Margaret Cowan

I oppose HB 1699. Redefining a firearm as “unloaded” simply because a round is not in the chamber is a dangerous semantic maneuver, not a safety improvement. A firearm with a magazine inserted is functionally ready to fire and should be treated as loaded—period. Allowing loaded firearms on slow-moving boats weakens long-standing safety standards and creates unnecessary risk on public waterways. This bill moves New Hampshire in the wrong direction by loosening gun regulations under the guise of convenience, and it sets a troubling precedent for further erosion of common-sense gun safety laws.