As of Wednesday, March 22, the New Hampshire House of Representatives tabled House Bill 10 while the Senate passed Senate Bill 272.  Both bills are part of a package being introduced to the N.H. House and Senate advocating for parental rights in school.  These bills, along with others being voted on, have raised concerns among many LGBTQ advocates.

House Bill 10 was introduced in January 2023 and while it didn’t originally raise too many heads, it was later amended with language that would require schools to inform parents if students changed their names or gender identity.  Despite being struck down during voting, the bill could still be recalled for discussion and those against it have said the bill simply being introduced could cause harm.  

Jessica Goff is the community outreach and education coordinator for the Seacoast Outright, an organization dedicated to supporting LGBTQ youth in coastal New England, and has been a part of protests at the state capital in Concord.  

When asked how she thought these bills could affect LGBTQ youth Goff said “It’s important to know that even if bills aren’t passed, having them introduced in the state house can create a lot of anxiety.”  Goff said that despite the majority of parental bills in our state being shot down, SB272 continues to float around.

SB272 was introduced in February 2023 before being passed and sent to the House on March 16.  Once again, this bill includes language requiring schools to tell parents information about their child’s gender identity, preferred name, pronouns, and what activities they participate in.  If teachers refuse to give this information, according to the Boston Globe, parents could sue the school or specific staff that violated the bill.  

Those in support of SB272 have said that having more parental rights allows parents to advocate for their children and better understand them.  It also allows parents to have more say in what their kids are learning or what activities they participate in.

LGBTQ youth in New Hampshire have been adamant in their opposition to SB272, rallying at the state house along with their supporters to protest.  Portsmouth High School junior LJ Richardson said this bill and others, “set a precedent of not being protected or valued in the state legislature,” and “they are incredibly disheartening, and as an LGBTQ person myself, cause me to lose faith in my elected government.”  

Although the House’s public hearing for SB272 has been pushed back to April 18, 2023, there are many continuing to rally in support or opposition of the bill.  

Works Cited

Gibson, Sarah. “In testimony and rally, crowds oppose Republican-backed bills targeting LGBTQ youth.” NHPR, 7 March 2023, https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2023-03-07/in-testimony-and-rally-crowds-oppose-republican-backed-bills-targeting-lgbtq-youth. 

“NH HB10 | 2023 | Regular Session.” LegiScan, 23 December 2022, https://legiscan.com/NH/bill/HB10/2023. 

“NH SB272 | 2023 | Regular Session.” LegiScan, https://legiscan.com/NH/bill/SB272/2023.

Porter, Steven. “N.H. House tables bill that had alarmed LGBTQ advocates.” The Boston Globe, 22 March 2023, https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/03/22/metro/nh-house-tables-parental-rights-bill-with-criminal-penalties-noncompliant-teachers/. 

Porter, Steven. “N.H. Senate passes bill that would force teachers to out transgender kids to their parents.” The Boston Globe, 16 March 2023, https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/03/16/metro/nh-senate-passes-bill-that-would-force-teachers-out-transgender-kids-their-parents/.