For more than 5 hours today, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony from transgender people, their families, and allied groups across the state—but did not issue a final decision on whether or not it would recommend the bill for passage.
No matter what the Committee decides, HB 1319 still heads to the full Senate for a vote.
The Senate Judiciary committee hearing was standing room only as business leaders, healthcare experts, faith leaders, women’s safety advocates, and transgender people and their families shared their stories in support of HB 1319, ultimately running more than 3 hours over its allotted 2-hour timespan.
Committee members probed deeply for stories of discrimination—and had the opportunity to hear plenty from testifers:
"I'm on guard when I go out into the [larger NH] community. But I shouldn't have to be," @GerriCannon told the cmte—because she has faced discrimination, including being fired because she is #transgender. #nhpolitics #HB1319 #TransBillNH pic.twitter.com/DnWXwzDmvx
— Freedom NH (@FreedomNH_) April 16, 2018
Stephanie Cawley tells the cmte that she's protected from discrimination in her job as a healthcare professional, because she works in Maine. That's not the case for her #transgender friends in NH. Read her story: https://t.co/hZrNbUOowm #HB1319 #TransBillNH #nhpolitics pic.twitter.com/ZAyTz95IKX
— Freedom NH (@FreedomNH_) April 16, 2018
Shana Aisenberg taught music camp for 10 years to rave reviews, but wasn't asked back after telling her employer she is #transgender. Discrimination is real, and "debilitating," she says. That's why we need #HB1319. #TransBillNH #nhpolitics
— Freedom NH (@FreedomNH_) April 16, 2018
Augustus was teased mercilessly by a driver's ed instructor because he is #transgender—but because of NH's lack of explicit protections, he & his mother have not had a lot of luck addressing the discrimination. #HB1319 #TransBillNH #nhpolitics pic.twitter.com/DLo5y4agqu
— Freedom NH (@FreedomNH_) April 16, 2018
The committee also focused heavily on safety issues, which is understandable. Safety and privacy are important for all of us. But as legal and public safety experts noted, 18 states and more than 200 localities have passed comprehensive non-discrimination laws that include protections for public spaces—with no uptick in public safety issues.
.@jansonwu of @GLADLaw on why #transgender Granite Staters need "specific, explicit protections": Clarity. Businesses, #trans individuals and others need to know who is protected from discrimination. We have "20 years of evidence" that these laws work & protect public safety.
— Freedom NH (@FreedomNH_) April 16, 2018
Sarah Mattson Dustin of the @NHWomensFndn: "#Transgender women are women, and like all women we want them to be safe." #nhpolitics #TransBillNH #HB1319 pic.twitter.com/4NCC9AKnAw
— Freedom NH (@FreedomNH_) April 16, 2018
Victoria Horrock of @NHJustice4All: "The lack of any specific protections … leaves #trans people with no clear legal recourse when they experience housing discrimination." #HB1319 would clarify the law & give #transgender ppl the tools to protect themselves. #TransBillNH
— Freedom NH (@FreedomNH_) April 16, 2018
Granite Staters’ testimony before the committee today was a stark reminder of why we desperately need this law: Discrimination is happening every single day, and currently transgender people have no clear legal recourse in New Hampshire.
As the bill heads to the full Senate, we’re confident our senators will see that updating New Hampshire’s non-discrimination law to explicitly protect transgender people from being treated unfairly at work, in housing and in public places like restaurants and hospitals is simply the right thing to do.
The Senate Judiciary committee could vote on HB 1319 as soon as tomorrow, April 17th during executive session. The full Senate must vote on HB 1319 before May 3rd.
