New Hampshire: Shurtleff Criminal Protection Bill Dies in Senate

Yesterday, the state Senate voted to table the Shurtleff Criminal Protection Bill by a 19-5 vote.  After passage of House Bill 135 by a 189-184 vote in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, the state Senate was the last line of defense to stop this bill from being sent to Governor Maggie Hassan for her signature. 

If passed and enacted into law, HB 135 would have repealed important self-defense provisions enacted in 2011, making the following changes to New Hampshire’s current self-defense laws:

1. Eliminates the provision that allows a person to use deadly force anywhere one has a legal right to be.
2. Amends the definition of non-deadly force by removing the provision that specifies the act of producing or displaying a weapon is considered non-deadly force.  Thus, drawing or exhibiting your firearm to intimidate a perpetrator could be considered deadly force.
3. Repeals the provision granting civil immunity for the use of force in self-defense thereby allowing criminals to sue their victims.

Thank you to all NRA members and Second Amendment supporters who contacted their state legislators in opposition to this misguided proposal.  The effective defeat of HB 135 would not have been possible without your efforts.

A special thanks to Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley and Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Sharon Carson in defeating this measure.