Connecticut officials mark Dobbs anniversary, pledge funding and legal protections for reproductive and LGBTQ care

Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz said at a New Haven event on June 24, 2026, that Connecticut will continue to defend reproductive and gender-affirming health care after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision stripped a federal constitutional right to abortion four years ago.

"We have been spending these past 4 years stepping up and protecting the constitutional rights of our residents to make decisions about their own bodies, families, and futures," Bysiewicz said, citing the state’s post-Dobbs shield law and steps to codify emergency abortion access and expand fertility coverage.

The gathering combined Pride Month observances with policy announcements and testimonials from advocates and elected officials. Gretchen Raffa, chief policy and advocacy officer with Planned Parenthood Votes Connecticut, warned of ongoing national attacks on medication abortion and alleged federal funding moves that she said have forced clinics to close elsewhere, and thanked Connecticut leaders for temporary and state funding that preserved local services.

State Treasurer Eric Russell described a new Connecticut Safe Harbor Fund he said is "first in the nation," designed to remove financial barriers for people who must travel from states that have restricted care. "Under this fund, individuals will be able to travel from those now 20-plus states that have restricted access to care to states like Connecticut to get the care that they need," he said, and previewed a press conference the next day with additional details.

Speakers highlighted recent state actions: officials said Connecticut codified EMTALA protections into state law to secure emergency abortion care; the legislature passed HB 5374 to expand equitable insurance coverage for fertility treatments; and the state allocated $10.4 million to Planned Parenthood of Southern New England after federal funding disruptions, officials said.

Personal testimony underscored the stakes. Jenna Cutler, who said she and her wife paid nearly six figures for fertility care before recent coverage reforms, thanked lawmakers for HB 5374 and said expanded coverage will make family building more attainable for queer and single parents.

Advocates and municipal leaders framed Connecticut as a "firewall" for patients and providers. New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker noted the city’s Municipal Equality Index score and the recent reopening of the Pride Center, while equality groups urged continued vigilance as clinics close and federal policy shifts threaten access elsewhere.

State Representative Matt Blumenthal, co-chair of the Reproductive Rights Caucus, said Connecticut’s Reproductive Health Defense Act and other protections demonstrate the legislature’s approach to safeguarding care and pledged ongoing work in the General Assembly.

Organizers closed by inviting topic questions and said additional program details, including final Safe Harbor Fund eligibility and implementation rules, would be released at a follow-up briefing.

Ending: The event combined policy announcements, funding commitments and personal accounts to stress that Connecticut intends to preserve access to reproductive and gender-affirming care; officials said operational details for the Safe Harbor Fund will be provided at a separate press conference.