Visit this page as it is updated to reflect the end of session votes.
WIN: SJR42, the “Abortion Constitution Amendment Resolution” failed after leaving the Committee. View Peter Wolfgang’s testimony.
WIN: SB1, Comprehensive Sex Education which we testified against was removed.
WIN: SB9, a bill to target pro-lifers a/k/a An Act Concerning Health and Wellness for Connecticut Residents has been modified to remove offensive provisions. You can read Peter Wolfgang’s testimony here.
WIN: SB32, An Act Prohibiting Tax Exempt Status for Hate Groups, failed to garner enough support for a public hearing. Read our blog post on this bill HERE.
WIN: SB897, An Act Concerning a Patient’s Directions Regarding Life Support Systems, did not make it out of Committee. View Peter Wolfgang’s testimony here.
WIN: SB1076, the Assisted Suicide Bill died in the Judiciary Committee. View Peter Wolfgang’s testimony here.
WIN: SB1117, An Act Implementing Additional Measures to Prevent Trafficking in Persons and Expanding the Composition of the Trafficking in Persons Council is now Public Act 23-20. View Peter Wolfgang’s supportive testimony here.
PARTIAL WIN: SB1166 (became Substitute SB1), An Act Concerning Implementation of the Connecticut School Climate Policy was de-fanged of some of its most egregious provisions and passed the Senate and House. View Peter Wolfgang’s testimony against this bill. SB1166 was incorporated into Substitute SB1 and is part of Public Act 23-167.
WIN: HB 5246, An Act Allowing For The Disposal Of Dead Human Bodies Through Natural Organic Reduction failed to make it out of Committee.
WIN: HB6396, the Connecticut Groomers Bill would have shielded the content of objectionable materials shared with children in school from parent disclosure.
WIN: HB6410, an anti-free speech bill a/k/a An Act Establishing a Working Group Concerning Safe Online Practices failed to be voted on. You can view Peter Wolfgang’s testimony here. FIC Action held a Lobby Day along with several allies against this bill.
WIN: HB6617, the “Everybody Gets A Baby” bill was defeated after passing out of the Connecticut Human Services and Appropriations Committees. This bill would have mandated surrogacy services for same-sex couples and single persons who were “infertile” due to failure to have intercourse with an opposite sex or becoming to old to get pregnant. Family Institute of Connecticut Action was the only major organization to send hundreds of letters to the legislature against this bill. Our success is due to our members. It was a major defeat for the Reproductive Rights Caucus, Pro-Choice Connecticut, Yale University, Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund (CWEALF), American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood, Resolve New England, GLAD and more who testified in favor of it. Each organization a Goliath in financial and human resources compared to Family Institute of Connecticut, yet this bill sunk after you became involved.
WIN: HB6618, An Act Concerning Medical Assistance for Certain Persons Receiving Abortion Care and Related Services in Connecticut an “Abortion Tourism Bill” died in Committee and was removed from the Governor’s budget bill.” View Peter Wolfgang’s testimony here. The Connecticut March for Life focused on opposition to this bill.
PARTIAL WIN: HB6638, the Pedophile Anti-Discrimination Bill. In the last 4 weeks of the 2023 session, after it had already passed the House, we identified a bill that would expand Connecticut’s definition of “sexual orientation”. It would expand the definition from 3 particular genders to an identity rubric that would capture all sexual attractions, even attractions to children and babies. Our analysis was widely supported, including Jeffrey Cleghorn, former LAMBDA Legal Board Member and long time gay activist. Along with our allies, we were able to add an amendment to the anti-discrimination enforcement provisions of CT’s law, giving Christian employers an “escape hatch”. The “escape hatch” will transfer the complaint to another office if the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) finds a “reason to believe” a complainant has or currently is violating sex crime laws. No conviction necessary. This was not a total victory, but provides some protection for Christian employers and should deter vindictive lawsuits and the political persecutions we have seen in other states. HB6638 was signed by Governor Lamont on June 26, 2023 and is now Connecticut Public Act 23-145.
WIN: HB6818, An Act Concerning Patient Access to Reproductive Health Care, an “Anti-Religious Liberty Bill” died in Committee. View Peter Wolfgang’s testimony here.
LOSS: HB6820, the “Protect Outlaw Abortionists Bill” is likely to be signed by Governor Lamont. View Peter Wolfgang’s testimony here.
WIN: HB6905, the “Provide Mifepristone Or Else” bill was set for a vote in the House, but canceled before it could be brought for a vote in either chamber. This was after considerable lobbying by the House Democrat Reproductive Caucus including a press conference on March 29, 2023 which FIC Action was present. FIC Action’s response that day can be found here.