Substitute Senate Bill No. 1530 proposes significant amendments to Connecticut's laws concerning reproductive and gender-affirming health care services. The bill requires the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and department heads to submit reports on reorganization progress to the General Assembly upon request, removing the previous stipulation that reports were only submitted upon request. It expands the definition of "reproductive health care services" to include fertility services and introduces a new definition for "gender-affirming health care services." Additionally, the bill enhances confidentiality protections for patient communications, specifying that medical records related to these services cannot be disclosed without written consent, except under certain legal circumstances.

The bill also provides legal protections for health care providers, ensuring they cannot face liability or disciplinary actions solely for providing reproductive or gender-affirming health care services, regardless of the patient's location at the time of service. It prohibits adverse actions against providers based on their provision of these services, as long as they comply with applicable standards of care. Key language changes include replacing "a resident of" with "physically located in" and the inclusion of "gender-affirming health care services" alongside reproductive health care services throughout various sections. The bill aims to safeguard both patients and providers from legal repercussions while ensuring adherence to professional standards, with an effective date set for October 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 4-38j, 52-571m, 52-146w, 20-579a, 52-155a, 54-155a
GAE Joint Favorable: 4-38j, 52-571m, 52-146w, 20-579a, 52-155a, 54-155a
File No. 661: 4-38j, 52-571m, 52-146w, 20-579a, 52-155a, 54-155a