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Senate hears bill to authorize historic marker acknowledging abuse at state youth center; committee delays action
Summary
Sen. David Waters introduced SB668 to authorize a highway historic marker acknowledging abuse at the New Hampshire Youth Development Center; Waters said the Historical Resources Council would consult survivors on wording and that the marker would be historical only and not affect ongoing litigation. The committee asked for more time and did not vote on the bill.
Senator David Waters introduced Senate Bill 668 to authorize the erection of a highway historic marker acknowledging abuse suffered by former residents of the New Hampshire Youth Development Center (YDC). Waters cited the statutory authority for markers and said the Historical Resources Council would work with survivors and review reports and news articles when drafting the text.
Waters framed the marker as a narrow historical acknowledgment intended to "recognize the abuse suffered" and the "deep and lasting pain" of survivors, and he stressed that the marker would be historical in nature and would not affect ongoing litigation. He said he had reached out to the City of Manchester and that the standard program format limits the marker to a few sentences.
Committee members asked about possible wording, site placement near the Daniel Webster Highway, who would pay for the marker, and whether local municipalities would be consulted; Waters said markers come from the Historical Resources Council's existing program budget and the council typically consults local municipalities and survivors on language.
The chair said he was not prepared to vote on SB668 and requested more time; the committee deferred action, moved to executive session, and later adjourned without taking a final vote on the bill.
