UNITED STATES NEWS

Abortion-rights supporters prevail in New Hampshire House

Mar 23, 2023, 1:40 PM | Updated: 1:44 pm

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — In a victory for abortion-rights supporters, the Republican-led but closely divided New Hampshire House on Thursday rejected multiple bills to further restrict abortion access while also approving legislation to protect it.

The eight abortion-related bills came up for a vote during what has been a hectic week for abortion policy nationwide. Nine months after the U.S. Supreme Court ended a nationwide right to an abortion, court fights are playing out on multiple fronts, states dominated by Democrats are seeking to protect access and Republicans are trying to tighten restrictions.

In New Hampshire, Republicans hold a 201-198 majority in the House, with one seat vacant. That has made attendance on session days extra important, as evidenced by the vote on a measure Thursday that ended in a tie.

The proposal in question, backed by virtually all Democrats, would have repealed the state’s ban on abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy. The bill was tabled after the 192-192 tie.

Democrats succeeded, however, in sending the Senate a bill that would remove the civil and criminal penalties associated with the ban, a change Republican Gov. Chris Sununu supports. The House also voted to add an explicit right to abortion up to 24 weeks to state law, though the Republican-led Senate already has defeated a similar bill.

“New Hampshire is one of only three states where abortion is legal but not protected,” said Rep. Alexis Simpson, a Democrat from Exeter. “Today we can send a message to Granite Staters – a clear, purposeful message – that the New Hampshire House supports and affirms an individual’s right to an abortion and the tenets of Roe v. Wade.”

The House rejected a bill that would ban abortions after the first detectable “fetal heartbeat.” Cardiac activity can be detected as early as six weeks into pregnancy, before many women know they’re pregnant. It also rejected a bill that would have required medical treatment for all infants born alive, including after an attempted abortion, along with measures that would have imposed a waiting period for those seeking abortions and additional audits for abortion providers.

A bill that would have asked voters to weigh in on adding “reproductive autonomy” to the state Constitution failed, however. The House voted 193-191 in favor of the bill, but proposed constitutional amendments need a three-fifths majority to advance.

Rep. Bob Lynn, a Republican from Windham and former chief justice of the state Supreme Court, said changing the constitution would effectively throw the issue to the courts.

“Is there any reason to believe that the court is somehow better equipped to make decisions on these issues than we are? I submit to you that the answer is no,” he said. “Unlike unelected judges, we are the branch of government that is most accountable to the people. If we get it wrong, the voters will let us know about it soon enough at the next election.”

United States News

Associated Press

Lawyer picked to prosecute Army sexual assault is fired over an old email doubting victims’ claims

WASHINGTON (AP) — The lawyer selected to be the Army’s first top prosecutor of sexual assaults under an overhaul of the military justice system has been fired because of an email he sent 10 years ago appearing to belittle victims’ assault allegations. Brig. Gen. Warren Wells was removed from the job on Friday by Army […]

11 minutes ago

Associated Press

DeSantis wants to cut 1,000 jobs, but asks for $1 million to sue over Florida State’s football snub

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis recommended Florida eliminate more than 1,000 state jobs in a spending proposal released Tuesday that cuts the current budget by more $4.6 billion while maintaining popular sales tax holidays. DeSantis is calling for a $114.4 billion budget. Unlike most years, the presidential candidate announced his budget far […]

1 hour ago

FILE - Supreme Court Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor poses for a photo in 1982. O'Connor who ...

Associated Press

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor will lie in repose at the Supreme Court on Dec. 18

WASHINGTON (AP) — Retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor will lie in repose at the Supreme Court on Dec. 18, with a funeral service at the National Cathedral the following day, the court said Monday. The first woman on the Supreme Court, O’Connor died Friday at age 93 in Phoenix. She stepped down from the court […]

2 hours ago

FILE - Republican presidential candidates from left, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former ...

Associated Press

How to watch the fourth Republican presidential debate and what to look for

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The number of candidates on stage is shrinking, but the fundamentals of Wednesday’s Republican presidential debate may be familiar to anyone who has watched the previous three meetings. No one has yet emerged as the clear Republican alternative to former President Donald Trump, whose lead is so big that he has […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

US makes offer to bring home jailed Americans Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich. Russia rejected it

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has made a new and significant offer aimed at securing the release of American detainees Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich, but Russia has rejected the offer, the State Department said Tuesday. Spokesman Matthew Miller did not reveal the details of the offer nor why Russia had turned it down, […]

3 hours ago

Actor Jonathan Majors arrives at court for his domestic assault trial, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023, in Ne...

Associated Press

Jonathan Majors’ accuser said actor’s “violent temper” left her fearful before alleged assault

NEW YORK (AP) — Jonathan Majors’ former girlfriend told a Manhattan jury that the actor was prone to fits of rage that escalated in the months leading up to his arrest for allegedly attacking her in the backseat of a car last spring. During hours of tearful testimony on Tuesday, Grace Jabbari described Majors as […]

3 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Follow @KTAR923...

Valley residents should be mindful of plumbing ahead of holidays

With Halloween in the rear-view and more holidays coming up, Day & Night recommends that Valley residents prepare accordingly.

Follow @KTAR923...

The 2023 Diamondbacks are a good example to count on the underdog

The Arizona Diamondbacks made the World Series as a surprise. That they made the playoffs at all, got past the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Wild Card round, swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS and won two road games in Philadelphia to close out a full seven-game NLCS went against every expectation. Now, […]

...

Desert Institute for Spine Care

Desert Institute for Spine Care (DISC) wants to help Valley residents address back, neck issues through awake spine surgery

As the weather begins to change, those with back issues can no longer rely on the dry heat to aid their backs. That's where DISC comes in.

Abortion-rights supporters prevail in New Hampshire House