PH Committee Hearing Transcript for 02/10/2021
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1 February 10, 2021 dgt/si PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE 9:00 A.M. CHAIRPERSONS: Senator Mary Daugherty Abrams, Representative Jonathan Steinberg SENATORS: Anwar, Kushner, Haskell, Hwang, Moore, Somers REPRESENTATIVES: Arnone, Berger-Girvalo, Betts, Carpino, Cook, Dauphinias, Demicco, Elliot, Foster, Genga, Green, Gilchrest, Kavros DeGraw, Kennedy, Klarides- Ditria, Linehan, McCarty, Parker, Petit, Ryan, Scanlon, Tercyak, Young, Zupkus SENATOR DAUGHERTY ABRAMS (13TH): Welcome, everyone. Convening the Public Health Committee Public Hearing for Senate Bill 835, which is AN ACT CONCERNING DECEPTIVE ADVERTISING PRACTICES OF LIMITED SERVICES PREGNANCY CENTERS. We have a full list of participants today, over 80 people, so I thank you all for being here and for giving your attention to this matter. Is there any -- are there any comments from my Co-Chair Representative Steinberg? REP. STEINBERG (136TH): Good morning, Madam Chair. I'll only say what you stated. I’m also trying to keep one ear on Transportation, as I imagine others are. So if there's any problems with feedback, I imagine that's it, so we're going to be really careful about muting when we're somewhere else. This is going to be an experiment all Legislators are going to face sooner or later, as multiple meetings are going on simultaneously. Thank you, Madam Chair. SENATOR DAUGHERTY ABRAMS (13TH): Thank you. Representative Petit, was there any remarks you had before we begin? 2 February 10, 2021 dgt/si PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE 9:00 A.M. REP PETIT (22ND): Thank you, Madam Chair. No, I think we're ready to go and hopefully we have a good healthy discussion. Thank you. SENATOR DAUGHERTY ABRAMS (13TH): Thank you. Senator Hwang, was there anything you'd like to add? SENATOR HWANG (28TH): I concur, and thank you, Madam, for the opportunity. SENATOR DAUGHERTY ABRAMS (13TH): Senator Somers, I don't know you're on. She too was juggling many meetings, as we all are. SENATOR SOMERS (18TH): Yes, I just would like to say, that's why we need gallery view so you can see us. SENATOR DAUGHERTY ABRAMS (13TH): I am on gallery view, actually. SENATOR SOMERS (18TH): Oh good, I’m glad. So I wanted to just say that, like others, I’m going to be in and out of meetings. I have Transportation going on and a few others, so if you don't see us for a moment, don't think we're not interested, we will be back. Thank you. SENATOR DAUGHERTY ABRAMS (13TH): And the fascinating thing is we're able to listen to more than one thing at once, so which isn't always the opportunity we have when we're in the building. So thank you so much for everyone, that's here. Let's begin. Our first speaker is Representative Fiorello. Representative, are you with us? REP. FIORELLO (149TH): Thank you. I think I just became a panelist. SENATOR DAUGHERTY ABRAMS (13TH): Good, good. REP. FIORELLO (149TH): Okay, thank you, Madam Chair. I’m Representative Kimberly Fiorello of 3 February 10, 2021 dgt/si PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE 9:00 A.M. Greenwich and Stamford, and thank you very much for this time to speak in your public hearing. I believe we must have always safe and legal abortions available to women as an option for her to choose, and President Bill Clinton brought into our common uses the phrase "safe, legal and rare". But he also said we have to remind the American people, that being prochoice is very different from being pro-abortion. In that sense, in America, under the umbrella of being pro-choice are the other pro's, pro-abortion, pro-parenting and pro-adoption. As much as we hear the pro-abortion message in our popular culture, the message of pro-parenting, giving birth and becoming a parent yourself, and pro-adoption, giving birth and helping others to become a parent are just as persuasive to women, as empowering to women, beautiful and valid. And in our state today, there are 18 licensed family planning clinics supported by bigger organizations like Planned Parenthood and the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, and 25 pregnancy resource centers supported by groups like the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates and Care Net and Birthright. So I think we can celebrate that women in Connecticut clearly have choices. And in the time of COVID, especially the services of both kinds of organizations were deemed essential and we can be so grateful for the kind and loving help, licensed professional care and peer support that many pregnant women in our state received at these dozens of centers during this incredibly distressing time of fear and uncertainty. But Bills like SB 835 target specifically one kind of support for pregnant women, the pregnancy resource centers. And they've come before this body before and have come, legislation like this has been proposed elsewhere, so much so that it came before 4 February 10, 2021 dgt/si PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE 9:00 A.M. the US Supreme Court in June 2018. The Supreme Court struck down a California law as interfering with the free speech rights of pregnancy help centers to counsel women and offer alternatives to abortion. Fundamentally, in America, we are a country built on protecting individual rights, the freedom of speech, under which there is also the freedom of information that is so well exercised for the sake of transparency. These principles are upheld by organizations like Hopeline, which I visited in Stamford. This is a group that strives to give pregnant women all the information they need. When you need any kind of medical procedure, whether it be dental to something more invasive, you want to understand the ins and outs of that procedure and even consult second opinions. The process of discussing medical procedures and discussing options should not be diminished, but rather enhanced. In our country, we also have freedom of religion. Yes, many of these pregnancy resource centers are faith-based. This is different from family planning clinics. Pregnancy resource centers can take a religious angle on pregnancy and offer to pray with you as you contemplate your choices. And this is made clear in the limitation of services and the forms you fill out and sign in as you acknowledge that you are freely requesting these services. The faith-based approach appeals to some women and not to others, and we're free to agree to disagree and to choose. And to this end, nothing should stop a Planned Parenthood from opening up next to a Hopeline and vice versa, and nothing should hinder the free exchange of ideas. That's what free speech means. These centers fill a need. Everyone has different needs. There are religious and spiritual needs and the ability to have a medical conversation with 5 February 10, 2021 dgt/si PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE 9:00 A.M. someone other than Planned Parenthood. Some might not like that, it might frustrate you, but they do meet the needs of many men and women. Free ultrasounds, free pregnancy tests, free diapers, free baby clothes, all voluntary and with private funds. I hope today when this public hearing is concluded that we can follow the lead of the US Supreme Court that found laws like this is a violation of freedom of speech, which we hold so vital. Pregnancy resource centers are vital part of the conversation and the exercise of choice. Bills like SB 835 seek to infringe on the free exchange of ideas only on one side of the conversation. Upon listening to the various testimonies, for the sake of fiercely protecting free speech and the free exchange of ideas, I hope this Committee will vote no on SB 835. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. SENATOR DAUGHERTY ABRAMS (13TH): Thank you very much for testifying, are there any questions or comments from the Committee Members. Representative Pettit. REP. PETIT (22ND): Thank you, Madam, Chair. Thank you, Representative for your testimony. Can you tell us a little bit more about your visit to the Hopeline Clinic in Stamford and what you experienced? REP. FIORELLO (149TH): Yes, thank you for asking that. You know, it was very much like walking into a sort of peaceful environment, and it was very clear from how they welcome you in, and you see the framed licenses of the practitioners there, whether they are CNAs or RNs or medical doctors, much like you see in any other facility that needs to be licensed. And they, you know, they have wonderful comforting chairs, where you sit and they ask you quite early 6 February 10, 2021 dgt/si PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE 9:00 A.M. on as soon as you walk in to fill out some forms where they explain the services that are offered here. And in that form it's very clear what is offered and what is not. They make it clear that they do not do abortions or abortion referrals and that they are -- they offer peer counseling. And I had a chance to walk through the facility, I can see that especially in this time of COVID, their services are being used and it's -- I think they provide vital work that clearly women in Connecticut are partaking of. REP. PETIT (22ND): Thank you for that and, again, thank you for your testimony. SENATOR DAUGHERTY ABRAMS (13TH): Thank you, Representative. Representative Dauphinais. REP. DAUPHINAIS (44TH): Hi. Good morning, and thank you, Representative Fiorello, for coming to testify. Did you mention that the centers also help men? Can you explain that a bit? REP.