Cinde Warmington testifies in support of constitutional amendment for reproductive freedom

CONCORD, NH – Democratic gubernatorial candidate and Executive Councilor Cinde Warmington on Wednesday testified before the House Judiciary Committee in support of CACR 23, the constitutional amendment to guarantee the right to safe, legal abortion in the state of New Hampshire.

“Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, it has become increasingly dangerous to be pregnant in America,” said Warmington. “We’re even seeing attempts by this committee later today to enact a 15 day abortion ban on the people of New Hampshire. I support this constitutional amendment because it would ensure all Granite Staters have the freedom to make their own reproductive health care decisions without government interference. We cannot wait. We must act today to protect our fundamental rights.”

Warmington’s Republican opponents both have staunchly anti-abortion records. In the US Senate, Kelly Ayotte supported a national abortion ban and helped Donald Trump cement a conservative majority on the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade. In the State Senate, Chuck Morse crafted New Hampshire’s current abortion ban and voted against adding exceptions for rape and incest to the bill.

Councilor Warmington’s full testimony is below:

Good morning Chairman Lynn and the esteemed members of the board House Judiciary committee.

My name is Cinde Warmington. I live in Concord and serve as our state’s Executive Councilor for the second district. I come before you today asking that each of you support the fundamental freedom of Granite Staters to access safe, legal abortion care and, more specifically, vote Ought to Pass on this Constitutional Amendment Concurrent Resolution 23.

Since the United States Supreme Court overturned the longstanding protections guaranteed in the Roe v. Wade decision, millions of Americans have faced restrictions on their fundamental freedom to access safe, legal abortion – rights that generations before them previously came to rely upon. Following that decision in June of 2022, State Houses all across the country have moved to obstruct reproductive freedom, including right here in New Hampshire, where Republicans recently introduced a 15 day abortion ban. Attempts like these are dangerous to the health and wellbeing of the women of our state and must be stopped.

Simply put: freedom for women starts with being able to make our own health care decisions. The ability to access comprehensive reproductive health care — including birth control and abortion care — is essential to the health and wellbeing of all. This constitutional amendment would ensure all Granite Staters have the freedom to make their own reproductive health care decisions without government interference.

There has been repeated evidence and public polling that show a vast majority of Granite Staters support reproductive freedom and want state leaders to protect their right to abortion care, yet New Hampshire is currently the only state in New England that does not protect abortion rights. We must change that.

This is an opportunity to enshrine reproductive freedom into our state constitution and make New Hampshire a place where we explicitly trust patients and doctors to make their own personal health care decisions, not politicians.

We cannot wait. We must act today to protect our fundamental freedom.

Once again, I urge each of you to put the fundamental freedom of Granite Staters above politics and vote Ought to Pass on this CACR 23.

Thank you.