Reproductive Equity Now Testifies in Support of Bolstering Connecticut Shield Law

WATCH: Connecticut State Director Liz Gustafson testifies at CT Joint Judiciary Committee in support of expanding Shield Law to cover telehealth care.

HARTFORD (March 3, 2025) – Yesterday, Reproductive Equity Now’s Connecticut State Director, Liz Gustafson, testified in front of the Connecticut Joint Judiciary Committee in support of Bolstering Shield Protections for Telehealth (S.B. 295), legislation to expand Connecticut’s shield law to protect abortion and gender-affirming care providers from hostile out-of-state prosecution when delivering care via telehealth, regardless of the patient’s location.

You can watch Gustafson deliver her testimony before the committee HERE or read, as prepared for delivery, below. You can also read Reproductive Equity Now’s submitted written testimony HERE.

Yesterday, Gustafson also released a statement ahead of the hearing urging lawmakers to bolster Connecticut’s shield law protections and safeguard telehealth access for abortion and gender-affirming care.

Oral Testimony

March 2, 2026

Reproductive Equity Now Testimony Supporting Bolstering Shield Law Telehealth Protections

Liz Gustafson, Connecticut State Director

Connecticut Joint Committee on Judiciary

*as prepared for delivery*

Senator Winfield, Representative Stafstrom, and esteemed members of the Judiciary Committee, my name is Liz Gustafson, and I am the Connecticut State Director of Reproductive Equity Now. Thank you for the opportunity to testify in strong support of S.B. 295.

Reproductive Equity Now works in Connecticut and across New England to make equitable access to the full spectrum of reproductive health care a reality for all people. 

As the Connecticut state director of Reproductive Equity Now, a former clinic escort, an abortion funder, and as someone who needed to access abortion care myself, the last 8 years have only solidified my understanding that those who oppose access to reproductive and gender-affirming care were never going to stop with overturning Roe. And particularly after today’s hearing, I know others may have found themselves also come to that understanding, too. 

Thankfully, in 2022, Connecticut, as a state, did see what was coming and took action to pass the first shield law to protect providers, patients, and helpers pre-Dobbs. 

The provisions of our shield law work together to allow Connecticut to do everything in its power as a state government to protect licensed medical providers following the standard of care, and their patients.

By stipulating that Connecticut’s law will govern over what we deem to be legally protected and lawful health care, and protect that health care from unprecedented civil or criminal liability, which is exactly what Dobbs purportedly enabled states to do.

Now, four years later, we know how critical it is for us to continue protecting providers and expand our existing shield provision to include those who choose to utilize telehealth to care for patients, no matter their zip code or their circumstance.

Our state's licensed providers deserve better than targeted attacks and legal threats from out-of-state actors for providing the highest quality standard of care that is legal in our state. 

Patients deserve better than medically unnecessary barriers and the threat of surveillance or criminalization because of the outcome of their pregnancies. 

People should be able to access the abortion care they need– and for millions of people in the U.S., that is medication abortion, and care via telehealth. 

As someone who had a medication abortion in the comfort of my own home, advocating to ensure everyone can obtain the abortion care they need, and in the way that is best or most accessible to them, is not only professional but personal. 

Bolstering our shield provisions to include licensed telehealth providers who treat patients regardless of their zip code is a key way to ensure our state is utilizing every tool available to us, so providers can utilize every tool available to them and continue to provide timely, essential, and compassionate care to their patients. 

We urge the committee to pass SB 295. Thank you

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