Senate Bill 224, "relative to conversion therapy seeking to change a person's sexual orientation," was sponsored by Sens. Martha Fuller Clark, D-Portsmouth; Jeb Bradley, R-Wolfeboro; Daniel Innis, R-New Castle; and David Watters, D-Dover; along with Rep. Renny Cushing, D-Hampton. It would have prohibited persons licensed to provide counseling services to propose to engage or engage in conversion therapy with a person under 18 years of age.

The legislation defined conversion therapy as "practices or treatments that seek to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender."

The bill further states, "Conversion therapy shall not include counseling that provides assistance to a person undergoing gender transition, or counseling that provides acceptance, support, and understanding of a person or facilitates a person's coping, social support, and identity exploration and development, including sexual-orientation-neutral interventions to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices, as long as such counseling does not seek to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity."

The bill was introduced in January of last year, and had a public hearing in the Senate in February, which voted 15 to 8 for passage. Area Sens. Bradley, Fuller Clark, William Gannon, R-Sandown; James Gray, R-Rochester; Innis, John Reagan, R-Deerfield; and Watters supported passage. Nine Democrats and six Republicans supported the bill, while all eight "no" votes were cast by Republicans.

This week the House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee voted 12 to 8 recommending that the bill be killed. The majority reported, "The committee voted to recommend this bill as Inexpedient to Legislate primarily because the definition of the practice was consistently over reaching beyond a strong consensus against the practice. There is no evidence that the practice is occurring in N.H., therefore there is time to get the statutory language right."

Rep. Mindi Messmer, D-Rye, speaking for the minority of the committee and urging passage, wrote, "This legislation would have protected minors from a coercive therapy designed to change a young person’s self-perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. Young people subjected to this practice have experienced severe and lasting trauma, have suffered long-term damage to their family relationships, and are at an increased risk for suicide."

The House voted 170 to 169 in favor of the motion to kill the bill. The initial vote was a tie of 169 to 169, and in the case of a tie the House Speaker may vote. Speaker Gene Chandler, R-Bartlett, cast the deciding vote to kill the legislation. "Yes" favored defeating the bill and was a vote for the motion of "inexpedient to legislate," "no" opposed killing it:

Seacoastonline area legislators:

Yes: Patrick Abrami, R-Stratham; Philip Bean, R-Hampton; J. Tracy Emerick, R-Hampton; Richard Gordon, R-East Kingston; Jason Janvrin, R-Seabrook; Henry Marsh, R-North Hampton; Robert Nigrello, R-East Kingston; Rio Tilton, R-Seabrook

No: Debra Altschiller, D-Stratham; Skip Berrien, D-Exeter; Michael Cahill, D-Newmarket; Jacqueline Cali-Pitts, D-Portsmouth; Renny Cushing, D-Hampton; Mike Edgar, D-Hampton; Betsey Farnham, D-Exeter; Paula Francese, D-Exeter; Julie Gilman, D-Exeter; Pamela Gordon, D-Portsmouth; Tamera Le, D-North Hampton; Patricia Lovejoy, D-Stratham; Dennis Malloy, D-Greenland; Rebecca McBeath, D-Portsmouth; Mindi Messmer, D-Rye; Kate Murray, D-New Castle; Laura Pantelakos, D-Portsmouth; Peter Somssich, D-Portsmouth; Gerald Ward, D-Portsmouth

Not voting: Francis Chase, R-Seabrook; Charlotte DiLorenzo, D-Newmarket; Aboul Khan, R-Seabrook; Ellen Read, D-Newmarket, excused

Fosters.com area legislators

Yes: Lino Avellani, R-Sanbornville; Steven Beaudoin, R-Rochester; Roger Berube, D-Somersworth; Ed Comeau, R-Brookfield; Allen Cook, R-Brentwood; Robert Graham, R-Milton; Michael Harrington, R-Strafford; James Horgan, R-Farmington; Raymond Howard, R-Alton; Thomas Kaczynski, R-Rochester; William Marsh, R-Wolfeboro; Jody McNally, R-Rochester; John Mullen, R-Middleton; Bill Nelson, R-Brookfield; Joseph Pitre, R-Farmington; Matthew Scruton, R-Rochester; Leonard Turcotte, R-Barrington; Scott Wallace, R-Danville; Kurt Wuelper, R-Strafford

No: Peter Bixby, D-Dover; Wayne Burton, D-Durham; Jacalyn Cilley, D-Barrington; Casey Conley, D-Dover; Yvonne Dean-Bailey, R-Northwood; Donna Ellis, D-Rochester; Timothy Fontneau, D-Rochester; Amanda Gourgue, D-Lee; Chuck Grassie, D-Rochester; Timothy Horrigan, D-Durham; Sandra Keans, D-Rochester; Hamilton Krans, D-Dover; Linn Opderbecke, D-Dover; Brandon Phinney, L-Rochester; Jeffrey Salloway, D-Lee; Catt Sandler, D-Dover; Peter Schmidt, D-Dover; Marjorie Smith, D-Durham; Thomas Southworth, D-Dover; Judith Spang, D-Durham; Brian Stone, R-Northwood; Susan Treleaven, D-Dover; Janet Wall, D-Madbury

Not voting: Sherry Frost, D-Dover; Dale Sprague, D-Somersworth; Peter Varney, R-Alton; Kenneth Vincent, D-Somersworth; Steven Woitkun, R-Danville, excused

Two Democrats, Reps. Roger Berube of Somersworth and Thomas Bocu of Conway voted with 168 Republicans to kill the bill. Two Libertarians and 15 Republicans joined with 152 Democrats voting opposed to the motion to kill the legislation.

Area Republican Reps. Yvonne Dean-Bailey and Brian Stone of Northwood joined Democrats opposing killing the bill.

Nearly identical legislation, House Bill 587, "relative to conversion therapy seeking to change a person's sexual orientation," was killed on a vote of 166 to 165, again with the House Speaker casting the deciding vote to defeat the bill.

If a legislator is absent and excused for a vote, it may be because of illness, important business, or being absent from the House Chamber when a vote is taken because of other obligations of meeting with constituents or working on other legislation.

Members of the public may present testimony in person, or by letter or email on any issue. To view video of legislative debate and action, or for a listing of bills, public hearing schedules, contact information for legislators, and specific roll call votes, visit NH.gov.