Headed into the 2025 legislative session, we knew we would be defending progress previously made for women and girls, there would be a challenging budget, and we had narrow but promising opportunities for expanding opportunity for women. Not every bill or budget item signed into law was a win for women and girls, but where we could make small progress, we did — and we’re proud of that.
WINS FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS
Momnibus 2.0
Momnibus 2.0 was signed into law as part of the budget and will support moms, babies, and families across New Hampshire. New Hampshire moms continue to face serious gaps in maternal health and wellness. Behavioral health, including substance misuse, is the leading cause of maternal mortality in the state. In the past two decades, 11 maternity wards in the state have closed. Momnibus 2.0 improves maternal mental health, strengthens workforce protections, expands family supports, and supports moms across New Hampshire. Most notably, SB 246 will improve maternal mental health screening and address barriers to accessing mental health care. It will also train EMS providers in rural communities on labor and delivery emergencies, ensure job security for parents attending postpartum and pediatric appointments, and expand access to home visits for new parents.
Child Care Scholarships
A bill to reduce paperwork and streamline processes to make sure families can access existing childcare scholarships was passed and signed into law as part of the budget. These efforts are crucial for making child care affordable for hard-working families.
PROTECTED EXISTING RIGHTS AND PROGRAMS
Protected Crucial Programs in the Budget
After the House drastically cut Medicaid funding and Title X funding (contraception access) in the proposed budget, the Women’s Foundation organized a write-in campaign to highlight the impact of the cuts on women’s health care. We were pleased the Senate was able to (mostly) restore those cuts and the final budget signed into law.
Successfully Killed the Repeal of Menstrual Products in Schools Bill
HB 415 would have repealed the 2019 law that requires public schools to provide menstrual products in schools. After a robust sign-in campaign and testimony from girls, teachers, administrators, and girl-serving organizations, the House Committee voted unanimously to kill the bill. Providing basic necessities like toilet paper, paper towels, and tissues are standard operating procedures for schools, and menstrual hygiene products, that are needed by half the population, should be considered standard basic necessities too. When girls and young women have readily available access to menstrual products, they are able to return to class quickly, without diversion, and get back to learning. They avoid stressful situations and distractions during the school day, and they are treated with respect by supplying them with what they need where they are. Girls who don’t have access to menstrual products from home, either because they don’t have caregivers they can ask for products or their caregivers can’t afford products, are more likely to skip school when they menstruate leading to missed instruction and poor educational outcomes.
Successful Advocacy for a Veto of the Harmful YRBS Bill
HB 446 would have changed the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) from an “opt-out” survey to an “opt-in” survey. Despite our advocacy in coalition and our grantee’s outspoken objection, this legislation passed the House and Senate but then was vetoed by Governor Ayotte. This change would have drastically lowered the participation rate and threatened the validity of the data youth-serving organizations need to plan, evaluate, and fundraise for the services most needed in their community. The YRBS is one of the only statewide sources of data that can be broken down by gender and race on topics such as mental health, substance use, and violence prevention. This data is critical to understanding and supporting New Hampshire girls.
STOPPED HARMFUL ACTIONS
Stopped a 15 Week Ban on Abortion
While the proactive bills to affirm the right to abortion were unsuccessful this session, the 15-week abortion ban was killed early due to robust protest across the state. Abortion is legal in New Hampshire until 24 weeks, with certain exceptions. New Hampshire is the only state in New England that has not affirmed the right to abortion in law.
Stopped an Anti-Trans Bill
There were many bills introduced this session that attacked the rights of the trans community. Some passed. Some were amended to minimize harm. Some failed. One bill that the Women’s Foundation was actively involved in was HB 148 which would roll back some of the gender non-discrimination protections passed in 2018, opening the door to discrimination in public spaces, including restrooms. After the House and Senate passed this bill, we were grateful Governor Ayotte vetoed this one. Trans girls are girls. And trans girls deserve to be safe in their schools and communities and have the same educational opportunities as every other student.
MINIMIZED HARM IN SOME LEGISLATION
Stopped a Ban on Confidential Birth Control in the Parental Bill of Rights
HB 10, the “Parental Bill of Rights” was signed by the Governor, however the aspects of this bill that denied access to confidential birth control were removed after a groundswell of coalition advocacy. Access to confidential birth control is crucial for NH teens to make decisions about safe sex with a trusted health care provider. The earlier language of the so-called “Parental Bill of Rights” would have ended confidential access to birth control. Only Texas has ended access to confidential birth control and they have seen an increase in teen births. The language would have also prohibited any confidential medical treatment for teens including yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, or urinary tract infections which young women can get regardless of their sexual activity. Further, if a person under 18 is pregnant, they would need their parents’ permission for their own medical care. In other words, she would not be able to consent to her own epidural, labor induction methods, amniocentesis, etc.
Stopped the Full Repeal of NH Paid Family Medical Leave
After targeted advocacy, a bill to repeal the NH Paid Family Leave program, was rewritten into a small budget cut for the program. NH PFML isn’t perfect, and while the Women’s Foundation supports universal paid leave, we can’t repeal the only option Granite Staters have without a plan to replace it with something better. New Hampshire Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) is a voluntary insurance program that offers paid leave benefits for child bonding or to care for your own or a family members’ serious health condition. Employers who have enrolled in this program use it to recruit and retain employees in a modern economy. Employees need to be able to take care of themselves and their loved ones without losing their jobs or pay. Compared to the original proposal, this outcome is a win for Granite Staters who rely on PFML.
