“Today’s vote is a positive step toward making history in New Hampshire by updating its non-discrimination protections to include the entire LGBTQ community,” said HRC National Field Director Marty Rouse. “No person should be fired, evicted, or denied service just because of who they are, and it is far beyond time that these important protections include transgender people in the Granite State.”
During two previous hearings, the committee heard moving testimony from people across the state in support of HB 1319. Transgender residents spoke about the importance of these protections and how not having them has deeply harmed them, their families and communities. They testified along with business leaders, doctors, therapists, faith leaders and law enforcement officials, calling for this common sense legislation to protect some of New Hampshire's most vulnerable people.
The bill now moves to the state's House of Representatives, where a vote is expected before or on March 7. HRC has been working with Freedom New Hampshire, a coalition of national and local advocacy groups that include GLAD, Freedom for All Americans, the New Hampshire ACLU, Transgender New Hampshire, and Rights and Democracy New Hampshire to help pass HB 1319. In addition, HRC has been working for many years to elect fair-minded elected officials at the statewide and local level in The Granite State. New Hampshire law has explicitly prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in employment, housing and public accommodations since 1998.