The bill, otherwise know as AN ACT CONCERNING COMPASSIONATE CARE FOR VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT passes the house on a 113 for to 36 opposed vote. It’s on its way to Governor Rell to sign it.

Meanwhile, thanks to Maura over at MyLeftNutmeg.com we know that Bruce Morris voted for it and it appears that Larry Cafero voted against it. Cafero tried to amend the bill but that amendment failed. Wisely, Morris decided not to speak on this issue.

From MyLeftNutmeg.com :

Minority Leader Larry Cafero (R-Norwalk) then introduced an amendment that would have allowed Catholic hospitals to continue their current protocol of administering a urine ovulation test and denying EC to anyone with a positive ovulation test. The hospitals would then be required to explain to the patient why she was denied EC. The Cafero amendment provided that hospitals could contract with an independent provider to administer EC at this point, but did not specify that this would be done on site. The amendment also included licensed rape crisis counselors in the list of who could be considered qualified to administer the medication.

Opponents of the Cafero amendment made the point that the current Catholic protocol of administering a urine ovulation test was not medically appropriate, given that Plan B can still work to both prevent release of the ovum or prevent sperm from reaching an ovum (a truly contraceptive effect) even if a woman had a positive urine test for ovulation hormones. Opponents also pointed out that rape crisis counselors are victim advocates, not medical practitioners. Opponents further raised concerns that the requirement that hospitals explain their reasons for denying EC in the case of a positive ovulation test would inappropriately introduce religious discussions into medical treatment.

The Cafero amendment failed, with 47 members in favor and 101 members opposed.

Thanks to CGG who alerted me to the news.

Update State Rep Chris Perone-D voted for the bill and has been supporting it since 2005. He reports that there were two uncalled amendments, one was parental notification and the other was partial birth abortion.abortion and both were put forward by Republicans. State Rep Toni Boucher-R voted for the bill as well.