NH Senate Judiciary Committee Schedules Hearings on Abortion Rights Bills
For Immediate Release: March 31, 2023
CONCORD, NH - The Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled two public hearings on abortion related bills for Thursday, April 6. The Committee will hear testimony at 1:00 pm on HB 224, to repeal criminal and civil penalties from the state’s 24-week abortion ban, and at 1:30 pm on HB 88, the Access to Abortion-care Act. These two bills just passed the New Hampshire House of Representatives last week.
Before the hearings, Kayla Montgomery, Vice President for Public Affairs at Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund, released the following statement:
“Since Roe v. Wade was overturned last year and federal constitutional protections for abortion rights were decimated, Granite Staters have called on elected officials to give us back our rights because there is currently no legal right to an abortion in this country or this state.
Last week the New Hampshire House of Representatives sent the message that they heard the people - and that they trust patients and doctors with personal, private reproductive health care decisions.
We urge the New Hampshire Senate to join in the support for HB 88 and HB 224, which Governor Sununu previously indicated he would sign, to ensure Granite Staters continue to have access to safe, legal abortion and our state’s trusted doctors are not criminalized for providing appropriate, compassionate care.”
BACKGROUND:
Polling:
- A recently released survey from Breakthrough Campaigns conducted on behalf of Amplify NH shows that a supermajority of Granite Staters - 87% - support reproductive freedom and 89% of Granite Staters expect state elected officials to protect or expand abortion access in New Hampshire. Just 11% of Granite Staters want more abortion restrictions in the state.
- In a new 50-state survey, PRRI found most Americans oppose abortion ban policies; 69% of Granite Staters believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases.
- August 2022 polling by the Saint Anselm College Survey Center shows that support for abortion rights in New Hampshire is at a historic high and nearly 6 in 10 voters disapproved of the overturning of Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022.
- Polling released in July, 2021 from the UNH Survey Center shows that New Hampshire’s newly-enacted abortion ban is deeply unpopular, with only one-third of Granite Staters in support of it. Nearly half of independent Granite Staters oppose this ban, as do 27 percent of Republicans.
- The truth is, most Granite Staters and most Americans support access to safe, legal abortion. If someone has decided to have an abortion, more than 8 in 10 respondents want the experience to be supportive and nonjudgmental, without added burdens or protesters, affordable and safe.
The New Hampshire Landscape:
- Without Roe, abortion is still safe and legal in New Hampshire until 24 weeks - for now. A bill to ban abortion would have to pass to further dismantle access to abortion.
- The restrictions on abortion in New Hampshire are clear: access to abortion at or after 24 weeks is banned, with no exceptions for rape or incest and doctors face criminalization.
- NH RSA 329:49 says “Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed as creating or recognizing a right to abortion.”
- New Hampshire is the only state in New England without proactive protections for abortion rights in state statutes or our state constitution.
HB 88: New Hampshire’s Access to Abortion-care Act (AAA)
- House Bill 88 would put abortion rights into state statute. If passed into law, it would proactively protect the future of abortion rights in the Granite State.
- Remote sign ins: 1,306 in support; 202 opposed
- NH House Judiciary voted 10-10 on both an “Inexpedient to Legislate” and “Ought to Pass” motion; HB 88 went to the full House with no committee recommendation.
- NH House voted 199-185 in support of Ought to Pass on HB 88
- The Senate version of the Access to Abortion-care Act, SB 181, was defeated 14-10.
- Testimony in support of HB 88:
- Letters in support of the Access to Abortion-care Act
HB 224: Removing the Criminal and Civil Penalties from NH’s Abortion Ban
- This bill would repeal the criminal and civil penalties from New Hampshire’s 24-week abortion ban. Presently, the law, which was enacted on January 1, 2022, criminalizes doctors for doing their job and working with their patients to get the care they need by threatening providers with a felony and imprisonment. The law as it stands is an invitation for intimidation and harassment against medical professionals who treat patients later in pregnancy.
- Remote sign ins: 914 in support; 516 opposed
- NH House Judiciary voted 10-10 on both an “Inexpedient to Legislate” and “Ought to Pass” motion; HB 224 went to the full House with no committee recommendation.
- NH House voted 205-178 in support of Ought to Pass on HB 224
- Testimony in support of HB 224:
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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 5 health centers in 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 and 2022 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.