FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

SEN. FLEXER, REP. BLUMENTHAL ANNOUNCE LEGISLATION TO ENSURE CONTINUED ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE

HARTFORD — State Senator Mae Flexer and state Representative Matt Blumenthal (D-Stamford), who are co-chairs of the Government Administration and Elections Committee, reiterated today Connecticut’s commitment to ensuring reproductive healthcare is safe, legal, and accessible in our state even as one national pharmacy chain store caves to political pressure from the far right on this issue.

Sen. Flexer and Rep. Blumenthal today reiterated their support for House Bill 6905, “An Act Concerning State Contracting and the Dispensing Sale and Distribution of Certain Pharmaceuticals,” which would ban any state contract with or payment to any business that has a policy of declining to dispense any reproductive healthcare medication where doing so is legally permitted.

The bill is a direct response to Walgreens, which is America’s second-largest pharmacy chain, and AmerisourceBergen Corp., one of the largest pharmaceutical-distribution companies in the world, who quietly responded to letters from multiple Republican attorneys general by stating that they would not distribute medication-abortion pills in as many as 31 states—including states where abortion is legal and protected by law.

The specific medication that Walgreens vowed not to distribute, mifepristone, is legal in every state and prescribed for uses independent of abortion.

“Walgreens said it was acting out of an abundance of caution after receiving legal threats from Republican attorney generals. Well maybe our bill will help Walgreens and every other major American pharmacy act out of an abundance of courage to do the right thing in the face of right-wing politics,” Sen. Flexer said. “And if American pharmacies can’t find the strength or the courage to do the right thing, like continue to sell or plan to sell a legal drug in a state where it’s legal until the day it’s outlawed, then the State of Connecticut isn’t going to waste its tax dollars by rewarding the private sector for its cowardice.”

“As reproductive healthcare has come under attack by extremist politicians across the country, Connecticut has led on defending it,” said Rep. Blumenthal, who is also co-chair of the General Assembly’s Reproductive Rights Caucus. “Companies that sell and distribute medications have an obligation to stand up for their patients. If a company won’t lift a finger to protect patients’ access to the medication they need, our state shouldn’t be doing business with it. H.B. 6905 will ensure that our state, its employees, and their families can rely on their pharmacies for care—and trust those companies won’t put profit over their patients.”

Democrats passed H.B. 6905 on Monday, with all Republican GAE Committee members voting “No.” The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for further consideration.

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