 Week of June 11, 202 Representative Testerman Continues His Betrayal of Women Earlier this year, HB 396, relative to the state recognition of biological sex, was retained by the House Judiciary committee as an attempt by Democrats and Republican Dave Testerman to quietly kill the bill. This was a massive betrayal of the woman of New Hampshire, particularly by Rep. Testerman, who was the only Republican to vote in favor of the Democrat’s measure to retain the bill. Following his vote, Rep. Testerman, with his wife Karen, attempted tocover-up Testerman’s betrayal by claiming that “the bill did not accomplish anything” and “needed more work” and therefore should be referred to a study committee. However, last Wednesday, the NH House Judiciary Committee held a “full committee work session” on HB 396 and without actually taking a formal vote, decided to send the bill on to a study committee, essentially sabotaging the bill. During the 5 minute “work session”, Rep. Testerman reiterated, “I do not support the bill”. Meanwhile, we are seeing the systemic elimination of the rights of women and girls across the country, as they are threatened in spaces of intimate privacy and erased from the winner’s podium in sports by biological men. Just two weeks ago in NH, a freshman male won second place in a girls’ 1600m track event, beating out a senior girl. Had Jaques competed in the same event in a male division, his time would have placed him near the bottom, 50 out of 56. This is just the latest in a string of deliberately inflicted injuries to women’s rights in NH – all perversely in the name of equality. Thanks to Rep. Testerman and the Democrats on the committee, this unfortunate reality will likely remain the status quo in NH for some time. Tell Your Reps to Vote Against HB 315—Pro-Sexual Harassment “Gay Panic” Bill Earlier this year, the NH House of Representatives passed an amended version of HB 315, prohibiting provocations based on a victim’s actual or perceived gender, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation from being used as a defense in a criminal case. While the original text of this bill was framed as a prohibition against the so-called, “gay panic defense,” in reality, it would have promoted sexual harassment by removing any ability for a woman on trial for murder to claim that she acted in self-defense against unwanted romantic or sexual advances. Thankfully, the amended version of the bill remedied this while serving the bill’s stated purpose. However, this past week, the Senate amended and passed the original text of the bill, returning it to its pro-sexual harassment form. The bill will now return to the House to be voted on once again in its original form. If this bill were truly about protecting homosexual men from hate crimes, then the bipartisan version passed by both the House Criminal Justice Committee and by voice vote in the NH House would have been acceptable, as it contains language prohibiting provocations based on sexual identity from being used as a defense in cases of manslaughter. However, the bill was amended to again contain language which protects and facilitates aggressive “sexual advances.” As a consequence those who would be most hurt if HB 315 passed in its present form would not be heterosexual men who killed homosexual men, as those pushing the bill would have you believe, but women who defended themselves from the predatory behavior of straight men. It is evident that the impetus behind the bill is to erode the safety and dignity of women, and to promote sexual harassment. In light of this, Cornerstone strongly opposes HB 315 as amended by the Senate. Please call or email your representatives and urge them to vote against HB 315 as amended by the Senate. Our Vision Cornerstone is dedicated to a New Hampshire where God is honored, religious freedom flourishes, families thrive, and life is cherished. Copyright © 2023 Cornerstone Action, All rights reserved. |
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