Summary

<p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;<strong>Public Health Committee to Hold Public Hearing on Monday, March 24th on Proposed Legislation Aimed at Catholic Hospitals and to Create a Special "Safe Haven" Fund</strong><br /><em>Senate Bill 7, "AN ACT CONCERNING PROTECTIONS FOR ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE AND THE EQUITABLE DELIVERY OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN THE STATE"&nbsp;</em></p> <p>The proposed language for Senate Bill 7,anticipated to be a major piece of healthcare legislation, is finally available and is very disappointing. Major sections of the bill are designed to satisfied abortion and transgender advocates. It appears to lack any significant general healthcare reforms.</p> <p><strong>Attack on Catholic Hospitals:</strong></p> <p>Section 4 of the bill is a repeat of proposed legislation last year that was aimed at undermining the "Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Services"&nbsp;that all Catholic hospitals follow. It is these provisions that prohibit Catholic hospitals from performing abortions and gender-identity treatments.</p> <p>Senate Bill 7 would prohibit the hospitals from reprimanding a medical provider for their involvement in providing services related to abortion or gender-affirming care. Basically, providers can sign a contract stating to adhere to the religious directives, but can violate them without any repercussions, under protection of law.&nbsp;</p> <p>Supporters also state that if a pregnant woman appears in an emergency room in a Catholic hospital they would not assist her if it met that the unborn child would die. This is grave misrepresentation of the facts. Catholic hospitals will always attempt to save the woman and child in an emergency life-threatening situation. Unfortunately, sometimes the procedures may result in the death of the unborn child. Catholic hospitals adhere to the national emergency room regulations called "Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA)" followed by all hospitals.</p> <p><strong>Establishes a Special "Safe Harbor Fund" Which will Provide Money to People Whose Home State Restricts Abortions or Gender-Identity Treatments</strong></p> <p>Section 19 is again a repeat of legislation that failed in the past. This section of the bill will establish a "Safe Haven Fund", which will pay for "collateral costs" for people coming to Connecticut to get an abortion or gender-affirming care. These costs would include such items as food, plane tickets and hotel rooms.</p> <p>The bill allows state funds, along with private funds, to be placed into the "Safe Haven Fund". It would then allow the trustees of the fund to pass these funds to nonprofits involved in abortions or gender advocacy to assist the people seeking aid or even to lure them to our state. Connecticut will become the place to go for abortions and gender surgery. All on the taxpayers dime.</p> <p>Most, if not all, of the states limit gender-affirming care only for minors. Does this mean Connecticut will be the place to go for minors to receive gender-affirming services. At the same time when countries in Europe are also now banning such services for minors. This is all happening because recent scientific studies have proven these treatments are more harmful to the minors than helpful.</p>