An Act Prohibiting Discrimination By Health Care Providers In The Provision Of Health Care Services In The State.
SB 1380 creates a new state-law prohibition against discrimination by health care providers in the provision of health care services. The bill makes it a discriminatory practice for a licensed provider, facility, institution, or their employees/agents to knowingly discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, intellectual disability, mental disability, learning disability, physical disability (including blindness), veteran status, or status as a victim of domestic violence.
The bill also amends the state’s general definitions of “discriminatory practice” so that a violation of the new health-care nondiscrimination section is treated like other listed civil rights violations under Connecticut law. The effective date is October 1, 2025. The bill expressly states that it does not require futile treatment, does not alter the professional standard of care, and does not interfere with public health planning.
This act expands Connecticut’s civil rights and health care nondiscrimination framework by adding a specific prohibition applicable to health care providers and by incorporating that prohibition into the statutory definition of discriminatory practice. It affects licensed health care providers, facilities, institutions, and their personnel, and it may be enforced through the state’s existing discrimination-law structure. The bill also preserves provider discretion where treatment would be futile or inconsistent with professional judgment or ethical considerations, and it leaves the standard of care unchanged.
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial in the legislative process. It passed the Joint Favorable Substitute vote in committee 41-0, the Senate 35-0, and the House 148-0, indicating unanimous approval in both chambers. The voting history suggests strong bipartisan agreement on the need to prohibit discriminatory treatment in health care settings.
There is little evidence of major opposition in the available record, but the bill’s text reflects an effort to balance nondiscrimination protections with provider autonomy. The main built-in limitation is that the law does not require futile care, does not change the professional standard of care, and does not interfere with public health planning. Those carveouts likely address concerns from health care providers and institutions about being compelled to provide treatment outside professional judgment or ethical boundaries.