Des Moines, Iowa — 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.
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, which includes patches and implants as well as the pill.
