It is all about our Rights

GOV. MALLOY & LT. GOV. WYMAN STATEMENTS ON U.S. SUPREME COURT CONTRACEPTION RULING

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy and Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman released the following statements concerning today’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling that closely held corporations with religious owners can be exempt from the requirement to cover contraception:

“While we should all respect each other’s right to hold different positions based on religious beliefs, women should not be denied access to reproductive healthcare benefits due to the personal beliefs of their employer. Today’s decision from the Supreme Court is an affront to that very basic and fundamental idea,” said Governor Malloy. “In our diverse society, it is unconscionable that the religious beliefs of a private, for-profit employer can dictate the kind of medical care that is available to an employee.  We will review this decision and assess the impact it may have in Connecticut.”

“Providing the option of contraceptive coverage is part of serving the healthcare needs of women, it is just that simple,” said Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman. “Carving out exemptions to medicines or treatment is tantamount to restricting access—it puts women at risk and that is unacceptable. This Supreme Court decision reminds us that we have a lot left to do in our fight for equity for women.”

This is about ALL of us

BLUMENTHAL STATEMENT ON SCOTUS HOBBY LOBBY DECISION

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) today released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.

“Today, the Supreme Court held for the first time that the religious rights of corporations trump the personal freedoms of American women. This decision undermines millions of American women's access to birth control. Religious liberty is about the right to practice your religion, not the right to impose your religion on your employees. Congress must act to restore workers' right to make their own health care decisions.”

This is about 50% of us

Statement from Permanent Commission on the Status of Women

FROM: Christine Palm, Communications Director

 RE: Supreme Court Decision on Hobby Lobby Case

DATE: 6-30-14

“This appalling decision by the Supreme Court further erodes a woman’s autonomy over her own body and healthcare. To invest corporations with the power to be a regulating force over private matters sets a very bad precedent, and it cannot be overlooked that this decision affects women, not the full spectrum of the workforce.”

About the PCSW: The Permanent Commission on the Status of Women was formed in 1973 under Sec. 46a-1 of the Connecticut General Statutes to study and improve Connecticut women’s economic security, health and safety; to promote consideration of qualified women to leadership positions and to work toward the elimination of gender discrimination. As a non-partisan arm of the General Assembly, the agency monitors, critiques and recommends changes to legislation in order to inform public policy, and assesses programs and practices in all State agencies for their effect on the state’s women. The PCSW serves as a liaison between government and its diverse constituents, and convenes stakeholders, including the business, non-profit and educational communities, local governments, and the media, in order to promote awareness of women’s issues.