Dozens of abortion opponents slammed a “back door” proposal to loosen Connecticut’s abortion regulations during a tense hearing on Wednesday.

The state Department of Public Health is proposing several changes, including removing protections for health care workers who object to abortion on religious grounds. Reproductive clinics and pro-choice groups said the current rules are outdated and create unnecessary barriers to abortion access.

The DPH hearing escalated quickly – and got personal.

“Your father, the devil, has a place prepared for you that is beyond description horrible,” abortion opponent Tom Barrow told department members. “You will feel what it is like if you were a baby being aborted over and over continuously forever.”

A DPH proposal would remove three key provisions from Connecticut’s abortion regulations, including one that states: “No person shall be required to participate in any phase of an abortion that violates the provider's judgment, philosophical, moral or religious beliefs.”

Faith-based groups said the change would violate health workers’ religious liberties.

“Doctors and nurses who are opposed to assisting in an abortion procedure should never be under an obligation to perform one,” said Emma Ventresca, president of Choose Life at Yale.

DPH did not testify, but in earlier written comments, said the existing regulations are unnecessary because “the right to freedom of religion is protected elsewhere in state and federal law, and abortion services do not need to be singled out in regulation.”

Democratic lawmakers agreed.

“This type of broad refusal allowance that includes someone’s philosophical or moral beliefs, or simply their judgment, is harmful to patients and unnecessary to protect valid religious rights of providers,” said state Rep. Jillian Gilchrest (D-West Hartford), co-chair of the General Assembly’s Reproductive Rights Caucus.

A second proposal would lift regulatory restrictions on third trimester abortions – again, something already banned under state law, which bans the procedure after “fetal viability” in most cases.

Finally, a third section would remove this provision: “If the newborn shows signs of life following an abortion, those appropriate measures used support life in a premature infant shall be employed.” Several pro-choice groups testified that the current language is medically inaccurate, and “viable babies” cannot survive an abortion.

“You’ve heard so much disinformation today, and I’m so thankful that the department’s proposed regulation has stayed grounded in facts and science,” said Gretchen Raffa with Planned Parenthood of Southern New England.

Faith-based groups accused DPH of using a “back door attempt” to make policy changes after “failed legislative efforts.” For example, state lawmakers declined to take up a bill that would have removed religious exemptions for health care workers.

Instead of proposing new legislation, the department is asking the General Assembly’s little-known Regulation Review Committee to alter administrative regulations.

“Updating the regulation requires legislative action,” said Mona Colwell, the Connecticut head of Intercessors for America. “It’s not up to you to change these regulations that are going to affect the lives of these children.”

Opponents also accused DPH of trying to sneak in the regulations after an earlier hearing in 2023. A department spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.

You can comment on the proposed changes here until Sept. 20.

Abortion opponents may have the upper hand. Ultimately, the Regulation Review Committee must approve the proposed changes. That’s an uphill battle because the panel is evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans.

Last year, the group killed Gov. Ned Lamont’s proposed electric vehicle sales mandate. Lamont was forced to take the proposal to the full General Assembly, which declined to take action this year.