Planned Parenthood NH Action Fund Reacts to Supreme Court Opinion Erasing the Constitutional Right to Abortion

NEW HAMPSHIRE — Today, the Supreme Court overturned nearly 50 years of precedent and eliminated the constitutional right to abortion, stripping people of the right to control their own bodies. This final decision comes 7 weeks after the leaked draft decision, and could lead to 26 states swiftly moving to ban abortion. In New Hampshire, abortion remains safe and legal before 24 weeks, and after 24 weeks in cases of life of the pregnant person or a fatal fetal diagnosis.

The consequences of this devastating decision will fall largely on people who already face the greatest barriers to health care due to this country’s legacy of racism and discrimination, including Black, Latino, and Indigenous communities, people with low incomes, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, and people living in rural areas.

Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund and allies will gather tonight, Friday, June 24, at 5:00 pm at the New Hampshire Supreme Court to rally in support of abortion rights as well as in Dover at Henry Law Park, Exeter at Town Hall, Hanover at The Green, Keene at The Square, Lancaster at Centennial Park, Manchester at City Hall Plaza, Plymouth at the intersection of Tenney Mountain Highway and Highland Street, and Portsmouth at Market Square.

Statement from Kayla Montgomery, VP of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund:

“By overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court has now officially given politicians permission to control what we do with our bodies, deciding that we can no longer be trusted to determine the course for our own lives. This dangerous and chilling decision will have devastating consequences across the country, forcing people to travel hundreds, sometimes thousands, of miles for care or remain pregnant. 

In New Hampshire, abortion is still safe and legal before 24 weeks. As the only state in New England without proactive protections for abortion rights, however, we know the future of access will depend upon each election and who holds power in Concord.

Make no mistake – this decision goes beyond abortion. This is about who has power over you, who has the authority to make decisions for you, and who can control how your future is going to be.

It is a dark day for our country, but this is far from over. We will not compromise on our bodies, our dignity, or our freedom. Granite Staters should know that Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund will always fight for you, and we will not back down. Together, we will rebuild and reclaim our freedom.”

BACKGROUND:

New Hampshire Abortion Ban:

• In 2021, Governor Sununu signed into law New Hampshire’s first abortion ban in modern history. Effective January 1, 2022, abortions are prohibited at or after 24 weeks. After extensive legislative efforts, there are now exceptions for fatal fetal diagnoses to the abortion ban and the ultrasound mandate for all abortion care has been removed.
• Additionally, this abortion ban criminalizes health care providers with a class B felony which could come with up to seven years in prison and a fine up to $100,000, allows husbands to file civil actions, and allows the patient’s parents to file civil actions.
• There are no other medical procedures in New Hampshire law subject to felony charges and imprisonment for health care professionals.

Polling:

• According to the Granite State Poll, conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center in May 2022, 61 percent of Granite Staters oppose overturning Roe v. Wade. 88 percent of registered Republicans believe abortion should be legal in all (23 percent) or some (65 percent) circumstances. Only 10 percent of Granite Staters believe that abortion should be illegal. 
• Recent UNH Survey Center polling released in February, 2022, shows that New Hampshire overwhelmingly supports Roe v. Wade. Across the state, 65% of Granite Staters want the new Supreme Court Justice to be someone who would vote to uphold Roe v. Wade - including a majority of registered Democrats, registered undeclared, and registered Republican voters. Just 20% of Granite Staters want the next Supreme Court Justice to vote to overturn Roe.
• Polling released in July, 2021 from the UNH Survey Center shows that New Hampshire’s 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. 

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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 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 95^th 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.