As Gov. Ned Lamont signed a bipartisan bill easing the path to legal parenthood for LGBTQ individuals, gay and lesbian public officials said Connecticut policy stands out as an example of fairness in an otherwise harsh national legislative landscape for their community.
"The bipartisan nature of it Connecticut, saying, sort of 'love is love' and 'a family is a family' and then supporting that family... we're a very unusual state," said Commissioner of the Office of Early Childhood Beth Bye.
"Over 250 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced in state legislatures across the country this year alone," said Rep. Jeff Currey (D-East Hartford). "It's a perfect contrast to the work that we have done and the progress that we have made in ensuring protections and opportunities for our community."
The Connecticut bill simplifies a range of legal processes long made difficult for gay couples.
"We have children and families right now in Connecticut with gay parents who've had to go through incredible steps to get their parentage set up," said Bye. "This means we recognize gay families from the start."
As Yale Law School explains, the bill removes gender-specific language from the state's parentage laws. Non-biological parents will now have a direct path to becoming a child's legal parents, without having to engage in other legal procedures such as adopting their own children.
"This is the first time that, in Connecticut, all children will be recognized as equal under the law," said Sen. Alex Kasser (D-Greenwich), "and, also the first time that Connecticut parents will all be recognized as equal under the law. So, this is one giant step towards equality, but we still have not achieved quality."