HOW TO TAKE ACTION
LEGISLATIVE SESSION 2021
Each year Cornerstone Action, identifies relevant legislation impacting the people of New Hampshire, faithful to our commitment to support religious freedom, protect families, and cherish life. Below are the bills we have identified to track or watch for further developments.
Your voice does make a difference!
We urge you to get informed and contact your elected officials to let them know where you stand on important legislative questions in New Hampshire. Our Legislative Update emails will continue to notify you of the bills coming up each week
Beginning this year, this page will be your go-to for specific action steps you can take on each bill, including how contact legislators, sign into hearings and live-stream committee votes. Please bookmark it!
KEY CHANGES THIS YEAR
Due to COVID restrictions, new online procedures have been implemented for members of the public who wish to testify to New Hampshire legislators on bills in the 2021 session.
While in-person testimony is not possible at this time, you will still be able to register your opinion remotely.
It is imperative that concerned folks like you continue to contact committee members and “show up.”
Signing in for hearings on these bills is essential to be counted and to have the opportunity to speak. More about the process here.
Click on a bill for detailed instructions on how you can act.
LIFE
We support public policy that affirms the value of human life.
TAKE ACTION SOON
About
BILL TEXT
HB625
Relative to the protection of fetal life
CORNERSTONE POSITION
SUPPORT
TALKING POINTS
HB 625 would protect unborn lives at the 24-week gestational age. It requires that a physician determine a child’s gestational age, and protects the child from an abortion at or after 24 weeks. The bill imposes a Class B Felony penalty for health care providers who violate it knowingly or intentionally.
READ MORE…
Update
On June 3rd the Senate voted 14-10 to ban abortion after 24 weeks.
Senators voted 14-9 to pass an amendment to HB 2, the state budget, sponsored by Senators Regina Birdsell and Sharon Carson. This amendment rewrote Sections 37-40 of the state budget to create a real and workable ban on late-term abortion.
For full commentary on this historic vote, read our most recent blog post.
Watch Here for Next Steps
Watch our Legislative Update Emails for Updates!
NO FURTHER ACTION
About
BILL TEXT
HB 233- FN with Birdsell Amendment
The Born Alive Infant Protection Act
CORNERSTONE POSITION
SUPPORT with the amendment sponsored by Senator Regina Birdsell.
TALKING POINTS
HB 233-FN, relative to the right of any infant born alive to medically appropriate and reasonable care and treatment, would provide legal protection for infants who survive abortion.
Update
The Senate Judiciary Committee has voted to retain HB 233, Rep. Jordan Ulery’s Born Alive Infant Protection Act. The Committee did so without any discussion of the Cornerstone-supported Birdsell amendment, which was carefully developed in consultation with experts in the field and would have addressed many of the concerns raised by opponents of the bill.
NO FURTHER ACTION
About
BILL TEXT
HB430
Repealing the prohibition on entering or remaining on a public way or sidewalk adjacent to a reproductive health care facility
CORNERSTONE POSITION
SUPPORT
TALKING POINTS
HB 430, The Sidewalk Free Speech Act, will repeal the current prohibition on gathering in a public area that is near a reproductive health care facility. HB 430 argues that the 2014 restrictions currently in NH law (RSA 132:37-40) have never been actively enforced, serve no public purpose, and most likely would be found unconstitutional if enforcement was attempted.
READ MORE…
Update
The House did not vote on both HB 430 before the crossover deadline. The bill was scheduled to be voted on last because of the Inexpedient to Legislate vote of the Republican-controlled Judiciary Committee. This means the bill is dead this session but can be brought up again in January of 2022.
NO FURTHER ACTION
About
BILL TEXT
HB434
Prohibiting the use of public funds for abortions.
CORNERSTONE POSITION
SUPPORT
TALKING POINTS
HB 434 will simply align state law with what has been repeatedly affirmed in the NH State Budget, that abortion services in the state are not to be funded with our tax dollars. The bill makes an exception when the life of the mother is at stake.
READ MORE…
Update
The House did not vote on HB 434 before the crossover deadline. The bill was scheduled to be voted on last because of the Inexpedient to Legislate vote of the Republican-controlled Judiciary Committee. This means the bill is dead this session but can be brought up again in January of 2022.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
For the benefit of New Hampshire, we support and defend religious freedom.
TAKE ACTION NOW
About
BILL TEXT
HB542 as amended
As amended, relative to the protection of religious liberty aka the Religious Liberty Act
CORNERSTONE POSITION
SUPPORT
TALKING POINTS
In recent months we’ve seen around the country instances of governors using emergency powers to target the ability of churches to freely assemble. If passed, HB 542 would protect churches in New Hampshire from such abuses by essentially categorizing houses of worship as essential services during states of emergency. READ MORE
Update
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted on May 25th to pass HB 542 with an amendment, formulated in consultation with the Governor’s office and without discussion with any religious organizations in New Hampshire, which removed the general Mack protections from the bill.
While not ideal, Cornerstone can continue to support HB 542 in this form. Read here for the full analysis.
Next Step: Contact Your Senator
Please contact your Senator and ask them to vote in support of HB 542 as amended.
Watch Our Legislative Update Emails for Updates!
NO FURTHER ACTION
About
BILL TEXT
HB440 as amended
This bill will protect civil liberties from being “suspended” during a state of emergency—something the Governor’s attorneys have claimed the power to do. Read more about the issue of civil liberties “suspension” here.
Please contact the Senate Judiciary Committee and ask them to vote in favor of HB 440-A.
Update
The Senate Judiciary Committee has voted to retain HB 440, Rep. Jim Kofalt’s Civil Liberties Defense Act. This is a simple and common sense bill, and there was no good reason not to allow it to move forward. This was the last bill that the Committee had any reason to retain.
The bill provides simply that “civil liberties shall on no account be suspended” in a state of emergency. Given the coordination between the executive and legislative branches leading up to today’s hearing, the Committee’s choice to delay this simple bill should ring alarm bells about what some of our elected leaders think of our inalienable constitutional rights.
GENDER
For the benefit of New Hampshire, we recognize the dignity of each human being, created male or female. We defend the belief that there are two genders and oppose measures that would label that belief “discriminatory.”
NO FURTHER ACTION
About
BILL TEXT
HB295
Relative to initiating amendments and corrections to birth records
CORNERSTONE POSITION
OPPOSE
TALKING POINTS
Allowing individuals to alter their vital records, including birth certificates, based upon subjective feelings or experiences undermines the government’s interest in having accurate vital records. The purpose of vital records is not to affirm a person’s inner feelings or beliefs regarding their age, sex, or location of birth. As numerous courts have recognized, the purpose of vital records is to maintain an accurate database of factual information regarding births, deaths, and other vital events in a given jurisdiction. READ MORE
Update:
Thursday April 8th the House voted to table HB 295. No further action can be taken on the bill this year. However, it can be brought up again in January of 2022.
About
BILL TEXT
HB136
Requiring schools to update documents and software to include the option of identifying a student as non-binary
CORNERSTONE POSITION
OPPOSE
TALKING POINTS
HB 136 denies the reality of biological sex, instead affirming the idea that gender is subjective, and the distinctions of male and female do not actually exist. READ MORE…
Update
HB 136 had a public hearing March 9th. The Education Committee voted to retain the bill. No further action at this time.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
For the benefit of society and strengthening of human dignity, we work to put an end to human trafficking and pornography.
TAKE ACTION NOW
About
BILL TEXT
HB 180
increasing the penalty for buyers under the law regarding trafficking in persons.
CORNERSTONE POSITION
SUPPORT
TALKING POINTS
Coming soon
READ MORE…
Update
The House voted to pass HB 180 at their session on April 9th. The bill will now be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Next Step: Contact Senate Judiciary
As always, Legislators need to hear from you! Email the committee why you support this bill. See all members of the Senate Judiciary Committee here.
