2018 LEGISLATIVE SCORECARD a Note from Our Executive Director
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2018 LEGISLATIVE SCORECARD A Note from Our Executive Director Welcome to our 2018 Legislative Scorecard. This year will mark NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut’s 40th anniversary as an advocate for reproductive freedom here in the Nutmeg State. As we reflect on how far we have come, we are proud of our state’s strong history of protecting reproductive rights. This includes being one of a handful of states to have codified Roe v. Wade in our state statutes, recognizing the constitutional right of individuals to access abortion, a fact that is more important now than ever before. But increased attacks on reproductive freedom at the federal level have led to an emboldened anti- choice movement here in Connecticut. Many of our legislators responded to these threats by introducing and cosponsoring legislation intended to protect our reproductive healthcare and rights. The bills we supported and that are included in this scorecard also highlight the intersectional lens that advocacy for reproductive freedom requires, a position championed by many of our pro-choice legislators. Though some of these pieces of legislation failed to pass, our guide lists those legislators who supported these bills by introducing them, cosponsoring them, or voting in their favor in the Connecticut House or Senate. We are particularly proud of the work legislators did in passing H.B. 5210, codifying in state law the 10 Essential Health Benefits and women’s preventive services outlined in the ACA, which was recently signed into law by Governor Malloy. We were also pleased to see our bill on fake women’s health centers reach a public hearing. Although it didn’t move out of committee to a vote, the hearing highlighted for legislators the threat that these centers pose to healthcare access in the state. An incredible group of individuals, volunteers, medical professionals, and advocates waited through a 12-hour hearing to share their testimony in support of this legislation. Our current state political landscape has increased the number of publicly anti-choice legislators and has provided them with greater momentum. We worked with our allies in the Connecticut Coalition for Choice to ensure that no anti-choice bills received public hearings, and we empowered pro- choice legislators to fight anti-choice amendments as they were filed. If anti-choice politicians (whatever their party affiliation) gain greater power in future years, these attacks on our reproductive freedom may move forward. In order to capture the values of our state legislators, the grade each has been given reflects their legislative work over their two-year term. This has allowed us to highlight legislators who in the longer 2017 session introduced anti-choice bills, such as those that would require parental notification for abortion, or that would require mandatory ultrasounds for patients seeking abortion care. We hope that the scorecard helps you better understand your own legislator, and others in our state, and that it is useful as we continue to fight to keep Connecticut a strongly pro-choice state. Sarah Croucher, Executive Director 1 2018 Bill Descriptions PASSED: H.B. 5148 An Act Concerning Pregnant Patients Exercising Living Wills This bill guarantees that every person in Connecticut can have their living will respected. It fixed a glaring violation of a person's constitutional rights. Before its passage, pregnant individuals had no legal right to exercise a living will in Connecticut, no matter what the circumstances. H.B. 5210 An Act Mandating Insurance Coverage of Essential Health Benefits and Expanding Mandated Health Benefits for Women, Children, and Adolescents This bill codifies components of the ACA in state law including the 10 essential health benefits and preventive care for women, including contraception without cost-sharing. It also allows for a 12- month supply of birth control to be dispensed at one time. H.B. 5386 An Act Concerning Pay Equity This legislation strengthens provisions of the law concerning pay equity and fairness by banning the salary history question from job applications. S.B. 13 An Act Concerning the Fair Treatment of Incarcerated Women This bill helps to ensure the dignity of incarcerated women by banning the dangerous practice of shackling during pregnancy and labor as well as creating greater maternal resources and access to menstrual products. It also gives CT the strongest protections for trans inmates in the country, by ensuring that inmates are housed based on their gender identity. S.B. 206 An Act Concerning Pregnancy as a Qualifying Event for Special Enrollment Periods This legislation opens a special enrollment period for pregnant individuals who do not have health insurance, allowing them to enroll in a health insurance policy or plan not later than thirty days after the individual's pregnancy has been certified by a licensed health care provider. 2 DID NOT RECEIVE A HOUSE OR SENATE VOTE : H.B. 5416 An Act Concerning the Deceptive Practices of Limited Service Pregnancy Centers This bill would have limited the deceptive advertising of fake women's health centers, largely mirroring work done in Hartford. It did not make it out of the public health committee. H.B. 5387 An Act Concerning Paid Family Medical Leave This bill would have created a statewide employee-funded system of paid family and medical leave, with individuals qualifying through FMLA-like circumstances. It did not get a house or senate vote. H.B. 5388 An Act Concerning Fair Minimum Wage This bill would have raised the minimum wage, improving earnings for low-wage employees who are disproportionately women. It did not receive a house or senate vote. MOTION FAILED: S.B. 321 An Act Stabilizing Working Families by Limiting "On Call" Shift Scheduling This bill would limited "on call" scheduling for retail and service workers, providing them with a window of notice for their schedule. It was voted down in the children's committee and also failed in the Senate after being amended onto another bill. 2018 Proposed Anti-Choice Legislation S.B. 325 An Act Requiring a Study of the Adequacy of Certain Notice Provided to Mothers of Stillborn Fetuses We monitored this bill because of the potential for anti-choice amendments. It did not receive a vote in the house or the senate. S.B. 298 An Act Concerning Burial and Cremation in Cases of Spontaneous Fetal Demise We monitored this bill because of the potential for anti-choice amendments. It did not make it out of the public health committee. S.B. 270 An Act Concerning Work and Community Service Requirements for Recipients of Certain Public Assistance Programs This bill would have undermined our state Medicaid program. Many eligible recipients- including those with disabilities or in low-income jobs- would have been unable to access computer infrastructure needed to comply with reporting requirements. This bill would have had a devastating impact on reproductive healthcare in our state. 3 Connecticut's Pro-Choice Legislative Champions 2017-2018* State Rep State Rep State Rep Kelly Cristin McCarthy State Rep Liz Linehan Juleson-Scopino Vahey Livvy Floren State Rep State Rep State Rep State Rep Christine Conley Sean Scanlon Terrie Wood Robyn Porter State Senator State Senator State Rep State Rep Mae Flexer Marilyn Moore Caroline Matt Lesser Simmons Greatest Anti-Choice Threats 2017 -2018** State Senator State Senator State Senator State Rep State Rep State Rep Joe Markley Michael Len Suzio Carol Hall Craig Fishbein Rob Sampson McLachlan * Pro-choice champions were selected on the basis of their work over a two-year period to introduce and promote bills (including activities such as hosting press conferences on legislation we supported), and on their behind-the-scenes policy support for key legislation. **Anti-choice threats were selected on the basis of their support over a two-year period for legislation that was anti-choice or would have restricted access to reproductive healthcare. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Report Card 2017-2018 Legislative Sessions Grading Key: A = Voted 100% in alignment with NARAL CT over both the 2017 and 2018 sessions B = One vote against a bill we supported or in favor of bill we opposed over the two years C = Two or more votes against a bill we supported and/or in favor of a bill we opposed over the two years F = Introduced or sponsored an anti-choice proposed bill in 2017 or 2018. Senate Berthel, Eric C. (R- 32) A Kissel, John A. (R-7) B Boucher, Toni (R- 26) A Larson, Timothy D. (D-3) A Bye, Beth (D- 5) A Leone, Carlo (D-27) A Cassano, Steve (D- 4) A Linares, Art (R-33) A Doyle, Paul R. (D- 9) A Logan, George S. (R-17) A Duff, Bob (D- 25) A Looney, Martin M. (D-11) A Fasano, Leonard A. (R- 34) A Markley, Joe (R-16) F Flexer, Mae (D-29) A Martin, Henri (R-31) A Fonfara, John W. (D-1) A McCrory, Douglas (D-2) A Formica, Paul M. (R- 20) A McLachlan, Michael A. (R-24) F Frantz, L. Scott (R- 36) A Miner, Craig (R-30) A Gerratana, Terry B. (D- 6) A Moore, Marilyn V. (D-22) A Gomes, Edwin A. (D- 23) A Osten, Catherine A. (D-19) A Guglielmo, Anthony (R- 35) A Slossberg, Gayle S. (D-14) A Hartley, Joan V. (D- 15) A Somers, Heather B. (R-18) A Hwang, Tony (R- 28) A Suzio, Len (R-13) F Kelly, Kevin C. (R- 21) A Winfield, Gary A. (D-10) A Kennedy, Ted (D-12) A Witkos, Kevin D. (R-8) A 13 Report Card 2017-2018 Legislative Sessions House of Representatives Abercrombie, Catherine (D- 83) A DiMassa, Michael (D-116) A Ackert, Tim (R- 8) C Dubitsky, Doug (R-47) C Adams, Terry (D- 146) A Duff, William (R-2) A Albis, James (D- 99) A Dunsby,