Latest news with #AlissandraMurray
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Hampshire House moves to reduce criminal penalties for shrooms
The New Hampshire House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday that would reduce the penalties for people 21 and older caught with psilocybin, the psychedelic drug commonly known as magic mushrooms or shrooms. The House approved House Bill 528 during Wednesday's voting session as part of the consent agenda through a voice vote. If enacted, the bill would reduce the penalty for people 21 and older who obtain, purchase, transport, possess, or use psilocybin in New Hampshire from a felony to a simple violation with a small fine and no jail time. On the first offense, someone caught with psilocybin could face a fine of up to $100 under this bill; on the second offense that rises to $500, and for third-time offenders it could be up to $1,000. Second or third offenses would also rise from a violation to a misdemeanor under this bill. The drug is currently illegal in New Hampshire under the Controlled Drug Act. Originally, the bill's proponents, including its sponsor Deerfield Republican Rep. Kevin Verville, called for psilocybin to be legalized entirely for people 21 and older. However, the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee ultimately amended the proposal to simply lessen the punishment. Earlier this month, the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee voted unanimously in favor of the bill. The legislation still must be approved by both the Senate and the governor before it can become law. 'Not only is this not really a dangerous drug, but it also has medicinal benefits that people are unable to take advantage of currently because of its classification under the Controlled Drug Act,' Rep. Alissandra Murray, a Manchester Democrat, said during the committee's March 7 meeting. 'While entirely removing it might be too big a step for this Legislature to take right now, I think this is a good compromise to start with.' In 2019, psilocybin was outlawed in all 50 U.S. states. However, Oregon became the first state to legalize the drug in 2020. Colorado also legalized it in 2022. It is still illegal in the remaining 48 states. Cannabis is another recreational drug that has seen even more growing acceptance as of late. Cannabis is now legal for medicinal purposes in 39 U.S. states and for recreational use in 24 after once being illegal across the entire country. In New Hampshire, it is still illegal for recreational use. However, it is decriminalized and legal for medicinal purposes. Verville has sponsored another bill, House Bill 75, that would legalize recreational cannabis. This story was originally published by the New Hampshire Bulletin. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: NH House moves to reduce criminal penalties for shrooms
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
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.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Hampshire House votes to reduce punishments for shrooms
On first offense, someone caught with psilocybin could face a fine of up to $100 under the bill; on second offense that rises to $500, and for third-time offenders it could be up to $1,000. (Photo) The New Hampshire House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday that would reduce the penalties for people 21 and older caught with psilocybin, the psychedelic drug commonly known as magic mushrooms or shrooms. The House approved House Bill 528 during Wednesday's voting session as part of the consent agenda through a voice vote. If enacted, the bill would reduce the penalty for people 21 and older who obtain, purchase, transport, possess, or use psilocybin in New Hampshire from a felony to a simple violation with a small fine and no jail time. On first offense, someone caught with psilocybin could face a fine of up to $100 under this bill; on second offense that rises to $500, and for third-time offenders it could be up to $1,000. Second or third offenses would also rise from a violation to a misdemeanor under this bill. The drug is currently illegal in New Hampshire under the Controlled Drug Act. Originally the bill's proponents, including its sponsor Deerfield Republican Rep. Kevin Verville, called for psilocybin to be legalized entirely for people 21 and older. However, the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee ultimately amended the proposal to simply lessen the punishment. Earlier this month, the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee voted unanimously in favor of the bill. The legislation still must be approved by both the Senate and governor before it can become law. 'Not only is this not really a dangerous drug, but it also has medicinal benefits that people are unable to take advantage of currently because of its classification under the Controlled Drug Act,' Rep. Alissandra Murray, a Manchester Democrat, said during the committee's March 7 meeting. 'While entirely removing it might be too big a step for this Legislature to take right now, I think this is a good compromise to start with.' In 2019, psilocybin was outlawed in all 50 U.S. states. However, Oregon became the first state to legalize the drug in 2020. Colorado also legalized it in 2022. It is still illegal in the remaining 48 states. Cannabis is another recreational drug that has seen even more growing acceptance as of late. Cannabis is now legal for medicinal purposes in 39 U.S. states and for recreational use in 24 after once being illegal across the entire country. In New Hampshire, it is still illegal for recreational use. However, it is decriminalized and legal for medicinal purposes. Verville has sponsored another bill, House Bill 75, that would legalize recreational cannabis.
Boston Globe
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Anti-sanctuary bill passes N.H. House nearly unanimously and without discussion
There was no discussion of the measure on the House floor Thursday, but ahead of the votes Democrats worked with Republicans to narrow the bill's scope. The amended legislation applies to people already in custody for an alleged criminal violation. The original bill language said 'a law enforcement agency shall use best efforts to support the enforcement of federal immigration law.' Get N.H. Morning Report A weekday newsletter delivering the N.H. news you need to know right to your inbox. Enter Email Sign Up HB 511 requires law enforcement agencies to comply with immigration detainers of inmates and it bans sanctuary policies that 'prohibit or impede' the enforcement of federal immigration law. Local law enforcement would not be allowed to enact a blanket policy against compliance with immigration detainers, and they could not restrict use of inmate immigration information. Advertisement But the bill also includes a provision barring New Hampshire law enforcement from investigating an inmate's citizenship status. 'It essentially codifies the practices that existed in New Hampshire municipalities, but ensures they're being followed,' said Representative Alissandra Murray, a Manchester Democrat, who worked on the amendment. Representative Jonah O. Wheeler, a Peterborough Democrat, called it 'a really hard vote,' and said Democrats will still support the state's immigrant communities. 'I think you can support immigrants without having to say that we're going to not follow the direction of the federal government, which could put the state in a seriously risky position,' he said. He said the amendment makes sure local law enforcement won't be responsible for enforcing federal immigration law, while at the same time ensuring local cooperation with federal immigration law. The amendment was pitched to Democrats as a 'harm reduction measure,' since Republicans, which have a 44-seat majority in the House, had the votes to pass the original, broader bill, according to Wheeler. That's how Representative David Meuse, a Portsmouth Democrat, also described it in a post on Advertisement On Friday, the committee I serve on, the NH House Criminal Justice & Public Safety committee voted unanimously to... Posted by 'The amendment to the bill makes changes to the language that make it less harmful and narrow the scope of the bill to already incarcerated people,' Meuse wrote. 'Without the amendment, NH police would have been required to hand over to ICE any undocumented immigrant they encounter with an immigration detainer out on them—even those who have not committed a crime." Meuse did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the House vote. While there's no legal definition of a sanctuary city, it's become a political shorthand for places that refuse to cooperate with federal authorities and detain someone based solely on immigration status. In New Hampshire, there's no state-wide sanctuary policy, although after President Trump began his first term in 2017, several local communities began enacting policies regulating how local police cooperate with federal immigration authorities. The Cheshire County Sheriff Eli Rivera, who in 2017 Lebanon, N.H., enacted a ' Advertisement It also stops local agents from helping or participating in immigration enforcement actions, and it stops local authorities from permitting federal immigration authorities access to someone who has been detained locally. Karen Liot Hill, a Lebanon Democrat now serving on New Hampshire's powerful Executive Council, chaired the task force that created the ordinance after residents voted on a ballot measure asking elected city officials to do so. She said the aim was that local police officers should not do the work of federal immigration agents. 'We did not want our local resources to be co-opted by the federal government,' she said. 'Federal resources should be used to implement federal law.' Hill said she anticipates the city will review the ordinance in light of state legislation, but she doesn't anticipate major changes will be necessary. 'There might be some minor tweaks that are needed but we'll get to the bottom of those and address those as needed,' she said. In the five years since the welcoming ordinance took effect there have been around 5,000 arrests, and only three involved people with 'questionable immigration status issues,' according to City Manager Shaun Mulholland. Amanda Gokee can be reached at
