. Under New Hampshire law, except in your home or its curtilage, you must retreat before you can defend yourself; House Bill 210 will allow you to defend yourself without retreating in any place you have a right to be.
You should not be forced to run from an attacker before defending yourself. HB 210 would fix the law so you don’t have to.
Unfortunately, the Senate is playing politics with your rights, recently sending HB 210 back to committee. Now the Senate is balking at correcting this injustice this year.
Senators want you to wait another year before you can defend yourself in public without having to fear some prosecutor second guessing, after the fact, whether you could have retreated.
Political insiders are telling me this is a political ploy. Already there is talk in Concord about avoiding passing any controversial legislation next year in an election year.
Politicians in Concord are trying to put us off till next year, so they can tell us then they cannot do anything to fix this injustice because it is too controversial.
If you and I let them put us off till next year, we face an uphill battle to get HB 210 passed into law.
Despite a promise from a majority of Senators to support eliminating the duty to retreat, the Senate is trying to say they can’t pass this bill this year.
You and I need to send a message that this is unacceptable; eliminating the duty to retreat should be done now.
I need you to call and/or email Senate President Peter Bragdon (271-2111/peter.bragdon@leg.state.nh.us) and your Senator, and tell them you want HB 210 passed now, before they go home for the summer.
HB 210 has already passed the House, tell your Senator you want them to withdraw HB 210 from committee, pass the House version and immediately send it to the Governor’s desk.
Unfortunately, HB 210 is not the only bill the Senate has held hostage; the Senate sent HB 378 back to committee at the same time as HB 210.
HB 378 was specially crafted to prevent another person from being unjustly sent to prison for merely displaying a firearm.
House Bill 378 makes it clear that the display of a firearm to warn away trespassers is not criminal. Displaying, without firing a firearm, to protect your property should not land you in prison.
Please call your Senator and tell them you want them to withdraw HB 378 from committee immediately and send it on to the Governor’s desk.
It is crucial Senate President Bragdon and your Senator hear from you immediately. Not only will your calls and emails help to gain passage of HB 210 and HB 378, but the more your Senator hears from you now, the less likely he will be to cross us next year, as we continue our fight for your firearms civil rights.
You and I, together, can get this important legislation moving again, but we must act now!
Sincerely,
Jonathan R. Evans, Esq.
President, NHFC
P.S. It is crucial to the fight to pass HB 210 and HB 378 that you call and/or email Senate President Bragdon (271-2111/peter.bragdon@leg.state.nh.us) and your Senator immediately. The legislature will be going home for the summer soon, and the Senate needs to take action this Wednesday to pass these bills. Your Senator’s Contact information can be found on the Senate Website
