Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Make a sustaining gift today to support local journalism!
News from everywhere *but* Central New Hampshire.

How North Country Reps Voted on 24-Hour Abortion Wait

 

Nine North Country representatives voted in favor of a bill that requires women to wait 24 hours before getting an abortion and three voted against.

As NHPR’s Josh Rogersreported:

The so-called women’s right to know bill had to be pared back to win final house passage.

Penalties for doctors were stripped, as was the  requirements that abortion providers give women seeking an abortion specific information about abortion risks, including a contested claim linking aborts to breast cancer. 

According to the final amendments lead author Republican Tammy Simmons of Manchester, limiting the proposal to a simple 24 waiting period is a common sense compromise.

"You can’t get knee surgery when you walk into the doctor’s office. They won’t take out a gall bladder when you walk into the office. You should not be able to get an abortion when you walk into an office," said Simmons.

The bill does allow for an exception if the mother's life is in danger or if delay would cause irreversible harm to a major bodily function. Critics of the bill, which may face a veto if it reaches Governor Lynch, say it puts the state between a woman and her doctor.

House Bill 1659 passed 185 - 138.

North Country representatives voting in favor of the bill were:

* Lyle Bulis (Republican) of Littleton

* Duffy Daugherty (Republican) of Colebrook.

* Edmond Gionet (Republican) of Lincoln.

* Larry Rappaport (Republican) of Colebrook.

* William Remick (Republican) of Lancaster

* Herb Richardson (Republican) of Lancaster

* Gregory Sorg (Republican) of Easton.

* John Tholl (Republican) of Whitefield

* Marc Tremblay (Republican) of Berlin

North Country representatives voting against the bill were:

* Gary Coulombe (Democrat) of Berlin

* Kathleen Taylor (Democrat) of Franconia

* Yvonne Thomas (Democrat) of Berlin

North Country reps excused from voting:

* Stephanie Eaton (Republican) of Littleton

* William Hatch (Democrat) of Gorham

* Evalyn Merrick (Democrat) of Lancaster

* Robert Theberge (Democrat) of Berlin

To see how legislators voted on other issues gohere.

 

Related Content

You make NHPR possible.

NHPR is nonprofit and independent. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Your support makes this news available to everyone.

Give today. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference.