Legislative Proposals Threaten to Remove all Limitations on Abortions and Threaten the Religious Freedom of Catholic Hospitals

    Abortion extremism at the state capitol quickly unveiled itself over the last several weeks. Abortion minded legislators called for abortion without limits, increased taxpayer funding of abortions, a constitutional amendment enshrining abortion into our state constitution and weakening the ability of Catholic hospitals to not perform abortions.

  Although the exact language for these proposals has not been presented yet, the intent to pass the various pieces of legislation has been made very clear by supporters. 

    The unbridled support for abortion without limits by many of the legislators was reflected in comments by Representative Jillian Gilchrest (D-West Hartford). Gilchrest, co-chair of the Reproductive Rights Caucus, called for the elimination of all current restrictions on abortion in our state.

 Summary of the Legislative Proposals

 1)  Senate Democratic leadership endorsed the right to abortion without any limits or safeguards through an amendment to the state Constitution, even though abortion rights have been codified into state law since 1990. Eliminating all current restrictions on abortion in our state, including the current viability (24-26 weeks) provision in state law, would allow abortion up to the moment of birth. This action would legalize the brutal and barbaric practice of late-term abortion in our state.

  2)  A proposal being consider by the Public Health Committee would allow providers working for Catholic hospitals to openly violate the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Services (ERDs) without facing a reprimand or dismissal. This proposal would make the ERDs totally unenforceable by the institutions management. It is a roundabout way of attacking the religious beliefs these hospitals operate under. This is a direct attack on religious liberty.

  3)  The Reproductive Rights Caucus has raised proposals that will add millions to the state budget. They want Medicaid funding for abortions and family planning increased by an estimated $3.3 million. All of this would be paid for by the taxpayers of our state. Most of these funds would go directly into the pocket of Planned Parenthood, since they are by far the largest provider of abortions in the state.

  4)  Finally, the Caucus also wants to allow abortion providers in Connecticut to provide telehealth to women in other states. How this would actually work was not presented. This proposal could actually put women in danger. One example is a women may have an ectopic pregnancy and without an in person exam the provider could treat her without this knowledge. A direct threat to her life.

   In a state that legally supports abortion rights, almost without limits, the abortion advocates are trying to remain relevant by supporting ill thought out proposals. They want more funding for abortions  when children cannot get the early childhood care they need and state taxpayers are strained financially. They want to expanded the reach of Connecticut abortion providers into other states which can actually harm women and not help them.. Finally, they want to attack the religious freedom of Catholic Hospitals under the false premise that women will be harmed if they do not receive an abortion immediately.

Please watch for more information on these proposals as they develop. We will need your help to stop these "culture of death" proposals.