Legislative Update 04/18/2022

HB 1625, repealing the prohibition on entering or remaining on a public way or sidewalk adjacent to a reproductive health care facility

STATUS: HB 1625 was passed by the full House last month. It will now have a hearing and be voted on by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

WHEN: Tuesday, April 19 at 2:30 PM at the State House, Room 100.

CORNERSTONE POSITION: Cornerstone supports this bill. 

For years, New Hampshire’s “buffer zone” law has allowed private abortion clinics to ban sidewalk counseling and protesting on the public sidewalks outside their facilities. This law is a naked violation of the First Amendment. However, as abortion clinics have never actually enforced the law, it cannot be challenged in court.

Knowing that the law would be struck down if it is ever actually challenged, New Hampshire abortion clinics have avoided enforcing the law while, at the same time, campaigning vigorously against any legislative attempts to repeal it. The clinics’ goal apparently is to keep the law on the books as a deterrent to free speech through the threat of possible punishment. HB 1625 will finally repeal the onerous buffer zone law.

For more information on HB 1625 go here.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

1. Please contact the Committee and ask them to vote “Ought to Pass” on HB 1625.

2. Please sign in in support of HB 1625. This takes less than a minute and is the simplest way to show your support for the bill. For detailed instructions on how to sign in go here.

SB 399, Relative to certain requirements of the Fetal Life Protection Act requiring an ultrasound examination

STATUS: Last Thursday the House Judiciary Committee voted to pass SB 399 as amended by the Senate.

CORNERSTONE POSITION: Cornerstone supports this bill as amended. Prior to being amended, SB 399 was one of several bills designed to gut the Fetal Life Protection Act. With the amendment passed by the Senate, SB 399 now clarifies the Fetal Life Protection Act’s narrow ultrasound requirement.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: The Committee’s vote to pass SB 399 without any gutting amendments is a step in the right direction, but there is still work to be done to ensure the bill passes the House intact. Please contact your Republican representatives to ask that they be present on the day SB 399 is voted on and ask that they oppose any floor amendments.

HB 1673, Relative to the scope of the Fetal Life Protection Act

STATUS: Last Thursday the Senate voted to pass HB 1673. The bill is now headed to the Governor’s desk.

CORNERSTONE POSITION: Cornerstone supports this bill as amended by the NH House. Prior to being amended, HB 1673 was one of several bills designed to gut the Fetal Life Protection Act. With the amendment passed by the house, HB 1673, like its Senate counterpart SB 399, now reiterates and further clarifies our pro-life law’s narrow ultrasound requirement.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: Please contact the Governor and ask that he sign HB 1673 into law.

Contact Governor Sununu: 603-271-2121

Update on HB 1609, relative to certain provisions of the fetal life protection act requiring an ultrasound examination
Last Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted Ought to Pass on HB 1609 as amended by the House Finance Committee. As originally written, HB 1609 was meant to totally gut the Fetal Life Protection Act, leaving it unenforceable. The Finance Committee’s amendment removes the gutting language but adds an exception for fetal anomalies incompatible with life. However, it also contains the strengthening ultrasound language which we supported in amendments for similar bills.  HB 1609 is now scheduled to be voted on by the full Senate this Thursday, April 21.

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