Representative Ed Staffman, sponsor of House Bill 737, described the bill as a voluntary suicide-prevention measure commonly known as Donna’s Law. "This bill would reduce this tragic death toll by allowing people who fear suicide to voluntarily and confidentially suspend their own ability to purchase firearms," testified Frederick Vars (law professor), appearing online in favor.

Staffman explained how the registry would work with a companion safe-storage proposal: clinicians could inform patients about options, including temporary transfer to a gun dealer for storage or, if the person does not own firearms, a short do-not-sell registration that the local sheriff uploads to the FBI instant-check database. The bill allows a requester to remove their name after 21 days with no explanation; it also includes an emergency process for earlier retrieval in rare cases.

Supporters said the cooling-off period addresses the impulsive nature of many suicides: Professor Vars cited research showing most people who survive an attempt later decide to live and said about 100 people had signed up in the four early-adopting states. Frederick Vars also testified for himself about personal experience with bipolar disorder and support for the bill.

Questions from committee members covered logistics and safeguards. Representative Clacken asked for the constitutional citation that opponents had mentioned in other hearings; Al Smith (opponent) supplied Article 13, Section 1, Subsection 2 during a different bill's hearing. Representatives asked staff and the sponsor how immediate and reliable access to the FBI-backed list would be; the sponsor said local sheriffs can upload and remove entries electronically and that the system is intended to be immediate.

Opponents raised concerns about data-entry errors, effects on employment, and the similarity (or difference) from red-flag laws. Sponsor and supporters said the registry is voluntary and distinct from involuntary red-flag orders. The sponsor also noted that several local pilot programs and some military-base programs offer similar temporary storage options.

Ending: The hearing closed with the sponsor urging members to pass the bill; the transcript records no committee vote at the hearing.