Senator Honig Votes to Ensure Minors Can Access Reproductive Health Care

Senator Paul Honig, D-Harwinton, voted Tuesday to give final passage to legislation allowing minors to give consent to receive reproductive health care treatments without parental notifications including pain management during labor.

H.B. 7213 passed the Senate on a 31-5 vote, sending the proposal to Gov. Ned Lamont following a similar vote in the House earlier this month.

“It’s unthinkable to imagine forcing a young person to give birth without adequate pain management treatment simply because they did not first secure parental notification,” Senator Honig said. “This legislation will ensure that no one is subjected to such draconian barriers to care, all while broadening access to contraceptive counseling and prenatal services that are critical to the health and well-being of young patients.”

House Bill 7213, “An Act Concerning Access To Reproductive Health Care,” allows minors to give consent to receive reproductive healthcare treatments and services, including contraceptive counseling and services, prenatal care and pain management during labor, without requiring parental consent.

The bill also seeks to protect minors seeking care by preventing physicians and health care providers from sharing information about such services, including sending a bill, to parents or guardians without the express consent of that minor.

The bill doesn’t affect abortion services for minors and is instead focused on preventative care.

Its provisions also do not change the obligation to make a report to the Department of Public Health or Department of Children and Families or other reports or disclosures required under state law. Parents and guardians not informed of such services are not liable to pay for them.

Existing law already allows minors to access treatments for sexually transmitted disease, alcohol and drug use recovery, HIV testing or treatment, abortions and abortion counseling and outpatient mental health treatment.
Increasing access to resources supporting this care can cut down on teen pregnancies and STIs, as well as preserve the health of minors who give birth.

The bill received support in public testimony from organizations including the Connecticut Association of School Based Health Centers, which supported its ability to promote informed choices among minors; Fair Haven Community Health Care, which noted the bill provides clarity for healthcare providers; the Cornell Scott Hill Health Center, which noted the American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists support access to services provided in the bill; and the ALCU of Connecticut, which said the bill would prevent delays in provision of health care.

The bill previously passed the House on May 1 by a 117-27 tally and passed the Public Health Committee by a 19-11 vote on March 27.

Senator Honig Votes to Expand Deportable Crimes

Senator Paul Honig, D-Harwinton, voted Tuesday to pass common sense updates to Connecticut’s Trust Act including provisions to expand the list of convictions that allow state law enforcement officials to honor federal immigration detainers.

The bill, H.B. 7259, passed the Senate on a 25-11 vote, sending the legislation to Gov. Ned Lamont for consideration.

The legislation adds more than a dozen serious offenses including sexual assault, child exploitation, and other violent crimes, to the list of convictions for which cooperation with federal immigration authorities is permitted. Current law allows coordination only in cases involving Class A or B felonies, individuals included in the federal Terrorist Screening Database, or in cases involving a judicial arrest warrant.

“While Connecticut’s law enforcement agencies should not be spending their time and resources enforcing federal laws, common sense tells us we should not be extending immigration protections to people convicted of crimes like sexual assault and felony child abuse,” Senator Honig said. “This legislation strikes a balance between defending civil liberties and ensuring we’re not protecting bad actors, who should be off our streets regardless of their immigration status.”

The bill also strengthens enforcement of the Trust Act by creating a new legal avenue for people to seek relief if their rights are violated by local officials like police or school security officers. Under the bill, impacted residents can seek relief through avenues like court injunctions but can not seek monetary damages.

The legislation also expands the list of covered state actors to include state’s attorneys and members of the Board of Pardons and Paroles, ensuring broader compliance and accountability under the law.

Senator Honig Leads Final Passage of the HERO Act to Support CT Veterans

Senator Paul Honig, D-Harwinton, led the state Senate early Friday in giving final passage to the HERO Act, a comprehensive bill that designates November as Veterans’ Month and includes a package of provisions intended to celebrate Connecticut’s military veterans.

The Senate approved the bill on a unanimous vote, sending the legislation to Gov. Ned Lamont for his signature.

“In Connecticut, we recognize the service and sacrifices made by our veterans and military servicemembers, and this bill ensures they receive the respect and appreciation they deserve,” Senator Honig, co-chair of the Veterans’ and Military Affairs Committee, said. “The HERO Act takes steps to ease the burdens our veterans face by improving access to dental care, waiving fees, and setting aside time each year to acknowledge their contributions. While it’s hard for any law to truly repay our vets, I’m proud of this effort to honor their service.”

In addition to designating November as Veterans’ Month, the bill makes a number of changes designed to address the concerns and comments of veterans and their families.

Provisions of the legislation include: creating new commemorative license plates honoring women veterans and recognizing the Borinqueneers, waiving fees for Purple Heart licenses plates, and making drivers license renewal free for vets at veteran stand down events.

The bill also accelerates nursing home placement for veterans with service-connected disabilities, tasks the Department of Veteran Affairs with finding ways to improve dental services for former servicemembers, and improves the school transition of military-connected students when a servicemember is relocated on orders.