The "Chief Bradley Haas Mental Health Firearms Reporting Act" seeks to improve the reporting of mental health data for firearms background checks and establish protocols for the confiscation of firearms following certain mental health-related court decisions. It amends RSA 159-D:1 to incorporate a mental health record check into the firearms sale process and introduces a new chapter, RSA 159-G, which empowers the New Hampshire judicial branch and the department of safety to report individuals disqualified from firearm possession due to mental health adjudications to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The bill also outlines the court's responsibilities in notifying individuals about firearm possession prohibitions and includes mechanisms for the voluntary relinquishment or law enforcement confiscation of firearms.

Furthermore, the bill establishes a new chapter, Chapter 159-H, allowing individuals with specific mental health adjudications to petition for relief from firearm disabilities after certain time frames. It details the petition process, which includes an independent psychiatric examination and a court hearing to assess public safety risks. The attorney general is tasked with applying for federal approval to restore firearm rights for New Hampshire citizens, and a section of current law regarding NICS submissions is repealed. The bill includes a nominal appropriation of $1 for independent psychiatric evaluations but does not allocate funding for overall implementation. The provisions will only take effect upon receiving federal approval, with relevant sections becoming inactive if such approval is not granted.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 159-D:1, 126-AA:2