New Hampshire's Extreme Lawmakers Push for 15-Day Abortion Ban: A Closer Look at NH Politicians' Broken Promises on Abortion
For Immediate Release: Dec. 7, 2023
This week, a number of Republicans in the New Hampshire State House and Senate introduced legislation to ban abortion at 15 days - which amounts to a total ban on abortion.
At 15 days, the vast majority of women do not yet know they are pregnant. If passed, this would be one of the most extreme and dangerous abortion bans in the country.
This proposal comes despite New Hampshire State Republican leadership repeatedly telling voters they won’t restrict access to abortion.
Despite speculation that abortion rights were losing importance, recent elections in a number of states have indicated that threats to these rights significantly influenced voter decisions. According to a new poll released yesterday, over the past 18 months following Roe v. Wade's overturn, there's been a notable surge in support for abortion rights, with increased percentages favoring legal access to abortion. Moreover, a majority of Americans identify as pro-choice, opposing government interference in personal abortion decisions, while also expressing growing concern about the perceived risk to abortion rights, especially in states with new restrictions post-Roe v. Wade. In New Hampshire, recent polling found that 87% of Granite Staters support reproductive freedom.
“Voters across the political spectrum in New Hampshire overwhelmingly support abortion rights, and because of that some politicians will say whatever voters want to hear just to get elected. But they’re lying about their positions. Make no mistake: on abortion, New Hampshire extreme politicians continue to say one thing, and then when in office, they do the exact opposite,” said Kayla Montgomery, Vice President of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund.
WHAT HE SAID: Governor Sununu said he wasn’t “looking to make any changes to abortion laws in New Hampshire.”
WHAT HE DID: Eight months later, Sununu signed New Hampshire’s first abortion ban in modern history into law. The ban had no exceptions, including none for fatal fetal diagnosis, and it required mandatory ultrasounds.
WHAT HE SAID: Last year, House GOP Majority Leader Jason Osborne was asked if he would fight efforts to pass limits on abortion or if he would go along with his caucus. He told NHPR, “I will definitely fight those efforts.”
WHAT HE DID: Just two months later, a majority of Osborne’s caucus (109 members) voted to advance legislation that would institute a near-total (six-week) abortion ban. And now, members of his caucus are taking it a step further, and have filed legislation to ban abortion at 15 days - one of the most extreme bans in the entire country, and certainly the most absurd ban New Hampshire has ever seen.
WHAT SHE SAID: Early this year, Kelly Ayotte’s campaign spokesperson told the Union Leader that Ayotte “agrees with current law” on abortion.
WHAT SHE DID: As a U.S. Senator Ayotte voted for legislation that aimed to ban abortion earlier in pregnancy than New Hampshire’s current law. Ayotte also played a pivotal role in supporting Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, aiding in securing his confirmation to the court. Gorsuch’s lifetime appointment soon led to the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Notably, one of Ayotte’s first endorsers in her campaign for Governor, State Senator Carrie Gendreau, is one of the sponsors of the 15-day abortion ban. Gendreau said she would rather ban abortion at “zero” weeks. Ayotte has remained silent on the legislation and her endorser’s position.
###
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.