Policy Priority
Pharmacy Access Act (S.628)
This bill would authorize pharmacists to prescribe contraceptives, which can make contraceptive care more accessible and affordable by eliminating the need for a separate visit to a health care provider to obtain a prescription. Expanding pharmacists’ scope of practice to include prescribing birth control helps alleviate many of the obstacles to finding and seeing a doctor that have been exacerbated by the pandemic.
S. 151 is now S.628, the language and meaning of the bill are the same. After the initial subcommittee meeting, the legislative council needed to make technical changes beyond what could be accomplished with an amendment. S.628 will be reintroduced and take the place of S.151. The full Senate Medical Affairs Committee will hear this bill on March 4, 2021 at 10 am.
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