Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont wants pharmacists to start prescribing birth control. He said it’s part of the continued campaign for civil rights in the state.
Lamont made the announcement on what would have been the 50th anniversary of Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, which made abortion legal in all 50 states. Roe v. Wade was reversed last year.
"They're always trying to take away our rights," Lamont said. "This goes back many, many years… And that's particularly true when it comes to women's rights. Particularly true when it comes to reproductive rights."
Planned Parenthood of Southern New England's vice president of Public Policy, Advocacy & Organizing Gretchen Raffa said expanding access to birth control pills is vital to promoting reproductive healthcare in Connecticut.
“What we are really excited about is that our state is committed to ensuring that people get the health care they need,” Raffa said. “We know that any barrier to accessing health care, especially time sensitive care, has to be addressed in our state”
Raffa said while allowing pharmacists to write the prescription would be an important step, there is still work to do.
“Along with policy proposals like this one, we are very excited and looking forward to the reproductive rights caucus’s full agenda for this legislative session to not only increase access to contraception, but also looking at improving and expanding access to abortion care for people that need it,” Raffa said.
Lawmakers from both parties have also proposed bills that would legalize the vending machine sale of emergency contraceptives.
