A Pennsylvania House proposal ensuring access to contraceptives passed on Tuesday with support from many Republican lawmakers, although its future in the GOP-led state Senate remains uncertain.
The bill was approved with a vote of 133-69, with 14 supporting Republicans being women. A spokeswoman for the Senate Republican caucus did not directly indicate whether GOP senators or their leaders broadly favor the measure.
There was no discussion in the House before the vote, only brief comments from the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Leanne Krueger, a Democrat from Delaware County.
Under the bill, the state health secretary or physician general would issue a statewide authorization for FDA-approved over-the-counter contraceptive drugs, including emergency contraception. It mandates that health insurance and government programs cover all FDA-approved contraceptive methods prescribed, without requiring copayments.
Visitors pose for photographs outside the U.S. Supreme Court (Via Jonathan Simmons/Shutterstock)
The bill includes a religious and moral exemption for employers, similar to federal law. Still, this exemption does not apply if the medication is medically necessary for reasons other than preventing pregnancy. The legislation also includes confidentiality protections.
The vote comes nearly three weeks after Republicans in the U.S. Senate blocked federal legislation aimed at safeguarding women’s access to contraception.
The issue gained national attention when former President Donald Trump stated in May to a Pittsburgh TV station that he might consider supporting regulations on contraception. Trump later clarified that his remarks had been misunderstood and affirmed that he does not support restricting access to contraception.
Signe Espinoza, executive director of Planned Parenthood PA Advocates, described the proposal as “a significant step toward ensuring control over our bodies.”
