Dear Fellow Granite Stater,
Primary day is September 8th, and we at Cornerstone are here to help you prepare. Here is your update:
Free Resource for Church Leaders: Law for Churches 101
Does your pastor know what the law actually says about churches — their rights, their responsibilities, and the limits of government authority? Many church leaders may not be aware of just how strong NH law is for churches or how new laws effect their congregations. TESTAMENT is Cornerstone’s free guide to the legal landscape for NH churches, written in plain language for pastors and ministry leaders by our Associate Director and Head of Litigation, Ian Huyett.
Request a free copy for your church or ministry here.
Introducing Our New Policy Director
We are pleased to announce that Isabella Peters has joined Cornerstone full-time as Policy Director. Isabella has been part of the Cornerstone team for some time, contributing to our policy research and legislative work — and we are excited to have her in this expanded role.
Isabella holds a Bachelor’s in Middle East Studies from The American University in Cairo and an Associate Degree in Social Sciences from Manchester Community College. A New Hampshire native, she brings a deep commitment to Cornerstone’s mission as well as a sharp analytical mind. In her new role, she will lead Cornerstone’s policy research, legislative support, and outreach — freeing Ian Huyett to focus on litigation and legal strategy.
We are grateful for her commitment to New Hampshire families and are excited about what this means for Cornerstone’s work ahead.
GLAD Retreated. The Supreme Court Ruled. Here Is What It Means for NH Girls.
GLAD — the national LGBTQ legal organization — has withdrawn its lawsuit challenging New Hampshire’s girls’ sports law. They didn’t win. They didn’t settle. They walked away — because after the Supreme Court’s ruling in West Virginia v. B.P.J., their case wasn’t going to survive.
The Court was unambiguous: states may maintain women’s and girls’ sports for biological females, and doing so does not unconstitutionally discriminate against transgender athletes. Cornerstone serves as local counsel for Female Athletes United, which intervened in the New Hampshire case to defend our girls’ sports law. That intervention worked. The lawsuit is gone.
The same Supreme Court ruling also makes clear how much ground remains. Governor Ayotte celebrated the Court’s decision — and then vetoed HB 1442, which would have extended those same protections to locker rooms and restrooms. Despite the Court’s outright support for female sports and safety, she still vetoed.
For Cornerstone’s full analysis, including the governor’s own words alongside her veto record here.
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
— Proverbs 31:8–9 (NIV)