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HB 1590 · 2026 · House · Judiciary Committee

Lowering fetal personhood age

AI-generated

harmonizing the age of personhood under the criminal code and the fetal life protection act.

Lowers the gestational age used to define fetal personhood in the fetal life protection act from 24 to 20 weeks, aligning it with the homicide statute, and revises the abortion exemption in the homicide law.AI-generated

Status

Committee recommended Inexpedient to Legislate; died at adjournment · March 2, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill: I. Amends the exemption pertaining to the termination of pregnancy for purposes of application of the homicide statutes. II. Amends the fetal life protection act to match the existing statutory age of fetal personhood to be the end of 20 weeks of gestation as established in the homicide statutes.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Kevin ScullyRPrime
  • Rep. Claudine BurnhamRDeputy Majority Whip
  • Rep. JD BernardyRClerk· Science, Technology and Energy
  • Sen. Bill GannonRChair· Judiciary
  • Sen. Kevin AvardRDeputy Majority Whip

Also: Rep. John SellersR, Rep. Kelley PotenzaR, Rep. Paul TerryR

Public testimony

1,760 signed in online · 499 wrote testimony

1% support99% oppose0% neutral

ForFetal life deserves legal protection early on

AgainstMedical decisions belong to patients, not politicians

AI-generatedLeading arguments, summarized by the testimony tool.

Read the arguments

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“I am fully in line with reducing access to abortion -especially- after 20 weeks.…”
— Robert Kenney, Straffordsupports
“Life begins at conception. Killing a human, whether born or not, is murder and is immoral. It is hypocritical to want to end gun violence when killing an innocent baby in the womb is legal. Life is precious.”
— Grace Girotti, Danvillesupports
“TO: House Judiciary Committee FROM: Rep. Terry W. Roy, Chair of Criminal Justice and Public Safety RE: Support for HB 1590 – Statutory Harmony and Fetal Personhood DATE: February 25, 2026 Chairman Lynn and Members of the Judiciary Committee, I am writing today in strong…”
— Terry Roy, Deerfieldsupports
“I want to express my extreme opposition to this legislation. Let’s take a moment and think about the laws governing my body today. For decades women’s bodies have been the topic of legislative debate. From birth control, to abortion, to divorce, and domestic violence protection.…”
— Olivia Webb, Manchester · New Hampshire Youth Movementopposes
“NO pregnant woman is asking for this bill. EVERY pregnant woman has the free choice to remain pregnant and hopefully deliver a healthy baby. Just as no one is forcing abortion, no one should be forcing pregnancy.”
— Eileen Ehlers, Hooksettopposes
“Any attempt to make abortions more restrictive is a detriment to a woman's right to choose”
— CORY STONE, Doveropposes

Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced
  • Feb 25, 2026HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate13–4
    Overall
    76% yea

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 25, 2026Public hearingHouse Judiciary3:30:46–3:47:1316m 27slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate — roll call; Public Hearing; Executive Session

Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.

Legislative history

  1. Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Judiciary HJ 1 P. 27
  2. Feb 25, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 02/25/2026 01:00 pm GP 230
  3. Feb 25, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 02/25/2026 01:00 pm GP 230
  4. Feb 25, 2026HouseMajority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 02/25/2026 (Vote 13-4; RC) HC 10 P. 101
  5. Mar 2, 2026HouseMinority Committee Report: Ought to Pass

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Background reading

Evergreen reading on the policy area — spanning perspectives — not coverage of this specific bill.

Documents (PDF)

Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.