The NH Executive Council has voted to defund Planned Parenthood of Northern New England including the Lovering Health center here in Greenland, and the Equity Health Center again. The vote means these reproductive health centers will go another 18 months without any state support for their critical health care services, including birth control, STI testing and treatment, and cancer screenings for lower-income and uninsured Granite Staters.
By voting to defund reproductive health care providers, the Executive Council has jeopardized preventative sexual and reproductive health care for thousands of Granite Staters.
This money was included in the latest state budget that was passed overwhelmingly in a bi-partisan voice vote and signed into law. As a state representive, it is frustrating that approved budget items can be thrown out by the Executive Council and prevent access to reproductive health care in our state.
We elect the five members of the Executive Council every two years, and they hold enormous power over budget allocations that are designed to meet the health care needs of the women and families of NH.