One Good Bill Still Moving – Support Needed!
Last week was a good week for New Hampshire sportsmen. Several bills of serious concern to sportsmen have failed to continue through the legislative process.
The House voted 196 to 163 to Indefinitely Postponed House Bill 1037.
HB 1037 would have repealed the limited liability for manufacturers, distributors, dealers, or importers of firearms or ammunition, leaving them open to lawsuits based on the criminal misuse of a firearm by another. This will continue the protection of lawful firearm manufacturers and firearm dealers from being held responsible for crimes they do not commit.
The respective Senate and House Committees voted Inexpedient to Legislation SB 346-FN, HB 1102-FN, and HB 1680. This means the committee recommended that these bills should not become law.
SB 346-FN prohibits the use of dogs while hunting coyotes.
House Bill 1102-FN describes brachycephaly as a “birth deformity that causes suffering” and would CRIMINALIZE the sale and breeding of brachycephalic dogs and any dog that could be claimed to have any birth deformity. Deformity is not defined in the bill, so enforcement actions could be brought against breeders for just about anything under the sun. This is nothing but “feel good” legislation meant to harass and intimidate legitimate dog breeders and has nothing to do with actual safety issues for dogs.
House Bill 1680 redefines retail pet stores to include anyone with a physical facility who “transfers” more than thirty (30) dogs per year at retail. HB 1680 does not stop there. The bill also caps these newly redefined “retail pet stores” to “transferring” the number of dogs at the same number “transferred” in 2023, prohibits the sale of the “retail pet stores” to only family members, AND requires future “retail pet stores” to source dogs from ONLY animal shelters.
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee sent SB 541 and SB 548 for interim study. This means that the committee would like the Senate to send them back down to the committee for further analysis.
Senate Bill 541-FN will redefine retail pet stores to include anyone with a physical facility who “transfers” more than thirty (30) dogs per year at retail. SB 541 does not stop there. The bill also caps these newly redefined “retail pet stores” to “transferring” the number of dogs at the same number “transferred” in 2023, requires future “retail pet stores” to source dogs from only animal shelters, and prohibits the sale of the “retail pet stores” to only family members.
SB 548-FN removes gray squirrels from the definition of game animals.
There is also one good bill that needs sportsmen to Take Action. House Bill 1186-FN is scheduled to be heard tomorrow, March 19, at 1:30 p.m. by the Senate Judiciary.
HB 1186-FN prohibits a person or entity involved in facilitating or processing an electronic payment transaction and licensed to do business in this state, including a payment card issuer or payment card network, from assigning it to a merchant or requiring a merchant to use a firearms code. The bill also states for the purposes of the sale of firearms, ammunition for use in firearms, and firearms accessories, a firearms retailer may not provide a firearms code to a payment card issuer or payment card network and may only use or be assigned a merchant category code for general merchandise retailers or sporting goods retailers.
Please use the Take Action button to email the committee members urging them to protect New Hampshire’s sportsmen and support HB 1186-FN.
Don’t forget to share this good news and action needed with your family, friends, and fellow sportsmen. The Granite States needs all of its sportsmen to be actively involved in protecting and defending our hunting, fishing, and trapping heritage for the present and future generations.
About the Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
