Of the laws that go into effect with the new year, a new abortion restriction will face an immediate repeal attempt in the N.H. Legislature.
A provision in the budget signed by Gov. Chris Sununu in June prohibits abortion if the fetus has a gestational age of 24 weeks or more, with exceptions for the mother’s life or physical health.
Rep. Amanda Toll, D-Keene, is one of a dozen legislators who have signed on to a bill to be considered starting in January to revoke the new law. The revocation would take place immediately if the effort succeeds.
Another law going into effect on Jan. 1 would allow judges to give longer sentences to those driving under the influence of drugs or liquor who are convicted of negligent homicide and have had previous convictions for driving while intoxicated.
The bill was named for Tyler Shaw of Concord, who died in 2018 after a drunken driver went through a stop sign and ran into his truck.
Joseph Leonard Jr., the man convicted in that case, was sentenced to six to 12 years in prison. He had two previous drunken driving convictions.
Under the new law, those with one previous DWI conviction who cause a crash that kills or seriously injures another person can now be sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison. Those with two or more such convictions can be sentenced to 15 to 30 years.
Another law that goes into effect with the new year protects sex workers from being prosecuted for prostitution when they report a sexual assault.
The intent of the law is to encourage more victims of sexual assault to come forward to report the crime.
Those who spoke in favor of the legislation during a committee hearing said sexual assault is an underreported crime, and that prosecuting a sex worker for reporting such an assault amounts to victimizing this person twice.
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