Governor Lamont Signs Reproductive Freedom Defense Act Into Law

Connecticut acts to expand access to abortion care and protect patients and providers as politicians and judges across the country attack the constitutional right to abortion

(New Haven, CT) – This afternoon, Governor Ned Lamont signed The Reproductive Freedom Defense Act, Public Act 22-19, into law. This legislation passed the House on April 19, 2022, with a vote of 87-60 and the Senate on April 29, 2022, with a vote of 25-9, receiving bipartisan support in both chambers.

This is the most significant abortion legislation passed by the General Assembly since Connecticut codified the right to safe, legal abortion in state law in 1990. This act modernizes the state’s abortion law in line with current medical standards of care, removing medically unnecessary restrictions to allow qualified advanced practice clinicians (APCs) to provide aspiration abortion for their patients. The Reproductive Freedom Defense Act also helps shield Connecticut abortion providers and anyone forced to travel to our state to access safe, legal abortion care from lawsuits and targeted attacks by politicians in other states with extreme, radical abortion bans.

With the U.S. Supreme Court ready to overturn the protections of Roe v. Wade and while politicians across the country are determined to eliminate the right to abortion, Connecticut lawmakers are protecting and expanding abortion access in our state.

Planned Parenthood of Southern New England (PPSNE) and partners in the Connecticut Coalition for Choice thank the bill’s proponents, Representatives Jillian Gilchrest and Matt Blumenthal, Senators Gary Winfield and Saud Anwar, members of the Public Health and Judiciary committees, the Reproductive Rights Caucus and our champions in the Connecticut General Assembly for passing the bill – and we thank Governor Lamont for recognizing the urgency of this moment and signing the bill into law.

Amanda Skinner, President & CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southern New England states:

At a time when the right to abortion is under attack nationwide, Connecticut is taking bold action to ensure patients have access to safe, legal abortion care in our state. Passage of this bill couldn’t come soon enough because we need to do everything we can to expand abortion access here in Connecticut, for our patients and for patients coming from other states.

We are so grateful to Governor Lamont for signing the Reproductive Freedom Defense Act today and to our legislative champions for acting swiftly to address the nationwide abortion access crisis. This legislation is an important step to ensure people have full bodily autonomy to make the best decisions for themselves and their families. While anti-abortion politicians are capitalizing on this moment to pass increasingly extreme and harmful abortion bans, Connecticut is once again leading the fight for reproductive freedom in our country.

Planned Parenthood of Southern New England (PPSNE) is one of the region’s largest providers of sexual and reproductive health care services. Since 1923, PPSNE has evolved into an organization with 15 health centers in Connecticut and Rhode Island, delivering care to 62,000 patients annually. For nearly 100 years, PPSNE health centers have provided a broad range of services, sexual health education, information, and health counseling. Ninety percent of the services provided are preventive.