Governor Ned Lamont has offered an open invitation for women-owned businesses in red states with restricted access to abortions to move to Connecticut. He spoke at a “Stop the Bans” rally at the state Capitol in Hartford.
Lamont told the women’s reproductive rights rally that his administration wrote to female CEOs in Missouri, Alabama and other states that have tightened restrictions on abortions.
“Saying look, you are living a state where they are not respecting your rights, they are not respecting women. In order for you to recruit great women in your company, come on up to Connecticut. We are going to fight this war on multiple different fronts. This is where you want to be, a state that protects women and our rights.”
There was bipartisan support from state legislative leaders at the rally, including Republican House Minority Leader Themis Klarides.
“Today we stand strong with people across the country whose choice is being threatened.”
Lawmakers codified the Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision in the Connecticut Constitution in 1990. There’s a clause that protects “the right to choose” as a fundamental right.
Meanwhile, Connecticut, New York and nearly two dozen other states and municipalities are suing the federal government to stop a new policy allowing health care clinicians who object to providing abortions and other services that conflict with their moral or religious beliefs.
The lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court asks a judge to block a rule that is scheduled to take effect in July.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says the rule requires hospitals, universities, clinics and other entities that receive federal funding to certify compliance with 25 federal laws protecting conscience and religious rights.
Most of the laws pertain to medical procedures such as abortion, sterilization and assisted suicide.
