Senate majority Republicans on Thursday blocked a law in the New Hampshire legislature that would enshrine abortion rights into the state constitution.
Democratic lawmakers attempted to add a right to abortion access into the Fetal Life Protection Act, which bans abortion after 24 weeks gestation with the exception of the mother’s life or health being in danger. (RELATED: TV Channel Had To Cut Feed When DeSantis Read Pornographic School Book, Reporter Says)
“New Hampshire is one of three states where abortion is technically legal, but not protected,” Democratic State Sen. Becky Whitley said, according to WMUR. “This is a very important distinction. This legal gray area is confusing and disconcerting to Granite Staters.”
State Senate Republicans, Democrats clash over bill to codify abortion rights in New Hampshire https://t.co/TWAtJutqzC
— WMUR TV (@WMUR9) March 10, 2023
“I have a higher authority, and my constituents are not my higher authority in this case,” Republican State Sen. Carrie Gendreau said. “This is a moral and a biblical issue, it’s not a political issue.”
Certain states have moved to enshrine a right to abortion in their state laws or constitutions. Michigan voted on a constitutional amendment in November 2022 to establish a right to abortion up to 24 weeks gestation. Abortion groups in Ohio proposed a constitutional amendment to allow abortion up to the point of “fetal viability,”when the baby has a significant chance of surviving outside the womb, but not in cases where the life of the mother is threatened by the pregnancy.
West Virginia and Alabama in 2018 adopted constitutional amendments stating their states do not affirm a right to an abortion, nor the right to fund abortions.