Kathryn Giddins

Dear Committee Members, I urge you to reject House Bill 159, a deeply concerning proposal that erodes the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding New Hampshire citizens. While mental health is an important issue, HB 159 opens the door to dangerous overreach by allowing the government to strip individuals of their firearm rights based on vague legal standards and subjective determinations. This bill relies on broad and potentially arbitrary criteria for reporting individuals to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), setting a precedent that could be easily expanded in the future. Without robust due process protections, such policies create a slippery slope where innocent individuals could be denied their constitutional rights based on little more than a bureaucratic decision. Furthermore, HB 159 promotes the confiscation of firearms without clear, immediate recourse for affected individuals. This is an unacceptable violation of the principles upon which our nation was founded. We cannot allow fear-driven policies to override the fundamental right to self-defense. New Hampshire has a proud history of respecting the Second Amendment. I urge you to stand firm in defense of our constitutional liberties and vote NO on HB 159. Respectfully, Kathryn Giddins nhw4gr@gmail.com Women For Gun Rights