Advocates applaud Governor Ayotte’s veto of anti-LGBTQ+ bill

CONCORD, N.H. – Today, Governor Ayotte vetoed HB 1442, a “bathroom ban.” This bill would have rolled back some of the state’s LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination protections and led to discrimination against transgender Granite Staters in public spaces like bathrooms.

Governor Ayotte vetoed identical legislation, HB 148, last year, SB268 in February of this year, and SB552 in June of this year. Prior to that, her predecessor Governor Sununu also vetoed a similar bill.

Advocates in New Hampshire made the following statements:

Heidi Carrington Heath, Executive Director, NH Outright, said, “We are so pleased that Governor Ayotte held the line, and continued her commitment to veto this legislation targeting LGBTQ+ young people in the Granite State. This is not in line with Granite State values, and we look forward to a return to the many critical issues facing our state. We appreciate the Governor’s commitment to a Granite State where all young people can live free and thrive.”

Aimee Terravechia, Executive Director, 603 Equality, said, “Today the Governor affirmed what we already knew to be true – that bathroom bans like these are at odds with New Hampshire values. Discriminatory legislation like HB1442 unfairly targets the trans and queer community, but also has far-reaching consequences that negatively impact all Granite Staters. We’re thankful that the Governor continues to understand that bills like these make it harder for all women to access safe and private spaces, increase fear and divisiveness, and create added barriers for parents of young children and folks with mobility issues who may require assistance from care providers when navigating public restrooms. We’re hopeful that this veto will put an end to these divisionary tactics.”

Amanda Azad, Policy Director at the ACLU of New Hampshire, said, “We are glad Governor Ayotte has once again vetoed an extreme legislative attack that would have harmed our vibrant LGBTQ+ community – especially transgender Granite Staters. Fueling division and punching down should not be the focus of our state lawmakers, who this year

have had 12 different hearings on six different anti-transgender bans. Instead, Granite Staters want them to focus on addressing real needs. Transgender people have always been a part of our humanity and always will be. We are grateful that the Governor vetoed this bill and ask her to deter legislators from continuing to put these types of bills on her desk in the future.”

Michael Haley, Staff Attorney at GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD Law), said, “We are grateful to see Governor Ayotte once again reject legislation that is nothing more than a divisive attack on transgender Granite Staters. We hope this sends a clear message to the extremist legislators who continue to waste time targeting transgender people and the broader LGBTQ+ community instead of focusing on the real issues New Hampshire people care about. Transgender people are our friends, neighbors, classmates, and co-workers. That’s why New Hampshire enacted bipartisan nondiscrimination protections in 2018, and it’s why those protections will not be rolled back. Every Granite Stater deserves dignity, respect, and the freedom to participate safely in public life.”