Senator Heather Somers Expresses Strong Support for House Bill 7213

HARTFORD, CT — Senator Heather Somers (R-Groton) today voted to support House Bill 7213, An Act Concerning Access to Reproductive Health Care, emphasizing that at the core of the bill is the critical need to ensure that all pregnant women, including those underage, have access to essential prenatal care, pain management, and necessary relief during labor and delivery.

“Denying underage pregnant women access to prenatal care, pain management, and relief during delivery is not only bad policy, it is dangerous, it is inhumane, and it is unjust,” Senator Somers said. “These are women who are already vulnerable. They are already in one of the most difficult and emotional life-changing situations. Without this bill, we could be delaying care and forcing women, regardless of age, to endure labor without the proper medical treatment. This could risk their lives, their babies’ lives, and their futures.”

Senator Somers also called for the state to prioritize compassion with care, noting that any delay or restriction in medical services could put both the lives of young women and their babies in jeopardy.

“We cannot let fear stand in the way of compassionate, evidence-based care. If we truly care about life, if we truly care about health, if we truly care about human dignity, we must ensure every woman—regardless of her age or her circumstance—has access to safe, timely, and respectful medical care. Anything less is just a betrayal of what our values should be.”