Session Update

February 23, 2024

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Dear Neighbor,

Our legislative session is in its third week and picking up steam. There has been a lot of activity at the state capitol and I wanted to share this update and resources.

As always, please feel free to contact my office if you have any questions or concerns.

Medicaid Rate Study Press Conference

Full Press Conference Video

Reproductive Rights Caucus Press Conference

Full Press Conference Video

2024 Legislation Priorities

Abortion Reimbursement Rate
Increase the Medicaid reimbursement rate for abortion services for Connecticut family planning clinic providers to improve access to abortion.

Family Planning Medicaid Reimbursement Rate
Equalize the family planning Medicaid rate from 90% to 100% reimbursement in Connecticut, whether the provider works in a private OB/GYN or family planning clinic, to improve equity in reimbursement for all providers.

Expanded Access Campus Proposals
Expand student access to reproductive healthcare on public university campuses in Connecticut to increase equity to reproductive healthcare for young people.

Equitable Fertility Care Coverage
Align fertility healthcare insurance coverage with the medical standard of care, which clearly includes LGBTQ+ and single people, among others, and ensures access for people who have Medicaid so that all Connecticut residents have the opportunity to build their family.

Patient Access and Refusal Laws
Ensure patients experiencing pregnancy-related complications have access to timely, evidence-based, and compassionate care when presenting at any Connecticut hospital by protecting providers acting in the best interest of the patient, strengthening informed consent, and referrals to alternative sites of care.

Telehealth
Ensure the Connecticut Reproductive Defense Freedom Act explicitly protects providers prescribing medication abortion via telehealth, regardless of patient location, to allow Connecticut providers to deliver the best reproductive healthcare to all patients and shield them from legal repercussions.

Legislation to Support

Child Tax Credit
Support a tax credit in Connecticut in alignment with the reproductive justice principle of being able to afford to raise a child in a safe and sustainable environment.

State Update and Resources

The resources below will help you stay updated on crucial developments, events, proposed policies, and key discussions as they happen in Hartford. I urge you to please follow along and get involved.

Here's how you can stay connected and actively participate:

The non-partisan Office of Legislative Research (OLR) recently released the 2024 Major Issues Report. This comprehensive document highlights and summarizes key issues the legislature could take up during the upcoming session.
You can view the Connecticut General Assembly's upcoming events by checking out its schedule on the CGA official website.
Follow CT-N for live coverage of committee meetings, as well as House and Senate floor debates.
You can register to monitor any bill's journey as it goes through the legislative process. By signing up, you can enter the bill number and receive real-time updates. Stay informed with email notifications whenever there's a change in the bill's progress.
Visit this website for information on how to testify on a bill at a public hearing.

The Connecticut Office of Early Childhood is now accepting applications for a new cohort of members to serve on its Parent Cabinet. Established in 2022, the Parent Cabinet is a diverse, parent-led advisory group of 15 members that works directly with the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood and gives parents and caregivers of children from birth to age 5 a greater voice and ability in shaping laws and policies that impact young children and families.

The Parent Cabinet is open to all who care and raise children in a parenting role, including grandparents, foster parents, and other types of guardians. Members serve 2.5-year terms. The terms of the current members expire either in June 2024 or December 2024, making the membership terms staggered.

Members are compensated for their services, must live in Connecticut, and cannot be employed by the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood or otherwise receive funding from the agency. As part of their responsibilities, they spend at least 56 to 68 hours per year on their work, about four to six hours each month.

For more information on the Parent Cabinet and its mission, visit ctoec.org/parent-cabinet.
To apply to become a member, visit ctoec.org/parent-cabinet/apply.