Gun advocates testify on both sides of background check bill Published: 4/28/2021 7:33:44 PM With gun sales on the rise, Second Amendment advocates in New Hampshire are divided over a bill that would eliminate the state’s role in conducting background checks for those purchasing handguns. The House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee held a public hearing Wednesday on a Senate-passed bill that would abolish the state police “gun line,” and instead put the FBI solely in charge of performing background checks using the National Information Criminal Background System. County sheriff’s offices, however, would use the system to perform searches related to the return of guns to people who are the subject of protective orders for domestic violence or stalking.