What’s Next After the Women’s March? A Proactive Legislative Agenda for CT.
January 23, 2017 – Hartford, CT – After hundreds of thousands marched and rallied in support of women’s rights and equality this past Saturday many are asking, “What next?” Here in Connecticut, that next step is passing legislation in 2017 that would continue to protect and expand reproductive rights.
Today members of NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut are supporting a progressive legislative agenda announced by seven Democratic women legislators. This announcement comes just one day after the 44th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark case in which the Supreme Court recognized a constitutional right to abortion. Despite the long history of protecting reproductive choice in our state, several conservative legislators have sought to curtail these rights by proposing anti-choice legislation, including a bill that would mandate ultrasounds for women seeking abortions. These state-based attacks come alongside those from the federal government, with the removal of protections granted by the Affordable Care Act and the defunding of Planned Parenthood, high on the agenda of the new Trump administration.
In the face of such attacks, NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut is proud to stand with legislators today to say proudly that we won’t go back! Legislation today spans a broad range of protections, including requiring continued coverage of women’s preventative services and breast pumps with no cost sharing (a provision of the Affordable Care Act), and increasing protections for abortion in line with the Supreme Court Ruling in Whole Woman’s Health last year.
NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut Executive Director, Sarah Croucher, said, “After being part of a rally of 10,000 at the Capitol on Saturday, I know that Connecticut residents want to see bold proactive policies in support of reproductive rights. We want our politicians to listen to voters, and to continue to work for reproductive justice in our state. Connecticut has a history of bipartisan support for reproductive rights, and we look forward to politicians from all sides of the political spectrum standing up to say that “women’s rights are human rights,” and to trust and support individuals to make whatever personal decisions are right for them.”
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About NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut, Inc. The legislative arm of NARAL works to pass pro-choice legislation and defend against anti-choice legislation at the state capitol, believing strongly that all women have the right to access the full range of reproductive choices including preventing unintended pregnancy, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion.
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Sarah Croucher
Executive Director
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