Speak up on NH abortion bills

Do New Hampshire residents want more restrictions on reproductive rights? Despite polling to the contrary, the Republican majority at the State House seems to think so. On Feb. 16, the House Judiciary Committee will hold hearings on several bills designed to add more limits on abortion care, and I expect the committee members will get an earful. I also expect they will not consider any of the testimony against these bills when they vote.

Why is that? The answer is obvious: They don’t care. They don’t care if women and families suffer under extreme state intervention in private health care decisions. They don’t care that most people are against such interventions.

One bill, HB 591, would ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, which is well before most women know they are pregnant. If it sounds like the Texas law, you’re right. Since when has New Hampshire looked to Texas for our legislation?

A particularly cruel bill, HB 346, would force medical personnel to keep a non-viable baby alive by removing it from the grieving family and subjecting the dying infant to extreme medical interventions.

Then there is a very long and detailed bill, HB 562, requiring a person seeking an abortion to wait 24 hours, be informed of the stage of fetal development, have multiple opportunities to view an ultrasound, be provided with a list of private agencies purporting to assist pregnant women in carrying their babies to term, and then certify that they have been informed of all the negative outcomes of all forms of abortion. Of course, positive outcomes from ending a pregnancy, such as eliminating the possibility of dying in childbirth, are not covered.

It’s crucial that people who disagree with these bills register their opinions, even, and perhaps especially, since the elected officials are making these life-changing decisions for all of us in New Hampshire. It’s better to act than to regret not acting. Contact the Judiciary Committee on the New Hampshire General Court website to register your position on these bills. It’s relatively easy to navigate to the online form where you can make your statement. Our legislators need to know that New Hampshire residents reject extremism and respect the rights of its citizens to make health care decisions for themselves.

Deborah S. Kennedy

Hanover

A great ending

I am at best an occasional cross country skier and actually prefer downhill, but I certainly would have had to reconsider if I’d had the opportunity to learn under Lebanon High coach Les Lawrence.

I don’t know him at all but do know a few of his students and even more to the point, I learned about Coach Lawrence reading about him in the exceptionally well-written story that Tris Wykes prepared in the Feb. 6 Valley News (“Longtime Lebanon cross country ski coach Les Lawrence to step down at season’s end”).

How many coaches have the dedication and understanding of the young people they are working with and the ability to coach young adults so they are as self-motivated as this story indicates? It also points out how valuable volunteers are to so many of the programs that we are fortunate enough to have in the Upper Valley.

A job well done, both in the coaching and in the story written about the coach and his program.

Barbara H. Jones

Grantham

Make the connection!

On weekdays, frequent Advance Transit schedules make passenger stops within a few blocks of the high schools of Hanover, Hartford and Lebanon, and several lesser schools in those towns plus Norwich, en route to linking their respective downtowns as well as West Lebanon. A few runs extend between Lebanon and Canaan via Enfield, serving Mascoma High. These buses are fare-free to passengers, supported by taxes and donations. Most routes operate at least every half hour, even quarter hourly between Hanover and Lebanon in both directions much of the day. To take advantage of the existing schedules is a good start to encouraging expansions of frequencies, service hours and geographic coverage.

Though it wouldn’t work for all situations, Advance Transit scheduled service offers a possible solution to some of the school transportation needs described in the February 5 headline article, while also reducing expenses by avoiding having to dedicate school buses and drivers to the involved activities. Addressing the problem that leads the article, Advance Transit Green route offers a schedule along Hartford Avenue that stops in front of The Haven, a short walk from the High School and Middle School, at 3:08pm and running north to Billings Farm Road (across the street from Dothan Brook School) at approximately 3:15pm, continuing to Hanover. When it’s time to return, southbound service calls at Dothan Brook twice per hour (but not evenly spaced; please refer to the schedules for this and other routes at https://advancetransit.com, or pick up a printed timetable aboard any of the buses) until about 6 p.m.

Both literally and figuratively, make the connection!

Todd Minsk

Hanover

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