HARTFORD, Conn. — Gov. Ned Lamont signed a series of state laws aimed at protecting reproductive rights Wednesday, as the nation continues to navigate either gaining or revoking access to abortion and contraception after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022.
“With liberty and justice for all, not with liberty and justice for all unless you're a woman of childbearing age who happens to live in Florida or Texas or one of a dozen other countries," said Lamont, quoting the Pledge of Allegiance during the bill signing press conference Wednesday. "With liberty and justice for all, these are the American values.”
Lamont praised lawmakers and advocates for advancing reproductive rights legislation during the 2023 session.
“I love what we're doing in Connecticut and standing tall and hopefully other states fall on our lead,” he said.
Lamont signed four bills into law Wednesday morning.
One law, Public Act 23-128, protects medical providers from "adverse actions" another state may enforce. Licensed medical providers in Connecticut are protected from their license being revoked, suspended, or denied renewal if they provide reproductive services to patients, including those who come to Connecticut from a state where that care is illegal.
Access to birth control without the need to visit a doctor first is now legal in Connecticut through Public Act 23-52. Pharmacists are now able to prescribe birth control, as long as they have completed an accredited education training program for prescribing hormonal contraceptives and emergency contraception.
The governor's office said this law is "effective upon passage, pending the adoption of updated regulations from the Department of Consumer Protection."
Public colleges in Connecticut will be able to increase access to reproductive care for their students through Public Act 23-41. These institutions, which includes UConn, have until Jan. 1, 2024, to come up with a plan to address the needs of student reproductive health care, which includes contraception, abortion, and gender-affirming care. Students attending a public college in Connecticut who are from a state where these services are banned will be able to use these services.
The privacy of health data that are stored and accessed online will be protected through Public Act 23-56.
“The legislation we're passing here today is certainly protecting Connecticut citizens today, but it's also protecting our young adults and our children," said state Rep. Jillian Gilchrest (D-West Hartford).
Legislators and advocates say these laws are essential in the aftermath of the reversal of Roe v. Wade.
“We have seen a 56% increase in patients who have traveled from the 18 states that have banned abortion," Gretchen Raffa, vice president of public policy, advocacy, and organizing at Planned Parenthood of Southern New England said. "The reality is people shouldn't have to leave their home communities to access essential health care, but they do.”
Medical providers say these new laws will help strengthen access to reproductive health care for patients in Connecticut, but believe there’s still more work to be done.
“Reproductive care isn't just about being able to access an abortion," added ACLU CT's public policy and advocacy director Claudine Constant. "It is about being able to receive routine quality care, like mammograms, or pap smears, or anything like that, and if people can't even access those on a regular basis, we still have a lot of gaps to fill.”
Lawmakers in the Reproductive Rights Caucus say they want to prioritize those gaps next session.
“I think sometimes to do things right it takes a little bit of time and I'm hopeful that time is passing and the work is happening and the conversations are happening, and we'll be able to move forward soon," said State Sen. Mae Flexer, (D-Brooklyn).
Flexer discussed a possible constitutional amendment in Connecticut, to codify the right to an abortion into the state constitution, not just in state law.
Lamont also made a plea to Congress Wednesday, saying he hopes Washington “picks up this message” and “forwards what we have to do… so we don’t have to keep playing this rearguard action.”
Emma Wulfhorst is a political reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at ewulfhorst@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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