Various birth control pills available at Planned Parenthood in Austin, Texas. In recent months, several states, including Republican-led states, have protected or expanded access to contraception. (Photo: Todd Wiseman/The Texas Tribune)
The Trump administration has withdrawn subsidies for teen pregnancy prevention and repurposed a program intended to reduce unintended pregnancies to promote childbearing. But in recent months, several states, including Republican-led states, have protected or expanded access to contraception.
Sponsor of the Georgia Republican camp. Beth Camp Bill to expand access to contraception in her state after her daughter faced a two-month delay in renewing her contraceptive prescription. novel law, passed in April and signed in May by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, allows pharmacists to prescribe contraceptive methods, such as contraceptive pills and injections, directly to patients without a doctor’s signature.
Current law in Georgia requires patients to receive a prescription for contraceptives from their doctor, which they can then fill at a pharmacy. Camp said the novel policy could assist augment access to contraception in areas where there is a shortage of primary care providers.
“We have a huge challenge in our state when it comes to access to medical staff,” Camp – he told the House of Representatives Health Committee earlier this year. “For me, it just opens up a whole new stream of opportunities for women in terms of accessing contraception.”
In Maryland, it was signed into law by Democratic Gov. Wes Moore in May standard Requires institutions of higher education and community colleges to submit an annual report on access to contraception to the Maryland Commission on Higher Education. It also requires the commission to submit a report to the General Assembly on contraceptive access and requires each community college to provide students with access to all over-the-counter contraceptive methods.
Republican Governor of Tennessee Bill Lee signed Act a in March bipartisan bill this requires private health plans to cover a year’s supply of contraceptives. The state’s TennCare Medicaid program already provides A 12-month supply of contraceptives. The solution is to enter into force on July 1, 2027.
And Democratic Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed the agreement in April novel law establishing the right to contraception and allowing citizens to sue if their rights are violated. Spanberger also signed different law imposing an obligation on health insurance companies to cover the costs of prescription and over-the-counter contraceptives without cost sharing. Both laws entered into force this month.
Stateline reporter Sofia Resnick can be reached at: sresnick@stateline.org.
This story was originally produced by state linewhich is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network that includes the Ohio Capital Journal and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.
