State Representative Brian Lanoue Testifies Before the Judiciary Committee on Behalf of His Parental Notification Bill

On Monday, I testified before the Judiciary Committee in support of my bill, HB 5309, An Act Concerning the Provision of Notice to a Parent or Guardian of a Minor Child Who Seeks to Receive Pregnancy-Related Health Care Services.

Under current Connecticut law, a minor girl can obtain an abortion without her parents ever being notified, and this is unacceptable. This allows girls as young as eleven or twelve to make a life-altering medical decision alone, despite the well documented fact that full cognitive development—especially around risk and long-term consequences—does not occur until the early to mid-twenties.

Connecticut is an outlier: 38 other states under majorities from both parties, and across the political spectrum, including our neighbors Massachusetts and Rhode Island, require some form of parental involvement. In fact, both Massachusetts and Rhode Island require parental consent.  HB 5309 is more limited than many of those laws, requiring only that parents be notified—not give consent or authorization.

I also highlighted serious child safety concerns. Law enforcement and trafficking expert, including the U.S. Department of Justice and the Polaris Project, have shown that abusers and sex traffickers often use abortions to hide ongoing exploitation. A system that allows secret abortions for minors can make it easier for those predators to avoid detection and continue abusing vulnerable children. Many people testified in favor of this legislation; one particularly caught my attention. Darlene Pawlick, who was a victim of sex trafficking showed a tremendous amount of courage telling her heartbreaking story of abuse that began when she was 14 years old. Her story underscores the need for parental notification in these cases, because in her words- “if parents are notified, it could save the life of their child.”

Watch Darlene’s impactful testimony here- https://youtu.be/v-wnIeBRtX0

At the same time, HB 5309 recognizes that in the rare but very disturbing home situations where there is physical and sexual abuse, including being responsible for the pregnancy. Like all other states with parental involvement laws, it would include a judicial bypass process so that minors facing abuse or danger at home can still seek care without notifying a parent.

This bill does not give parents veto power over a minor’s decision. It simply ensures they are informed and able to provide guidance, medical oversight, and emotional support when their child is facing an unplanned pregnancy. I urged the Committee to pass HB 5309 to better protect minors in Connecticut and bring our laws in line with most other states. It is my hope that we get this important piece of legislation to the House Floor for debate, and a full vote from Connecticut’s legislative body.

Watch my  full testimony here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laNs6MiGwSA