Great news! Today, Senate Bill 593, a bill to repeal New Hampshire’s death penalty statute, was posted on the NH General Court website. Better news: the bill has broad bipartisan support, with 13 senators already listed as co-sponsors. The full-cosponsor list (House and Senate) includes:
Sen. Avard, Dist 12; Sen. Daniels, Dist 11; Sen. Ward, Dist 8; Sen. Giuda, Dist 2; Sen. French, Dist 7; Sen. Woodburn, Dist 1; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Feltes, Dist 15; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18; Sen. Hennessey, Dist 5; Sen. Kahn, Dist 10; Sen. Lasky, Dist 13; Rep. McGuire, Merr. 29; Rep. O’Leary, Hills. 13; Rep. Cushing, Rock. 21; Rep. Kotowski, Merr. 24; Rep. Souza, Hills. 43
The bill will start in the Senate with a hearing sometime over the next few weeks, then proceed to the House after Crossover Day in late March. We will keep you updated as to its progress and will be asking you to help us get this bill passed as you have in the past. Stay tuned!
Press Release
February 21, 2018
Bipartisan Senate Bill to Abolish the Death Penalty
Statement from Barbara Keshen, Chair, NH Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
The New Hampshire Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (NHCADP) welcomes the bipartisan Senate Bill 593 that would end capital punishment in the Granite State. The bill’s list of bipartisan sponsors demonstrates that even in these divisive times, ending capital punishment is an issue that can promote unity and bipartisanship. The NHCADP looks forward to working with Senator Avard and the other sponsors to pass SB 593 and affirm New Hampshire’s commitment to civil rights.
Granite Staters oppose the death penalty on moral, legal, and economic grounds. We know there are less expensive and less arbitrary ways to keep our state safe than executing the few whom our criminal justice system arbitrarily sends to death row. There is no justice in a system that is as arbitrarily and discriminatorily applied as capital punishment.
New Hampshire is the only state in New England that still allows for capital punishment, even though no one has been executed in the state since 1939. It is time for the Granite State to state in law what we have stated in practice by abolishing this archaic practice.
The NHCADP applauds Senator Avard for leading the charge in ending capital punishment, and calls upon all legislators to join together in a show of humanity and unity in abolishing this outdated and unjust practice.
I agree with the need that the death penalty should be abolished to send the message that people of N.H. are against being a part of putting people to death in our name.
Selma Gould