Advocates, Health Care Providers Gather at Connecticut Capitol to Urge Lawmakers to Advance Reproductive Health Legislation
HARTFORD (May 7, 2025) – Today, at the Connecticut General Assembly, reproductive rights advocates, medical professionals, and community leaders gathered to urge Connecticut state lawmakers to take action on critical reproductive health legislation this session.
Organizations represented included Reproductive Equity Now, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), Planned Parenthood Southern New England, She Leads Justice, and the Hispanic Health Council.
“In a moment when reproductive freedom is under attack across the country, Connecticut has a moral and legislative responsibility to lead,” said Liz Gustafson, Connecticut State Director for Reproductive Equity Now. “We must protect providers, support our families, and ensure that everyone—no matter their ZIP code or income—can access the care they need with dignity and safety. These bills provide the Connecticut legislature with the opportunity to meet the moment with courage and clarity.”
“ACOG aims to foster shared decision-making among adolescent patients, their parents or guardians, and physicians. ACOG recognizes the importance of teens having safe, trusting relationships with their parents and guardians. However, it is also acknowledged that this is not always the reality. OBGYNs from around the state have shared stories highlighting the obstacles minors go through to access care in pregnancy and contraceptive access. There were many cases of patients’ lives at risk because of delays in care due to confusion around their ability to consent to medical services. We need to protect access to sexual and reproductive health care in Connecticut and ensure that young people can access this care without obstacles,” said Dr. Cara Delaney and Dr. Iyanna Liles, Connecticut Section of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. “Additionally, ACOG supports efforts to address maternal morbidity and mortality. Bills like HB 7214 align with recommendations from the CT MMRC to develop a maternal mental health task to address perinatal mood disorders in pregnancy and postpartum. Additionally, this bill would develop a report card for birthing centers in the state, collaborating with various agencies to address maternal health equity. Lastly, it would establish a task force to address doula friendly practices in the state. We know that birthing individuals in this country and in our state are at risk, and we should look for opportunities to prevent their untimely deaths and encourage equitable maternal health practices.”
“Around the country, lawmakers and public officials hostile to reproductive health and rights are trying to increase restrictions on abortion, 'defund' Planned Parenthood, and end access to vital, affordable health care like birth control, wellness exams, cancer screenings, STI treatment, and more,” said Gretchen Raffa, Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer at Planned Parenthood of Southern New England. “In the face of these relentless attacks, Connecticut’s elected leaders must take bold action now to ensure that family planning providers can continue to serve everyone in our state who needs care, and to strengthen young people’s ability to consent to contraceptive and pregnancy-related care. We will continue to work with our elected champions to push back against any attempts to take away our freedoms and keep fighting for all people to get the health care they deserve, from their trusted providers."
“Women, girls, and people of color in our state are disproportionately impacted when policies restrict access to care, deny confidentiality, and fail to hold institutions accountable. We are excited to follow the leads of REN, PPSNE, and ACOG today, and advocate for the policies listed above- as well as policies which aim to protect our medical providers; and allow them to deliver care that is private, medically appropriate, and in line with the standards of care,” said Tonishia Signore, Policy Director, She Leads Justice.
“The Connecticut Report Card in House Bill 7214 pushes us to confront long-standing disparities and demand better healthcare for mothers. For too long, women—especially women of color—have been dismissed or ignored in our healthcare system. Now, we are asserting our right to safe, respectful, and high-quality care. With this effort, Connecticut has the chance to lead the nation in women’s health equity,” said Megan Scharrer, Policy Advocacy Manager, Hispanic Health Council.
Advocates focused their lobbying efforts on advancing the following key legislative priorities:
H.B. 7213 - An Act Concerning Reproductive Health: legislation that would establish clear statutory protections for minors’ ability to confidentially consent to contraceptive and pregnancy-related care. Last Thursday, this legislation passed through the Connecticut House of Representatives.
H.B. 7214 - Act Concerning Maternal Health Task Force: legislation that would create a Maternal Health Report Card that would (1) require hospitals and freestanding birth centers to disaggregate maternal health data by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, (2) appoint a DPH-led advisory committee (including a HIPAA expert) to determine metrics, both qualitative and quantitative, (3) identify low-performing institutions and mandates improvement recommendations, and (4) integrates an equity score to ensure accountability and transparency in maternal care.
Expansion of Shield Law Protections: Advocates called for expanding Connecticut’s existing shield laws to explicitly protect telehealth providers offering reproductive & gender-affirming care, regardless of the location of patients.
As the federal government and states across the country roll back access to abortion and reproductive health care, advocates emphasized the urgency for Connecticut to further lead in protecting and expanding access.
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