Capitol Buzz: Where there’s a rule, there’s a way

A bill that would allow pregnant women to sign up for health insurance after becoming pregnant almost died in the legislative Insurance and Real Estate Committee.

But third-term Sen. Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford, displayed some veteran parliamentary moves last week, using a little-known rule to revive the measure.

It’s called petitioning a bill out of committee and to do it, Kelly had to gain signatures from a majority of the 36 senators.
It’s Rule 19, for those keeping score at home.

“You learn something new every year,” Kelley said.

Currently, people are allowed special enrollments following marriage, divorce, loss of insurance coverage and the birth of a child, but not after a pregnancy is confirmed.

“I think this is an important bill for our constituents,” said Kelly, ranking member of the committee. “Babies are three-to-four times more susceptible to infant mortality for women without prenatal care,” Kelly said.

The bill is now on the Senate calendar.