Principled Bipartisanship - November 7, 2025 Windham Independent
Principled Bipartisanship
If you read the news these days, you’d think that Republicans and Democrats disagree on everything. While in New Hampshire we continue to fervently disagree on certain topics, there are plenty of bills that find principled, bipartisan support.
Here is a summary of the multi year effort to create NH RSA Section 329:31-c (https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XXX/329/329-mrg.htm), protecting the right of patients (mostly, but not exclusively women) to receive medically necessary care that may result in them no longer being able to have children.
If you want to see bipartisanship in action (and to understand the dire need for this law), please watch the public hearings on the General Court of NH YouTube channel. Just look for the House Health/Human Services 03/12/2025 hearing, and the Senate Health/Human Services 04/23/2025 hearing. HB606 is the first bill heard in both.
The three bills involved (HB277 in 2023, HB1067 in 2024, HB606 in 2025) had Rep. Ellen Read (D-Newmarket) as a prime sponsor, and myself and others as co-sponsors.
In 2023, HB277 was unanimously recommended Inexpedient to Legislate out of committee, then removed from the consent calendar and tabled and left there.
For 2024, the bill language was changed to address the committee’s concerns in 2024, leading to a better outcome - Refer for Interim Study (17-3 vote). I was a substitute on the committee on September 20, 2024 for the work session and vote on HB1067, which ended up with a favorable Interim Study Report: Recommended for Future Legislation (12-3 vote).
Representative Erica Layon (R-Derry) joined the effort to pass this bill, and her wealth of knowledge about health, her testimony during public hearings and her willingness to work with legislators that had questions about the bill were essential for its final success.
HB606 earned a Ought to Pass report (15-3 vote) and passed the House on a voice vote. The Senate amended the bill then passed it on a voice vote, which required the House to approve the amended bill on another voice vote, Governor Ayotte signed the bill into law on July 15, 2025.
It took a bipartisan effort (and countless meetings, calls and messages), to go from the 2023 unanimous consent that the bill should not pass, to having it signed into law in 2025, but making a positive impact on the lives of New Hampshire residents made it all worth it.
Neither of us could have made it happen by ourselves, but together, we got it done. While Rep. Read and I disagree on most policies, we are able to work together on the policies that we agree on. I have always looked for opportunities to find principled, bipartisan solutions, and will continue to represent you the same way.
Please reach out to me at 603 267 4142 (call or text), or by email at dpmwindham@gmail.com (a quick call or text after emailing me would greatly help) with any questions or concerns.
Daniel Popovici-Muller
Windham State Representative,
Vice Chairman, Finance II Committee
Education Funding Committee