Joint Action Alert: Keep Baby Boxes Out of New Hampshire

JOINT ACTION ALERT

Bastard Nation: the Adoptee Rights Organization

Stop Safe Haven Baby Boxes Now

Distribute Freely | February 5, 2024

TIME SENSITIVE

Keep Safe Haven Baby Boxes out of New Hampshire!

On February 7, (Wednesday) the New Hampshire House Health, Human Services, and Elderly Affairs Committee will hold a hearing HB16o7, a bill to legalize the use of Safe Haven Baby Boxes aka newborn safety devices in the state.

There is no epidemic of newborn discard in the state. According to Safe Haven Baby Boxes Inc., the chief proponent of boxes in the US, only 2 discards have been reported since 2017.

In 2005 New Hampshire became the 4th state to acknowledge the right of all adoptees born in the state to receive a copy of their Original Birth Certificates with no conditions or restrictions. Bastard Nation was a key player in the passage. Janet Allen, then a member of BN’s Executive Committee, was a member of the New Hampshire House and was essential to passage of the bill.

HB1607 is an assault on the integrity of adoptee legal rights in New Hampshire. It has a lot of support in the House and with the public, and we need your help to defeat this bill.

New Hampshire’s House has over 400 members! Unlike other states, each bill that is introduced receives a hearing and a floor vote.

Due to the large number of House members, most of the work on bills is done in committees. It is important, then, for committees to hear from the public in a timely manner.

Committees traditionally do not make decisions on bills during hearings. They meet in private later to debate and make a recommendation to Do Pass or Do Not Pass. Their decisions are forwarded to the full House which often agrees with committee decisions; however, it is not unusual for bills to be debated on the floor and not all committee recommendations are accepted. A committee Do Not Pass decision is essential to keep baby boxes out of New Hampshire.

Hearing:

February 7, 2024, 2:45 PM
Legislative Office Building, (across from statehouse). 33 N. State Street, Concord, NH

HB1607: Read the bill here

Talking Points are here

Bastard Nation/SSHBBN Submitted Testimony is here

How to Submit Testimony and Letters:

Submit testimony and comments through the House Online Submission Portal. Your testimony/letter need not be long. The portal takes PDFs or text form. It must be sent before 11:59 AM on the day of the hearing. If you are in New Hampshire or have a New Hampshire connection, mention it in your testimony/letter.

Send letters that will not be considered testimony to members of the Health, Human Services, and Elderly Affairs Committtee

Gerri.Cannon@leg.state.nh.us; Leah.Cushman@leg.state.nh.us; Mary.Freitas@leg.state.nh.us; king4nh@gmail.com; Seth.King@leg.state.nh.us; staterep@jimkofalt.com; Erica.Layon@leg.state.nh.us elephantsmarching@msn.com; james.mackay@mygait.com; Lisa.Mazur@leg.state.nh.us; mark.mclean@leg.state.nh.us; merchant4nhhouse@gmail.com; James.Murphy@leg.state.nh.us; davidnagelmd@gmail.com; Fran.NutterUpham@leg.state.nh.us ; William.Palmer@leg.state.nh.us; Yury.Polozov@leg.state.nh.us; Joe.Schapiro@leg.state.nh.us; Trinidad.Tellez@leg.state.nh.us; lwmcv@comcast.net

More Resources:

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