Connecticut’s “Safe State” Law: A Breakdown
Connecticut became the first state to sign a bill into law which would provide protections for any person seeking or providing reproductive/abortion-related care and gender-affirming care. Given the recent wave of bills and laws attempting (and in some states, succeeding) to ban =gender-affirming care for trans folks and abortion-related care, Connecticut’s new law is certainly a step in the right direction. It may not stop the attacks on people seeking and providing care in other states, but it is refreshing to see a state taking a stand against these harmful bills. Below is a breakdown of this new law, including direct text from and links to the law.
Alt text: Slide 1 says “Connecticut's "Safe State" Law will help protect people seeking abortion care and gender-affirming care.” It is in black letters on a light purple background with pink and blue watercolors.
Alt text: Slide 2 says “Connecticut has become the first state to pass a "Safe State" law, which protects people from out of state who have accessed or provided abortion care or gender-affirming care from being investigated or prosecuted while they are in Connecticut.” It is in black letters on a light purple background with pink and blue watercolors.
Alt text: Slide 3 says “Unless a person has violated a Connecticut law, no government or law enforcement official is permitted to conduct interstate investigations into people who have provided or received abortion-related care or gender-affirming care.” It is in black letters on a light purple background with pink, orange, and yellow watercolors. There is a screenshot of section 507 of amendment 6345, which can be found at https://www.cga.ct.gov/2022/amd/H/pdf/2022HB-05506-R00HC-AMD.pdf .
Alt text: Slide 4 says “The law explicitly outlines that this provision applies to both gender-affirming care and reproductive/abortion-related care.” It is in black letters on a light purple background with pink, blue, and purple watercolors. There are screenshots from HB 5506 Section 197 and Amendment 6345 Section 506, which can be found at https://www.cga.ct.gov/2022/TOB/H/PDF/2022HB-05506-R00-HB.PDF and https://www.cga.ct.gov/2022/amd/H/pdf/2022HB-05506-R00HC-AMD.pdf .
Alt text: Slide 5 says “It also includes corrections in the section about abortion-care which address the false assumption that only cisgender woman can become pregnant, further demonstrating a commitment to protecting both GAC and reproductive care.” It is in black letters on a light purple background with purple watercolors. There is a screenshot of HB 5506 Amendment 6345 Section 508, which can be found at https://www.cga.ct.gov/2022/amd/H/pdf/2022HB-05506-R00HC-AMD.pdf .
Alt text: Slide 6 says “The law will go into effect July 1, 2022. In the wake of the leaked SCOTUS decision on Roe v. Wade and multiple states banning both gender-affirming care for trans youth and abortion-related care, this is a massive step in the right direction. Allegedly, several other states are poised to pass similar laws soon.” It is in black letters on a light purple background with pink watercolors.
Alt text: Slide 7 says “That being said, seeking refuge in CT is not feasible for many people due to socioeconomic, social, cultural, and physical barriers. This may be a step in the right direction, but the bans on reproductive care and gender-affirming care across the US are still actively doing harm and causing further political and social turmoil.” It is in black letters on a light purple background with peach watercolors.
Alt text: Slide 8 says “What Can I Do to Help? 1. Find and donate to grassroots organizations in states attempting to ban abortion and/or gender-affirming care, if you have the means to do so. 2. Volunteer with/get involved with organizations which are fighting for reproductive and gender-affirming care. A few widespread organizations are the ACLU (National and state chapters), Planned Parenthood, and Lambda Legal. There are also smaller organizations in most states. 3. Continue having conversations about this with your friends, family, colleagues, etc. Most folks are aware of Roe v Wade, but the state-by-state bills, especially those related to gender-affirming care, fall under the radar more often.” It is in black letters on a light purple background with purple watercolors.
Alt text: Slide 9 says “Most importantly: Take care of yourselves, take care of one another, and take a break from the news when you need to. We need to stand together to fight the good fight, and we can't do that if we're burnt out.” It is in black letters on a light purple background with pink, blue, and purple watercolors.
Alt text: Slide 10 says “Sources:
CT HB 5506 Sec. 197
https://www.cga.ct.gov/2022/TOB/H/PDF/2022HB-05506-R00-HB.PDF
CT HB 5506 Amendment 6345 Sec. 506, 507, 508
https://www.cga.ct.gov/2022/amd/H/pdf/2022HB-05506-R00HC-AMD.pdf”
It is in black letters on a light purple background with pink, blue, purple, and green watercolors.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a lawyer or legal expert. I did refer to the law directly when writing this breakdown. However, for legal advice or expertise, please seek counsel.