As we predicted, efforts to gut or eliminate New Hampshire’s historic Fetal Life Protection Act, which protects the lives of children after 24 weeks, or 6 months, are quickly advancing through the legislature.
Two of those efforts, House Bill 1609 and Senate Bill 399, are being taken up in committee this week. House Bill 1609 will be taken up tomorrow, Tuesday, January 18th, and Senate Bill 399 will be taken up on Wednesday, January 19th. While they take a different approach, both bills entirely strip these hard-won protections for defenseless humans weeks from birth. Right now is the time to sign in and register your opposition to both bills and to consider testifying. Here is everything you need to know.
Tuesday, January 18th, HB 1609-FN
COMMITTEE: House Health and Human Services Committee
WHEN: 9:50 am
WHERE: Legislative Office Building, rooms 210-211
HB 1609, incredibly sponsored by six Republicans, is especially insidious as it leaves a shell of the law while stripping out the ultrasound requirement, the only objective measure of gestational age. The resulting unenforceable law would be worse than nothing. HB 1609 also inserts additional exceptions, but these are little more than a distraction when compared with the devastating removal of the ultrasound provision.
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Note: To watch or listen to lawmakers debate this bill in real time, go here on the morning of the session. The video will also be posted and available for viewing later.
Wednesday, January 19th, SB 399-FN
COMMITEE: Senate Judiciary Committee
WHEN: 1:00 PM
WHERE: The State House, room 100
SB 399 is a direct repeal of the Fetal Life Protection Act.
Note: To watch or listen to lawmakers debate this bill in real time, go here at 1 pm on Wednesday. The video will also be posted and available for viewing after the session.
How many babies could be protected in New Hampshire if either of these bills pass? Exactly zero. We’ve come too far to erase these new protections for the innocent who cannot speak for themselves.
