Issues
The Required Age for Counselinghttp://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=5499&which_year=2008 House Bill 5499, An Act Concerning the Required Age for Counseling seeks to change the statutory age for counseling of young women prior to an abortion. The Education Committee argued that the time has come to change this statute because of recent changes to the criminal justice statutes that now recognize juveniles as those under the age of eighteen. This argument might be sound if the legislature set out to correct all statutory language of this type, but that is not the case. Connecticut’s current statute in regards to counseling outlines specific information that reproductive healthcare practitioners must share with a woman, under the age of 16, seeking an abortion (19a-601). This statute works in concert with many other laws enacted by the legislature including laws protecting a teen’s right to testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (19a-216), HIV testing and treatment (19a-582), substance abuse counseling (17a-688), outpatient mental health counseling (19a-14c), and the age of consent. If Connecticut lawmakers wish to adjust all statutory language to reflect recent changes in “Raise the Age” legislation, then they should do so across the board, not to one statute in regards to abortion. Reproductive healthcare facilities in Connecticut understand that all women deserve to know their options so they can make informed and healthy decisions. That is why abortion providers already give women counsel, regardless of their age. Healthy Teenshttp://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=5591&which_year=2008 Healthy Teens legislation would help ensure that Connecticut's young people have access to comprehensive, age-appropriate, medically accurate information. It is critical that Connecticut youth have access to education, information and services to make responsible choices about sex and their sexual health. Young people need and deserve comprehensive, medically accurate, and age-appropriate information about their reproductive health, including abstinence, pregnancy prevention, and sexually transmitted disease (STD) and HIV/AIDS prevention. |
