Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

Government Administration and Elections Committee
                          JOINT FAVORABLE REPORT
     Bill No.: SJ-30
                RESOLUTION PROPOSING A STATE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO
                RECOGNIZE A RIGHT OF PERSONAL REPRODUCTIVE AUTONOMY AND
         Title: FREEDOM.
  Vote Date: 3/29/2022
 Vote Action: Joint Favorable
    PH Date: 3/25/2022
     File No.:
Disclaimer: The following JOINT FAVORABLE Report is prepared for the benefit of the
members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and
explanation and does not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber
thereof for any purpose.
SPONSORS OF BILL:
Government Administration and Election Committee
REASONS FOR BILL:
The reason for this resolution is to establish a state constitutional right via amendment to
guarantee personal reproductive autonomy, except in such cases where a compelling state
interest is present. This would ensure that residents of the state would not have their
personal bodily freedom infringed by future laws.
RESPONSE FROM ADMINISTRATION/AGENCY:
None provided
NATURE AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT:
Jess Zaccagnino, Policy Counsel, ACLU  CT, offered testimony in support of this
resolution, stating that access to abortion is a question of dignity and humanity, as well as
legality. She stated that protecting the right to abortion access is an issue of disproportionate
importance to low-income and minority individuals, and that the state of Connecticut must act
to dismantle barriers to abortion.
Madeline Granato, Policy Director, CT Women's Educational and Legal Fund, testified in
support of this resolution, stating that the potential for the Supreme Court to overturn Roe vs.
Wade makes this a priority. She stated that Connecticut has been a leader in reproductive
freedom for over 30 years, and that it is important to guarantee access to abortion, not just
the right to one. Finally, she stated that access to abortion is crucial to giving women the
opportunity to control their own education and career paths.
Dr. Shannon Lane, Deputy Registrar of Voters, Town of Bethany, offered testimony in
support of this resolution, stating that she supports any measure at the state level to provide
support for reproductive health services. She stated that her experience with social workers
has shown her the impact on affected communities that changes in reproductive rights can
have.
Gretchen Raffa, Vice President of Public Policy, Planned Parenthood of Southern New
England, offered testimony in support of this resolution, stating that with the Supreme Court's
upcoming decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health, abortion access has been
increasingly limited by many states, despite the precedent of Roe v. Wade. She stated that
access to abortion falls within the scope of normal healthcare procedure and is both safe and
necessary. She also stated that legal protections of the right to an abortion is not enough,
and that access to the procedure is necessary for many individuals in economically dire
situations.
Liz Gustafson, State Director, Pro-Choice Connecticut, testified in support of this
resolution, stating that access to abortion is an issue of dignity and humanity. She stated that
the majority of Americans support safe and legal abortion, and that as states throughout the
country restrict abortion access, she hopes Connecticut will remain a leader in protecting
access to abortions for those in need.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF OPPOSITION:
Anne Manusky, President, Connecticut Republican Assembly, offered testimony in
opposition to this resolution, stating that it represents government overreach, and would
solidify abortions as a right. She stated that the Founding Fathers did not establish a right to
an abortion.
Bill O'Brien, Vice President, Connecticut Right to Life Corporation, testified in opposition
to this resolution, stating that Connecticut is not a historically pro-life state, and that abortion
is not a form of healthcare. He stated that abortion has declined in Connecticut throughout
the last decades, and that the procedure violates the Hippocratic Oath.
Cecily Routman, Executive Director and President, Jewish Pro-Life Foundation, offered
testimony in opposition to this resolution, stating that Judaism inherently prohibits abortion,
and that the practice supports a major industry, and disproportionately targets unborn babies
from minority backgrounds. She further stated that abortion was historically used as a
weapon against Jews by the Nazi party and poses a dangerous threat to Jews.
Suzy Smith, Pro-Life Council of Connecticut, testified in opposition to this resolution,
stating that there is no federal constitutional right to an abortion, and that this resolution
would allow for unlimited abortion access up to birth. She stated that this could be used to
discriminate on the basis of race or disability and would remove parental notification
requirements for minors seeking an abortion.
Deacon David Reynolds, Associate Director of Public Policy, CT Catholic Public Affairs
Conference, offered testimony in opposition to this resolution, stating that the resolution was
an attempt to dictate morality through force of law. He further stated that this resolution
                                                                               Page 2 of 4 SJ-30
would codify abortion without limitations, including partial-birth abortion. Finally, he stated
that this bill threatens religious freedom of institutions that do not recognize abortion as a
right.
The Committee received written testimony from constituents opposed to the resolution on the
grounds that abortion has no place in the Connecticut state constitution and is ungodly and
immoral. Many also stated that abortion should not be a constitutional right, and that the
procedure is tantamount to murder and inflicts emotional trauma. Others argued that this
resolution would guarantee access to abortion up to the moment of birth and support the
abortion industry. This testimony was provided by:
   Keyla Acevedo                      Jeanine Marcin
   Donna Annecharico                  Paul McVay
   Karen Banks                        Carolyn Meyer
   Francis Barillaro                  Mark Mnich
   Marcel Becotte                     Anna Montalvo
   Margaret Becotte                   Idalis Moreno
   Don Belding                        Suzanne Murphy
   Carolyn Bennett                    Christopher O'Brien
   Julianna Bennett                   Omayra Ortiz
   Lydia Bennett                      David Paton
   Sandra Bondhus                     Doreen Petrozza
   Terryn Boucher                     Elissa Ramage
   Robin Brown                        Jose Rivera
   Anne Burns                         Peter Rubsam
   Evertt Carroll                     Michael Saxton
   Jenny Castro                       Rose Saxton
   Maureen Ciardiello                 Sally Shelton
   Sandra Cloutier                    Joan Spoerndle
   Zachary Corey                      Klaus Stankiewicz
   Karen Currier                      Damaris Velez
   Rocco DiGenova                     Charles Vermilyea
   Caitlin Dolan                      Roger Viksnes
   Lawrence Fuddany                   Kathleen Vinci
   Rev. Shirley Ellis                 David Watrous
   Nancy Flanders                     Michael Wells
   Cheryl Fusco                       Teresa Wells
   Rosellyn Giampietro                Leslie Wolfgang
   David Godbout
   Donna Graham
   Ruth Gray
   Robert Hale Jr.
   Kathryn King
   Peter Knaus
   Linda Kosko
   Michael Kosko
   C Marcella Kuroski
   Stephen Lyon
   Patrick Maloney
                                                                              Page 3 of 4 SJ-30
Reported by: Cameron Clarke   Date: 3/29/2022