Bipartisan Efforts Emerge to Boost Birth Control Access as GOP Pushes Abortion Pill Bills

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Republican-majority legislatures have continued to focus on abortion medication, proposing legislation to further restrict mifepristone and misoprostol. Meanwhile, lawmakers in some states - even those that restrict abortion - have joined forces to endorse legislation that could make it easier to access contraception, including allowing pharmacists to prescribe birth control and requiring insurers to cover up to 12 months' worth of contraceptives.

Why it matters

The push to restrict access to abortion medication and the parallel efforts to increase access to contraception highlight the ongoing political battles over reproductive rights in the United States. These legislative actions could have significant impacts on people's ability to access reproductive healthcare, including abortion and birth control.

The details

Republican-led states like West Virginia, Missouri, Iowa, and South Carolina have introduced bills that would make it illegal to send abortion pills to their states, allow people to sue those involved in helping residents obtain abortion medication, and classify abortion drugs as controlled substances. In contrast, lawmakers in states like Georgia, Tennessee, New York, and Virginia have proposed bipartisan measures to expand access to contraception, such as allowing pharmacists to prescribe birth control and requiring insurers to cover a year's supply of contraceptives.

• In January 2026, the Missouri House approved a bill that would allow people to sue those involved in helping Missourians get abortion medication.
• On February 9, 2026, the Tennessee House and Senate Commerce and Labor Committee approved a bipartisan bill that would require private health plans to cover a year's supply of contraception.
• In January 2026, the New York Senate passed three bills to expand access to birth control, including allowing pharmacists to provide Depo-Provera shots and requiring universities to install emergency contraception vending machines.
• On February 10, 2026, the Virginia Senate passed a bill to ensure people's right to receive and prescribe contraception in the state.

What’s next

The bills in the various state legislatures will continue to be considered and debated in the coming months, with the potential for some to become law depending on the partisan makeup of the state governments.