Gov. Sisolak signs bill expanding access to birth control into law

The Nevada governor upholds commitment to reproductive rights and health care in 81st Legislative Session 

Reno, NV — Today Gov. Sisolak signed SB190, a bill that will allow pharmacists to dispense hormonal contraceptives to patients, into law. By allowing pharmacists to dispense certain forms of birth control to patients directly, SB190 will help close some of the barriers that many Nevadans, but especially Black, Native, Latinx and people of color, face in accessing basic reproductive health care. 

This bill comes as the national landscape for sexual and reproductive health care is under constant threat by anti-sexual and reproductive health politicians who despite being in the minority of public opinion wield outsized political influence. 

Statement from Lindsey Harmon, Executive Director, Planned Parenthood Votes Nevada:

“Planned Parenthood Votes Nevada thanks Gov. Sisolak for his continued support and recognition of the importance of reproductive rights and health care by signing SB190 into law. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed gaps throughout our healthcare system, but it has also allowed for innovation in bridging those gaps. 

While state legislatures across the country continue to curtail access to sexual and reproductive health care, we are grateful that Gov. Sisolak and our state legislative body is putting the health and well-being of their constituents first and taking steps to improve access to care.”

 

Background: 

• Ten years ago, the Affordable Care Act helped expand access to sexual and reproductive health care with over 62 million Americans, including 17 million Latinas and 15 million Black women, gaining access to contraceptive care. 

• However, since 2016 access to birth control and other reproductive health care services has been diminished by the extreme anti-reproductive health care minority. This includes a 2020 Supreme Court ruling that struck down protections for contraceptive coverage for employees, instead allowing employers to claim religious exemptions from covering contraceptives in employer-sponsored health insurance. 

• According to a 2020 Power To Decide study, 86 percent of Americans regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity, think that access to all contraceptive methods is a key part of reproductive health care and family planning. 

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