After a lengthy and at times hot-tempered debate, the New Hampshire House voted 226 to 130 to repeal the law requiring that a parent by notified before a minor gets an abortion.
After the vote, dozens of republicans filed formal protests to underscore their opposition.
New Hampshire Public Radio's Josh Rogers has more.
The notification law was enacted in 2003, but never took effect amid a high-profile legal battle. That fight culminated in a US Supreme Court ruling that found the law needed to be clearer about how it would protect the health of a minor in health emergencies……..The notification law's political arguments, have also been protracted -- often bleeding into broader consideration of abortion itself…….In floor debate on the repeal, supporters and opponents sides cast the issue in starkly different terms…. Repeal backers tended to characterize the measure as little more than legislative housekeeping……
"This is not about families this is not about family communication."
Concord Republican Liz Hager is the repeal's lead sponsor.
"This is about an unconstitutional bill that was passed by this house 4 years ago."
Notification supporters, had a different bottom line message.
"This is a bill not about a woman's right to choose. Not about Roe V. Wade."
That's New Hampton Republican Fran Wendelboe.
"It is about parental rights."
Those basic arguments were sounded repeatedly during the more than three hour debate that included two attempts to amend the current law, one attempt at tabling table the repeal, and five separate, but near identical roll call votes……The bulk of the talking was done by notification supporters, many of whom said they were dumbfounded that anyone would toss out a law they said reflects the will of the people. Here's Auburn GOP lawmaker Dan Dumaine.
"This is about the people and only the people. And the people are who says what is constitutional and unconstitutional -- not this body and not the courts."
And Pike Republican Paul Ingbretson.
"Not notifying parents before any surgery is simply unethical."
And finally, Londonderry Republican Al Baldessaro.
"The voters of NH will hold you accountable. If you take their rights away as a parent it's almost a guarantee."
While the votes did fail mainly on party lines, there were efforts from lawmakers in each party to try to forge some common ground….….Hopkinton Democrat Gary Richardson voted for the repeal, but said he was working on a plan for a vote later this year that would require parental notification for all medical procedures performed on a minors…
"I urge you let us defeat this amendment and pass this bill and then let us work together on a parental notification bill amendment that we all can live with and satisfy the rights of our parents in this state and also our young women."
The likelihood of any such proposal gaining broad traction is murky at best….After the vote the leaders of the floor fight showed limited inclination towards compromise…….Here's New Hampton Represenatative Fran Wendelboe.
"I'm always willing to talk but it can’t be too broad or else it will be meaningless law."
And here's Concord Representative Liz Hager.
"We're sure willing to talk about it, and have some kind of good involvement law put in, but I don't think were under the obligation to initiate it."
The notification repeal now moves to the state senate, where it's expected to pass…….Governor lynch has said he's open to considering possible compromises, but will sign a straight repeal should it reach his desk.
