FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 10, 2014
[email protected]
NARAL Pro-Choice America and NARAL Pro-Choice New Hampshire applaud Gov. Maggie Hassan for signing a pro-choice buffer-zone measure into law. This law was designed to protect the safety of reproductive-health providers and patients.
Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, stated:
“This is a win for patient and employee safety. Regardless of how you feel about abortion, we can all agree that no one deserves to be physically harassed or intimidated when they enter health clinics. And we should not forget that eight clinic workers have been murdered since 1993 and 17 others have been the survivors of attempted murders since 1991.
In the face of an extensive history of violence against reproductive-health clinics and staffers, states have acted in the best ways they see fit to protect public safety and legislatures across the country have implemented laws to shield providers and patients across the country from threats and violence. I applaud the work of our affiliate, NARAL Pro-Choice New Hampshire, for spearheading public support for this important bill. As we await the Supreme Court’s decision on the Massachusetts’ buffer-zone law, it is our hope that today’s progress in New Hampshire was not made in vain.”
Laura Thibault, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice New Hampshire had this to say:
“NARAL Pro-Choice New Hampshire applauds Gov. Hassan and the pro-choice majority in both the New Hampshire House and Senate for striking the right balance between protecting free speech and protecting citizen access to abortion care, free from harassment. No one should face violence, public shaming, or intimidation while accessing safe, legal health services. As legislatures across the country work to restrict reproductive rights, leaders in the Granite State are focusing on ways to make health care safer and more accessible for women.”
NARAL Pro-Choice America and its network of state affiliates are dedicated to protecting and expanding reproductive freedom for all Americans. NARAL works to guarantee that every woman has the right to make personal decisions regarding the full range of reproductive choices, including preventing unintended pregnancy, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion. In recognition of its work defending our constitutional right to choose, Fortune Magazine described NARAL as “one of the top 10 advocacy groups in America.”
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