On January 23rd, the New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing on Senate Bill 469, sponsored by Senator Jeanne Dietsch (D – District 9), at 10:00 AM in Room 100 of the State House.
Senate Bill 469 would repeal New Hampshire’s shooting range protection law by allowing municipalities to subject already-existing shooting ranges to noise ordinances, while also making it easier for individuals to sue local gun ranges for noise violations. Currently, under New Hampshire law, shooting ranges are immune from lawsuits as long as they complied with existing noise ordinances at the time the range opened.
This legislation would endanger shooting ranges, even if they operate safely and are otherwise in full compliance with the law. Municipalities and individuals could use these ordinances to effectively shut down ranges with costly renovations, unreasonable court fees, hiatus, or even closure of operations. Shooting ranges provide a safe environment for law-abiding individuals to learn, practice, and train. They should not be regulated out of existence.
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