HB 346 relative to the right of any infant born alive to appropriate medical care and treatment
Committee: House Judiciary Committee
Date: February 16, 2023
Positon: Oppose
The misleading claim that infants are being left to die by doctors is completely false, offensive, and dangerous. Supporters and sponsors of this bill attempt to single out abortion -- however, HB 346 has nothing to do with abortion, and would have no impact on abortion providers. Instead, this bill threatens health care providers who need the ability to provide the most appropriate and compassionate care for families in the most devastating moments of their lives: knowing their newborn will not survive, no matter what futile treatments a provider may perform.
In 2022, this body made the critical and necessary decision to give women and families more options when facing these devastating decisions by allowing for a fatal fetal diagnosis exception to New Hampshire’s current abortion ban. The passage of this bill could harm the very people who make the decision to continue with their pregnancy knowing they will not be leaving the hospital with their newborn baby.
This bill criminalizes the practice of safe and compassionate medicine by ignoring the medical decision process related to early labor and neonatal resuscitation and neonatal hospice – situations that are complex and heart-breaking. Towards the end of pregnancy, any decision that is made around a patient's health care should be in consultation with her physician, using their professional judgment and acting under ethical and medical guidelines. Doctors providing care under these complicated circumstances need to be able to provide each individual patient with the best possible medical care. Instead, this bill threatens doctors with criminal penalties.
The claims made in support of this bill are the same lies and tired rhetoric politicians have been using time and again, but when put on the ballot, the voters overwhelmingly see through it, like most recently in Montana. Out-of-touch lawmakers are again injecting politics into health care in an attempt to threaten doctors who provide reproductive health care. In fact, this bill is based on model legislation drafted by a national anti-abortion group and has been introduced in many other states as part of an anti-reproductive health agenda.
New Hampshire’s medical community opposes this bill and it is a breathtaking government overreach into one of the most personal and tragic moments of life that some people will have to experience.
WE URGE A VOTE OF “INEXPEDIENT TO LEGISLATE” ON HB 346
For more information contact: Liz Canada, Advocacy Manager, [email protected], 603.686.3353
Planned Parenthood of Northern New England (PPNNE) is the largest provider of reproductive and sexual health care across the State of New Hampshire. We serve New Hampshire residents through 6 health centers in Claremont, Derry, Exeter, Keene, Manchester and White River Junction, VT. Last year we saw more than 10,000 patients at these sites. PPNNE was named a 2021 Guardian of Excellence Award® winner by Press Ganey, the national leader in health care consumer and workforce engagement. Press Ganey recognizes PPNNE as a top-performing health care organization, achieving the 95th percentile or above for performance in patient experience, out of more than 20,000 medical practices.
Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund (PPNHAF) is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England in New Hampshire. The Action Fund engages in educational and electoral activity, including voter education, grassroots organizing, and legislative advocacy