The bill under consideration, SB 476-FN, as amended by the House, includes a capital appropriation of $40,000,000 for the replacement of the New Hampshire state prison for men, covering architectural, engineering, programming, and design and construction documents. It authorizes the state treasurer to issue bonds and notes up to $40,000,000 to fund this appropriation. Additionally, the bill introduces "The Chief Bradley Haas Mental Health Firearms Reporting Act," which mandates the reporting of mental health data for firearms background checks, including the process for confiscation of firearms following certain mental health-related court proceedings and for relief from mental health-related firearms disabilities. It amends RSA 159-D:1 to include mental health record checks and introduces a new chapter, RSA 159-F, outlining the authorization for reporting to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) and the process for court-ordered confiscation of firearms.

The bill also establishes a new chapter, RSA 159-G, allowing individuals with certain mental health adjudications to petition for a review of their mental capacity to possess or purchase firearms after specified time frames. The court must schedule a hearing within 60 days of receiving a petition and may order an independent psychiatric examination. If the petitioner is deemed not likely to act dangerously and granting relief is in the public interest, the court will request the removal of the NICS entry. The bill repeals RSA 126-AA:2, VI, related to the submission of information to NICS, and specifies the effective dates for various sections of the act. The fiscal note indicates indeterminable expenditures for psychiatric evaluations and law enforcement training, with no estimated impact on state, county, or local revenue. The bill does not provide sufficient funding to cover estimated expenditures and does not authorize new positions. The fiscal impact includes costs for the Treasury Department and the Judicial Branch, with specific amounts allocated for FY 2025, FY 2026, and FY 2027, funded by the General Fund and General Obligation Bond.

Statutes affected:
As Amended by the House: 159-D:1, 126-AA:2