Bill Protects Women, Access to Medical Care, and Providers

State Representative Nicole Klarides-Ditria (R-105) and her House colleagues today passed legislation to provide specific protections for Connecticut medical professionals by prohibiting state agencies from taking adverse action against healthcare providers who provide reproductive services, including pregnancy termination.

“This bill protects medical professionals and health care providers from being penalized or losing hospital privileges for offering or providing care that is legal in Connecticut, regardless of any disciplinary actions taken by another state for performing those procedures,” Rep. Klarides-Ditria, House Ranking member of the Public Health Committee said. “Connecticut prides itself on keeping medical access open and legal and it is chilling to think one of our doctors could lose their license for actions illegal in another state or jurisdiction.”

HB 6820 – An Act Preventing Adverse Actions Against a Health Care Provider Due to an Adverse Action Taken by Another State as a Result of Such Provider’s Involvement in the Termination of a Pregnancy – “prohibits the Department of Public Health (DPH) or Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) from taking any adverse action against a health care provider based solely on:

1. the provider providing, authorizing, recommending, aiding, assisting, referring for, or otherwise participating in providing (hereinafter, “participation in”) reproductive health care services that were performed in keeping with Connecticut law, regardless of whether the patient was a Connecticut resident; or
2. disciplinary actions by another state (such as license revocation or suspension) based solely on the provider violating that state’s laws prohibiting the participation in reproductive health care services.”

“Connecticut is already facing a shortage of qualified, trained medical professionals and this law will protect the men and women who provide the critical, and legal, medical services needed by women statewide,” Rep. Klarides-Ditria said.

The bill passed the House and will now be placed on the Senate calendar. The legislative session ends at midnight on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.