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Future Of Transgender Protections Bill Uncertain After N.H. House Votes To Table

Allegra Boverman for NHPR
Voting buttons on the State House floor

The New Hampshire House has voted 187 to 179, along near party lines, to table a bill that would extend anti-discrimination protections to people who are transgender in employment, housing and public accommodations.

The bill was endorsed by a GOP-led house committee but opposed by House Speaker Shawn Jasper.

After the vote to table, Majority leader Dick Hinch of Merrimack, said it took hard work to stop the bill from being debated.

"We used every resource available to us. We had a number of undecided, so we have to do out jobs."

Jasper and other opponents of the bill say allowing people who are transgender to use bathrooms of their choice creates public safety risks.

The bill's backers, including the New Hampshire police chiefs' association and the Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence disagree.

A majority vote by the house today could take the bill off the table and open it to debate. The top Democrat in the house says an effort to revive the bill is likely.

Josh has worked at NHPR since 2000.
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