ABSTRACT
In 1990, Connecticut, the third most Catholic state in the nation, became the first and only state to guarantee a woman's right to abortion as a matter of law. Immediately following the enactment of the new law, pro-choice activists in Connecticut, and nationally, hailed the law as a high water mark for the political organizing ability of the pro-choice movement following the Supreme Court's decision in Webster v. Reproductive Health Services. Connecticut has approximately 1.3 million Catholics out of a population of just over 3 million. The state contains three major dioceses, Hartford, Bridgeport, and Norwich. The largest and most active politically is Hartford, which encompasses about half the state's population, contains over 800,000 Catholics, and is headquartered in the state's capital. After any major political event commentators frequently try to determine whether the result was due to the powerful women and men who were in control of the issue.
