HB 1375 – AS INTRODUCED

2014 SESSION

14-2063

04/08

HOUSE BILL 1375

AN ACT permitting a municipal law enforcement agency to collect unwanted or illegal firearms.

SPONSORS: Rep. Schlachman, Rock 18; Rep. Moody, Rock 17; Rep. Cebrowski, Hills 7; Rep. Cali-Pitts, Rock 30; Rep. Scarlotto, Rock 31; Rep. S. Chandley, Hills 22; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21

COMMITTEE: Municipal and County Government

ANALYSIS

This bill allows a city or town to adopt a policy authorizing the local police department to collect unwanted or illegal firearms for sale or disposal.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

14-2063

04/08

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Fourteen

AN ACT permitting a municipal law enforcement agency to collect unwanted or illegal firearms.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Section; Pistols and Revolvers; Voluntarily Surrendered Firearms. Amend RSA 159 by inserting after section 25 the following new section:

159:25-a Collection of Unwanted or Illegal Firearms by a Municipal Law Enforcement Agency.

I. A city or town may adopt a policy authorizing the local police department to accept and collect unwanted or illegal firearms which are voluntarily surrendered. Such policy shall provide for the following:

(a) Unwanted or illegal firearms may be voluntarily surrendered at the police station or another location designated by the chief of police.

(b) Unwanted or illegal firearms may be held at the police station or transferred to a location designated by the chief of police where they may be held pending sale or disposal.

(c) No compensation of any kind shall be paid to any person voluntarily surrendering an unwanted or illegal firearm.

(d) The chief of police may offer for sale or auction any firearm that he or she determines to be an antique. The proceeds of the sale of such firearms shall be retained by local law enforcement agency and used for general law enforcement purposes.

(e) Each person voluntarily surrendering an unwanted or illegal firearm may, upon request, receive a copy of a receipt which describes the specific type of firearm surrendered and the date of surrender.

II. No court order shall be required for the sale or disposal of firearms voluntarily surrendered pursuant to this section.

III. No person who surrenders a firearm which is illegal to possess under state law shall be criminally prosecuted for the illegal possession of such firearm.

IV. Nothing in this section shall require any person voluntarily surrendering a firearm to disclose personally identifiable information as a requirement for surrendering a firearm.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.