New Hampshire House Kills “Parental Rights” Bill Opposed by GOP Governor
Concord Monitor.But critics of the bill, including civil rights organizations, mental health advocates, and even Attorney General John Formella, warned that the bill prioritized parents’ desires over the needs of children and could violate state anti-discrimination laws — concerns that led Sununu to vow to veto the bill.LGBTQ rights advocates specifically balked at provisions that would require schools to effectively “promptly” inform parents about any developments with their child, including any action taken around “gender expression or identity.” They argued that the bill would force counselors, school psychologists, or administrators to “out” LGBTQ-identifying students to their parents, even in cases where the student’s physical health or safety might be endangered by such a disclosure.“This bill as written creates numerous challenges for kids,” Sununu said in a statement prior to the final vote. “I share the concerns of the Attorney General and as such, will veto the bill if it reaches my desk.”In the week leading up to the vote, lawmakers were besieged by emails and calls from national and local advocacy groups on both sides of the issue. RebuildNH, a right-wing group formed during the pandemic to protest COVID-19 social distancing restrictions, paid for billboards across southern New Hampshire urging people to call their lawmakers to support the bill.