Video

States across the US are stepping up to protect contraceptive access
Guttmacher principal state policy advisor Kimya Forouzan breaks down a major trend in legislation to protect reproductive health during the first half of 2026: expanding contraceptive access. These protections are critical to building a foundation for equitable access to birth control.

Transcript:

Halfway through 2026, here's where sexual and reproductive health policy stands in the states. We talked about trends in SRH restrictions in part one of this series, so go back and watch if you missed it.

Even with federal Medicaid cuts and the Supreme Court's decision in Medina versus Planned Parenthood of South Atlantic making contraception harder to afford and harder to reach, some policymakers are stepping up to protect access.

29 states introduced 122 bills to protect contraceptive access in the first half of the year. Nine have already become law across four states, Georgia, Maryland, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Some of these wins establish a legal right to contraception, like in Virginia, where a new law will provide long-term protections for access to contraception.

In Georgia, policymakers passed a bill that will allow pharmacists to dispense contraception without a prescription, knocking down one barrier to care.

These protections are critical to building a foundation for equitable access to birth control. Read more about the key state policy trends in our full mid-year analysis at the link in our bio.