Public Health Bills Pushed By Local State Representative

GROTON, CT — State Rep. Christine Conley (D-Groton, Ledyard) is among a coalition of state legislators introducing a pair of public health bills. One is regarding informed consent for pelvic and prostate examinations of anesthetized patients and the other is to increase access to feminine hygiene products for middle and high school restrooms.

One of the bills would prohibit medical professionals from conducting a pelvic or prostate examination on an anesthetized patient without their explicit consent.

"The pieces of legislation that I have introduced are simple fixes to longstanding public health issues. Pelvic and prostate exams are incredibly invasive procedures and could be triggering if conducted without consent," Conley said in a statement. "We need to make sure patients feel as comfortable as possible."

The other bill would require local and regional boards of education to provide free menstrual products in all middle and high school bathrooms throughout the state.

"Feminine hygiene products are a necessity, but many school districts treat them as a luxury. Every student who needs these products should have access to them," Conley said in a statement.

The proposed bills have support from numerous other legislators and will be introduced when the 2021 session begins Jan. 6.

Both bills are the products of local activism.

"I am amazed by the work of those in our community who advocated for these bills," Conley said in a statement. "Groton native Terry Tsang has vocally condemned the practice of non-consensual pelvic exams and submitted written testimony during the bill's public hearing. In February, four young women from Ledyard High School traveled to the Capitol and expressed their support for the Feminine Hygiene products bill. These bills prove that some of the best legislative ideas are developed from our constituents."