Bill > HB1590

This bill harmonizes the legal definition of fetal personhood by modifying two key areas of New Hampshire law: the homicide statutes and the Fetal Life Protection Act. Specifically, the bill changes the gestational age at which a fetus is considered a person from 24 weeks to 20 weeks, and revises the language around pregnancy termination exemptions in homicide laws. The bill clarifies that a pregnant woman's termination of her own pregnancy and medical procedures performed in compliance with existing abortion regulations are exempt from homicide statutes. For healthcare providers, the bill mandates an ultrasound examination to determine fetal gestational age before performing an abortion after 20 weeks, with exceptions only for medical emergencies or fetal abnormalities incompatible with life. Providers who knowingly perform abortions after 20 weeks can be charged with a class B felony and face fines between $10,000 and $100,000. The bill aims to address what its sponsors describe as a "constitutional flaw" in existing law regarding fetal personhood, and is set to take effect on January 1, 2027.

Justice

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_Status/billinfo.aspx?id=2126&inflect=2