Raghib Allie-Brennan

Friends,

This week, I was proud to stand with Governor Ned Lamont, Representative Tammy Nuccio, Chair Kerry Wood, advocates, physicians, and families as our bipartisan fertility coverage bill was signed into law.

For many people, becoming a parent isn't as simple as deciding the time is right. It can mean IVF, donor eggs or sperm, surrogacy, years of infertility treatment, and enormous emotional and financial sacrifice.

The problem was that many Connecticut residents were already paying for fertility coverage through their health insurance, but outdated eligibility rules prevented them from accessing the very benefits they were paying for. Connecticut's law relied on an outdated definition of infertility that no longer reflected modern medicine or the many ways families are formed today.

This bipartisan legislation fixes that.

By updating Connecticut's definition of infertility to align with today's evidence-based medical standards, this law helps ensure people can fairly access the fertility benefits included in their health insurance.

This legislation recognizes that families are formed in many different ways and ensures our laws reflect modern medicine not outdated assumptions.

Whether you're a couple experiencing infertility, a cancer survivor preserving your fertility, a single woman pursuing motherhood, or an LGBTQ+ couple building a family, Connecticut is saying your path to parenthood matters.

At a time when some are working to narrow the definition of who deserves the opportunity to build a family, Connecticut is choosing a different path. Here, we believe every family deserves dignity, respect, and a fair opportunity to pursue parenthood.

I'm incredibly grateful to Representative Tammy Nuccio for her partnership, Governor Lamont for signing this legislation into law, Chair Kerry Wood for her leadership, my colleagues in the General Assembly for their overwhelming bipartisan support, and especially the advocates and Connecticut families who courageously shared their stories. This law would not have been possible without you.