New Hampshire House passes bill to protect pregnancy resource centers

The New Hampshire House of Representatives has passed a bill protecting pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) from being required to commit or refer for abortions, despite having previously failed in the House Judiciary Committee.

Key Takeaways:

• House Bill 1416 would prevent the state from increasing regulations on PRCs, like requiring them to commit abortions or refer patients for them.

• Earlier this month, the House Judiciary Committee voted against the bill.

• In New Hampshire, committee votes are considered recommendations, so it was still able to pass a full vote in the House.

The Backstory:

Two pro-life bills were voted down earlier in March, including House Bill 1416. Should it pass, it would block legislators from placing heavier regulations on PRCs. Supporters of the bill admitted there are no current efforts to attack PRCs in New Hampshire, but pointed to attempts in other states as the reason for the bill.

The most notable example is in New Jersey, where Attorney General Matthew Platkin issued a subpoena against First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, demanding 10 years’ worth of documentation from the PRC even though there were no allegations of illegal activity or complaints made by clients, and handing over documentation would expose the names and contact information of private donors. First Choice filed a lawsuit, and the case has made its way to the Supreme Court.

Because nothing like this has happened in New Hampshire, the House Judiciary Committee voted against it, 9-8.

The Details:

Despite not passing the committee, the bill was still able to proceed to a full House vote. This is because in New Hampshire, the committee vote is just a recommendation, labeled as Ought to Pass (OTP), Ought to Pass as Amended (OTPA), or Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL). House Bill 1416 was labeled ITL, but it still managed to pass the House.

Opponents still claim the legislation is unnecessary. “Anti-abortion centers are private entities that already have First Amendment rights,” Rep. Zoe Manos said.

Yet others, like Rep. Samuel Farrington, said the bill is necessary, as abortion activists frequently seek to “weaponize state governments to persecute" them. Ultimately, the bill passed in a 176 to 163 vote along party lines.

The Bottom Line:

The bill now heads to the state Senate for consideration.