Women and Family Issues

Advocacy for women's issues is a core commitment during Senator Watters' five terms in the Senate. The New Hampshire legislature should pass legislation to codify the reproductive rights under Roe. It should also ensure that medical professionals and others who assist women from other states who receive abortion services, including medication, shall not be subject to law enforcement actions by other states.

Senator Watters sponsored and supported important legislation for women’s economic security, rights, and health care, including the Paycheck Fairness Act, “Joshua's Law,” establishing domestic abuse as a discreet crime, backed “red flag” laws to protect victims of domestic violence by removing guns from the hands of abusers, and supported the Clinic Buffer Zone act.

Senator Watters was the prime sponsor of SB 348, establishing a commission on child sexual abuse prevention education, and prime sponsor of subsequent legislation to require age-appropriate sexual abuse prevention legislation in public K-12 schools. 

He played a key role in supporting the New Hampshire Health Protection Act, expanding coverage to over 50,000 low-income citizens and ensuring coverage of women’s health needs. This legislation must be renewed in 2023.

Senator Watters supported raising the New Hampshire minimum wage and the tipped minimum wage, as well as giving fair notice of scheduling for workers.

He supported increased budget funding for daycare and early childhood education and workforce development, wrote the key amendment to get lead and other toxic chemicals out of school and childcare drinking water, and fought to expand mental health services. He was the prime sponsor of legislation to fund electric school buses to stop diesel pollution which contributes to high childhood asthma rates in New Hampshire.

He established new rules for removing PFAS “forever chemicals” which cause cancer in women and children, from water and wastewater, and established a $50 million bond fund for municipalities and residents on private wells to clean their water.

Senator Watters supported increased funding for schools, USNH, CCSNH, and Career and Technical Education Centers, with an emphasis on increasing enrollment of women in STEM fields.

He was the prime sponsor of legislation to refocus and strengthen the Governor's Commission on Alcohol and Other Drugs with an effort to fully fund its programs, and he serves as a Senate commissioner.

He was the prime sponsor of bills to provide a clean and healthy environment for New Hampshire families, with a special emphasis on cutting greenhouse gas pollution, and adaptation to global warming and sea-level rise.

Senator Watters is a leader in legislation to reduce the use of tobacco and other drugs, working closely with Dover Youth to Youth and other advocates to raise the age for tobacco use to 21, regulate vaping, and increase education on substance use disorders.