New Hampshire Republicans Start Legislative Session Targeting Abortion Care
Reproductive Equity Now condemns week one actions that contradict campaign promises and threaten health care access
CONCORD, NH (January 8, 2026) – This week marks the first week of New Hampshire’s 2026 Legislative Session, and right out the gate, the legislative majorities in the House and Senate advanced two anti-abortion bills:
HB 191: Legislation that would further restrict patients from seeking abortion care by criminalizing someone for driving a young person to an abortion appointment without written parental permission. Yesterday, this bill advanced through the Senate, on party lines, with a vote of 16-8.
HB 232: Legislation that would allow any health care professional–from a receptionist to a doctor–the right to conscientiously object to providing abortion care. Today, this bill advanced through the House with a vote of 184-164.
“In the first week of the New Hampshire 2026 legislative session, the anti-abortion majority has made clear that their New Year's resolution is to break their election promises and restrict our access to reproductive health care,” said Christina Warriner Hamilton, New Hampshire State Director of Reproductive Equity Now. “New Hampshire is in a health care crisis. Reproductive and maternal health care providers are struggling to keep their doors open, Granite Staters are losing access to their health insurance, and out-of-pocket health care costs are skyrocketing. Rather than addressing these issues, New Hampshire’s anti-abortion majority party is prioritizing further restricting our access to care, and making New Hampshire a worse place to live and decide if, when, and how to begin a family.”
The decision to fast-track these bills sends a dangerous and unmistakable signal: restricting reproductive health care will be a top priority for the Majority this legislative session. This move confirms that New Hampshire lawmakers are actively advancing policies to limit abortion access for Granite Staters—despite repeated campaign promises to the contrary. Reproductive Equity Now warned of this exact trajectory last November, when a wave of bills were filed to restrict reproductive health care, and the committee ultimately advanced HB 232 and HB 191.
Background on HB 191
Introduced by Rep. Glenn Cordelli (R), and heard by the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee on January 22nd, this legislation, as originally filed, intended to criminalize the “recruitment” and transport of young people to abortion appointments without notarized consent. The House ultimately passed an amended version of the bill that criminalized the transport of a minor to any surgical procedure without their parents’ written consent.
On October 23rd, the Senate Judiciary Committee further amended the bill to expressly criminalize the transport of minors to abortion appointments without written parental permission. Because parental notification laws for minors already exist, this measure would add an extra step that makes it more difficult for some patients to access abortion care.
New Hampshire already enforces parental notification requirements for minors seeking abortion care. This legislation does not add protections—it creates yet another unnecessary barrier, further restricting access to essential health care for young people.
HB 191 now goes back to the House for a vote to concur or nonconcur on the amended version.
Background on HB 232
Introduced by Rep. Mark Pearson (R), and heard by the House Judiciary Committee on February 5th, this legislation, as originally filed, intended to offer health care professionals the right to conscientiously object to providing abortion, sterilization, or artificial contraception services based on religious beliefs or moral or ethical convictions. The bill was retained by the House Judiciary Committee on March 3rd due to concerns about the harmful consequences of the bill.
Rep. Katy Peternel (R) and Rep. Joe Alexander (R) introduced an amended version (2025-2932h) of the bill in September, which narrowed the scope of the bill to abortion.
In a November House Judiciary hearing, Democrats raised concerns about the bill’s impact on rural patients’ access to reproductive health care, including abortion and maternity care. Rep. Peternel dismissed those concerns, stating that the bill “is not about the patients” and that people can simply travel for care. The bill ultimately passed out of committee on a party-line vote, 10–7.
HB 232 will now head to the Senate.
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