New Hampshire: Important Self-Defense Bills Still Need Your Help

The 2011 legislative session is quickly winding down in Concord.  However, there are still two very important self-defense measures, House Bill 210 and House Bill 378, pending.  Several months ago, these self-defense measures overwhelmingly passed in the state House and were sent to the state Senate for consideration.

House Bill 210, “Castle Doctrine” legislation, sponsored by state Representative Richard Okerman (R-Rockingham 4), would allow a person who is in any place where he or she has a right to be or reasonably believed he or she had a right to be to use deadly force to protect oneself.

House Bill 378, sponsored by Betsey Patten (R-Carroll 4), would provide added protection for person who is responding to a trespasser who refuses to leave, the ability to display a firearm for self-defense with the intent to warn away the person making the threat.

Several weeks ago both measures were referred back to the Senate Judiciary Committee in anticipation of a similar state Senate measure, Senate Bill 88, sponsored by state Senator David Boutin (R-16), being approved.  However, now with the uncertainty of the final outcome of SB 88, we now need to urge the state Senate to reconsider HB 210 and HB 378, as passed by the state House, and move these measures through the Senate and to the Governor for his signature.

Please call your state Senator and urge their support for reconsidering these two important measures.  Contact information for your state Senator can be found here.