NH House votes to criminalize helping minors receive abortions — but avoids the word abortion
An earlier version of the bill specified that this was — at least originally — about abortions. (Getty Images)
New Hampshire Republican lawmakers are working to make it illegal to help a minor travel to receive an abortion without parental permission, and they got one step closer to making that happen on Wednesday.
The New Hampshire House of Representatives voted, 180-164, to pass House Bill 191, which would make it a crime in the state to knowingly transport an unemancipated minor to receive a 'surgical procedure' without a parent's notarized permission. It also opens people up to civil lawsuits if they do so. Under the bill, a first offense would be a misdemeanor and a third offense would be a felony.
However, an earlier version of the bill specified that this was — at least originally — about abortions. The original text of the bill made it illegal to help a minor receive an 'abortion' without their parents' permission. The criteria for what constitutes a violation under the proposed law was also broader in the original text. The bill originally made it illegal to hide the fact that a minor is receiving an abortion or help them obtain an abortion, whether surgical or through drugs, without parental permission. However, before the House voted on the bill, it was amended to limit the scope and to change 'abortion' to 'surgical procedure.'
On the House floor, Rep. Alissandra Murray, a Manchester Democrat, argued the amendment 'attempts to conceal the real motives of obstructing abortion access.' She also said the amendment created 'unnecessary confusion' and means the bill would require 'notarized consent to drive a teen to get their tonsils removed or face criminalizing grandma.'
Republicans supporting the bill didn't buy that argument.
'I cannot imagine any world where anybody in this room can come up with a scenario where it's OK for somebody else to take their child for a scheduled medical procedure and them not have to know about it,' Rep. Jennifer Rhodes, a Winchester Republican, said. 'I wonder what that could be. Doesn't make any sense to me.'
The bill will need approval from the Senate and the governor before it can become law. Prior to Wednesday's vote, the bill was approved by the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee in a 9-7 vote.
Abortion has been legal up to 24 weeks of pregnancy in New Hampshire since 2021. The law has exceptions for medical emergencies and fetal abnormalities, but not for rape or incest.
There was an unsuccessful effort to further restrict that this year though. House Bill 476, sponsored by Wolfeboro Republican Rep. Katy Peternel, sought to ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy with exceptions for medical emergencies and fetal abnormalities. However, the House withdrew the bill in February after Peternel and her cosponsors no longer stood behind it.
This comes after Gov. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican, promised on multiple occasions, including during her inaugural address, that she would not approve legislation restricting abortion beyond the 24-week limitation already in place. House and Senate Republican leaders made similar promises during election season last year.
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