CONCORD, NH – Today, Tuesday, May 11th at approximately 3:00 PM, the NH Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a public hearing on HB 542, a so-called religious freedom bill that mirrors the controversial “license to discriminate” language from Arizona and elsewhere. HB 542 originally blocked the Governor from imposing a ban or limit on in-person gatherings at places of worship during public health or other states of emergency but was amended in the House to also include a provision giving businesses and employees a license to discriminate against others, particularly LGBT families.

Statement from Granite State Progress Executive Director Zandra Rice Hawkins: “HB 542 is a license to discriminate and has no place in New Hampshire. It would undermine New Hampshire’s anti-discrimination protections and move our state backwards. New Hampshire has made so many strides over the last few years to create a more inclusive and welcoming state for all community members. Granite Staters are proud of the work that has been done and recognize we have more to do to achieve a strong, healthy, and equitable New Hampshire. HB 542’s expansive and vague language risks undermining the bipartisan progress that has been made to date to protect Granite Staters from discrimination.”

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Granite State Progress is a progressive advocacy organization that addresses issues of immediate state and local concern. Granite State Progress works as a communications hub for the progressive community to provide a strong, credible voice in advancing progressive solutions to critical community problems. Visit https://granitestateprogress.org/ to learn more.