The NH House of Representatives will next meet on Thursday, February 1. Two important bills will go before the full House that day: HB 396, relative to state recognition of biological sex, and CACR 23, relating to the right to abortion.
HB 396 is a critical and straightforward bill that preserves the state’s ability (but not required) to differentiate between biological sexes in areas such as athletic competitions, prisons, restrooms, or places of intimate privacy. If the House passes the motion to reconsider, it will require a full new House vote on the bill, nullifying the previous vote in favor. By voting down the motion to reconsider, the House would then send the approved bill directly to the Senate.
CACR 23 is a constitutional amendment that would allow for abortion up to the moment of birth. If voted down (ITL – inexpedient to legislate) by the House, this harmful amendment would be stopped from progressing to the NH Senate.
You can read more about both bills here.
We urge you to contact your representatives and ask them to vote NO on the reconsideration of HB 396 and vote NO on CACR 23.
Once again, legislators are introducing an assisted suicide bill. HB 1283, relative to end of life options, would implement state sanctioned suicide for those facing an illness which a physician has determined would be terminal within 6 months.
HB 1283 has been scheduled for a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, February 7th at 10:00am in the Legislative Office Building, room 206-208.
Although the bill contains what some may feel are “reasonable” restrictions, we only need look to Canada, where over 4% of the population used state-sanctioned suicide to end their own lives in 2022, to see how ever-broadening criteria can lead to alarming numbers of assisted suicide deaths and normalize state-sponsored end of life measures.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
1. Register your opposition to HB 1283 by signing in.
Here are step-by-step instructions on how to sign in.
2. Submit written testimony. You can do this when you sign in.
3. We urge you to come and testify in person, especially if you fall under or know someone who falls under any of the following categories:
- Someone who has struggled with suicidal ideation
- A member of the disability community
- A member of the brain injury community
- Someone who has cared for a terminally ill loved one or an elderly individual
Important Note: Some have had issues with the House remote sign-in page. If you are encountering problems, you can also email the committee to directly register your opposition of the bill and/or submit written testimony. You can find their contact info here or email the full committee at
HouseJudiciaryCommittee@leg.state.nh.us
We urge you to mark your calendars, and let us know if you can come testify. Assisted suicide should never be a course of action the state should sanction. Caring, not killing, is the right approach when we’re faced with terminal illness or any distressing life situation.
New Hampshire’s “Safe Haven Law,” sometimes called the “baby drop-off law,” is a critical protection that has saved the lives of unwanted newborns. Yet the current law faces grave threats, endangering the infants who rely on “safe havens” to protect them from starvation, exposure, or even violent death.
HB 1607, relative to expanded safe haven protections, is a bi-partisan bill that will address these threats and expand the current law in the following ways:
- Expand the age of drop off from 7 days to 61 days
- Provide an exclusionary rule to prevent mothers from being prosecuted for crimes discovered as a result of their abandonment of a baby under 61 days.
- Provide an opportunity for safe and regulated baby boxes.
To learn more, read our blog post here.
HB 1607 has been scheduled for a hearing in the House Health and Human Services Committee Wednesday, February 7th, at 2:45 pm in the Legislative Office Building, room 206-208.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
1. Register your support of HB 1607 by signing in.
Here are step-by-step instructions on how to sign in.
2. Submit written testimony. You can do this when you sign in. Simply hit “choose file” under step number four to upload a document with your testimony, or type your testimony into the provided box.
3. We urge you to come and testify in person. We have step-by-step instructions on how to testify here. You can also reach out to us at cornerstone@nhcornerstone.org if you have any questions about the testifying process.
Important Note: Some have had issues with the House remote sign-in page. If you are encountering problems, you can also email the committee to directly register your support for the bill and/or submit written testimony. You can find their contact info here.
