Abortion bans: After Roe v. Wade overturned, rate barely dropped
The findings come from a new surveillance report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, its first since the landmark case was overturned. (Scripps News)
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New Hampshire Republicans introduced a bill Wednesday to mandate the showing of abortion videos in public school health class.
They also introduced bills to require the showing of the “Meet Baby Olivia” video and to provide information about adoption in health class.
Bill sponsor says bill is for education purposes; Planned Parenthood said the materials are “anti-abortion propaganda.”
New Hampshire Republicans introduced a bill Wednesday to mandate the showing of abortion videos in public school health class.
HB 662 was one of three bills some state representatives have filed in an effort they say is to educate New Hampshire public school students on abortion.
While a bill to ban abortions after 15-weeks was withdrawn Thursday, these bills are a few of the ones keeping the abortion issue alive in Concord.
What would the abortion video bill do?
HB 662 would require public high schools to show at least two of three videos developed by Live Action, an anti-abortion activist group, as part of the school’s health and wellness education. The videos are described as showing the process of chemical or surgical abortion during the first or second trimester through “high quality, computer-generated rendering or animation.”
The legislation would also prohibit schools from offering any course materials from entities that provide abortions.
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Why do legislators want to mandate abortion viewing in health class?
Prime sponsor Rep. John Sellers, R-Bristol, said that the videos are “nonpolitical and non-religious” and that the goal of the legislation is purely educational.
“I believe that this information is information our kids really need to know and understand what they’re getting into and how it may affect them,” he said Wednesday. “Banning these educational videos would be no different than banning books and not allowing the children to learn.”
“Meet Baby Olivia” bill and more
In addition to HB 662, Sellers sponsored two other bills related to education on abortion in schools.
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HB 667 would require the showing of another video made by the anti-abortion group Live Action called “Meet Baby Olivia” which purports to depict the process of human development. It would make the viewing of this video a graduation requirement and would also mandate the New Hampshire public universities and colleges certify that students have seen the video.
The language of this bill is like many others introduced around the country. North Dakota and Tennessee have already enacted laws requiring schools show “Meet Baby Olivia” or something like it, and lawmakers in several other states, including Iowa, Arkansas, and West Virginia, have introduced similar bills this year.
Sellers also sponsored HB 730, which would require school districts to discuss and provide materials related to adoption for at least one hour a year during health education and anytime sexually transmitted infections or contraception are discussed.
Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and New Hampshire said that while they support a wide variety of sex education topics, these bills “seek to require anti-abortion propaganda to be shown and provided in New Hampshire public middle school, high school, and colleges.”
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The organization said that the videos mentioned in the bills are biased and not based in medical practice or science. The “Baby Olivia” video, they said, has not been endorsed by “any unbiased media organization.”
They also said that requiring the provision of adoption information “stigmatizes sexual and reproductive health care.”
“All three of these bills seek to push an anti-abortion agenda on teenagers and young adults across the state. These bills all seek to shame teenagers,” read their testimony. “New Hampshire students deserve to have honest, medically-accurate, and complete information when it comes to making healthy lifelong decisions.”
All three bills saw hundreds more people in opposition than in support on the online testimony. They are all awaiting a recommendation from the Education Policy and Administration Committee before heading to the House floor for the first vote in the bill process.
CONCORD – While Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte has said she opposes increasing highway toll rates across the state, the Senate voted Thursday to increase rates for out-of-state license plate holders.
It now goes to the House for consideration.
This would be a $1 increase for those who have out of state plates going through the tolls at Hooksett, Hampton and Bedford for out-of-state plates, a 75 cent hike for those taking Hampton’s Exit 2 and on the Spaulding turnpike at Rochester, and a 50 cent hike for those taking the exit off I-93 to Hooksett.
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An analysis in the bill shows that this would increase toll revenue by $53.3 million in fiscal year 2027 and go up each year to generate $81.4 million a year in 2036.
Senate Bill 627 passed on a voice vote with two Republicans, Senators Regina Birdsell of Hampstead and William Gannon of Sandown opposing.
Senator Mark E. McConkey, R-Freedom, moved to take the bill off the table and offered an amendment. He said the last time there was a systemwide increase to the turnpike toll was 19 years ago.
“I am sure we could all agree the cost of operations…has continued to escalate when revenue is not rising with it,” and he noted that with an enterprise fund, the state can only spend what it takes in.
The state has just completed a 10-year highway plan and there was a $400 million shortfall in projects that could not be paid for under the current income.
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McConkey said the measure would not increase tolls for New Hampshire drivers with a state license plate.
“Why don’t we ask our neighbors,” to pay a toll increase. “We are getting the best of all worlds,” by passing the bill, he said, including “protecting our residents” and having resources for improvements to the turnpike system.
Sen. Gannon, R-Sandown, asked McConkey if there are any studies on impacts near the border on businesses.
If implemented, McConkey said the state will be the 27th lowest in per mile cost still. McConkey said the bill would also increase from seven to 14 days the amount of time for those with NH license plates to pay for a toll adding there are other states that also have different rates for out-of-state users.
The Hampton toll cost would go from $2 to $3, while Hooksett and Bedford would rise from $1 to $2 for out-of-state plates.
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New Hampshire currently has the lowest rate per mile among states with tolls roads. The governor said she does not support a toll increase.
“We are not going to put a burden on drivers for a toll increase,” Ayotte said. “Families are struggling.”
WILTON, N.H. (WHDH) – A woman died in a Wilton, New Hampshire, house fire Wednesday morning, according to the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office.
At 9:08 a.m., Wilton firefighters responded to Burns Hill Road after a caller said their home was filling up with smoke. When they arrived, a single-family home was on fire and they found out two people were still inside on the second floor.
A man and a woman were both taken out of the house by firefighters and taken to Elliott Hospital. The woman was pronounced dead and the man is in serious condition.
Officials have not released the name of the victim at this time.
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At this time, investigators are looking into the cause of the fire and are trying to determine if a power outage in the area played a factor. The fire is not currently considered suspicious.
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