State Capitol. (RI photo)
Governor Kim Reynolds is hoping to broker a compromise that would expand access to birth control, without frequent visits to the doctor for a prescription.
Reynolds first proposed the idea during her 2018 campaign and included the proposal in priority legislation for 2023. Last week, the Senate passed a bill that would let pharmacists dispense birth control, like the pill, without a prescription. The House is considering a similar plan, but refills after two years would require a return visit to a doctor.
“My goal is to get it across the finish line and so we’re going to continue to sit down with lawmakers and find what that compromise looks like,” Reynolds told reporters on Tuesday.
During a campaign debate in 2018, Reynolds expressed support for making contraceptives available through pharmacies, but without a prescription. Twenty states currently allow pharmacists to prescribe hormonal contraception, including which includes patches and implants as well as the pill.