State Constitutional Protection

The Connecticut Constitution protects the right to reproductive choice as a fundamental right and to a greater extent than the federal Constitution.  A court struck down under the state constitution a regulation limiting state medical assistance for abortion to cases of life endangerment without extending coverage to medically necessary abortion services.  Doe v. Maher, 515 A.2d 134 (Conn. Super. Ct. 1986).  A similar restriction has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court under the federal Constitution.  Williams v. Zbaraz, 448 U.S. 358 (1980).