NH Senate to vote on bills codifying abortion rights, removing provider penalties
The New Hampshire Senate is expected to vote on two major abortion bills Thursday.
The bills, largely backed by Democrats, passed the House last month with some bipartisan support. One would explicitly protect abortion rights under state law, though it would not change any existing restrictions.
The other would remove civil and criminal penalties for medical providers from the state’s 24-week abortion ban. That bill’s lead sponsor is Republican Rep. Dan Wolf, and Gov. Chris Sununu has also expressed support for removing those penalties.
But the bills may face tough odds in the Republican-controlled Senate. The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday recommended killing both measures in a party-line vote, and the full Senate has already voted down a version of the bill codifying abortion rights.
Asked Wednesday for his view on the legislation, Sununu said he’s been clear about his support for both bills but dismissed their chances of passing.
https://www.nhpr.org/health/2023-04-12/nh-senate-to-vote-on-bills-codifying-abortion-rights-removing-provider-penalties
