In recent news from Alaska, Governor Mike Dunleavy vetoed a bill aiming to increase access to birth control while a judge overturned long-standing restrictions on who can perform abortions. The veto came as a surprise to supporters of the bill, which sought to require insurance companies to cover up to a year’s supply of birth control at a time, particularly crucial for rural communities with limited access. The bill had strong bipartisan support in the Legislature but was vetoed by the governor citing concerns about the need for mandatory coverage.
Advocates for the bill expressed disappointment, pointing out that the veto would maintain barriers to birth control access, particularly for those in remote areas and individuals on Medicaid in Alaska. Democratic Rep. Ashley Carrick, the bill’s sponsor, criticized the veto, stressing the importance of ensuring universal access to essential medication like birth control.
Meanwhile, on the same day, Alaska Superior Court Judge Josie Garton declared unconstitutional a state law that restricted abortions to only doctors licensed by the State Medical Board. Planned Parenthood and other groups had argued that advanced practice clinicians should also be permitted to perform medication or aspiration abortions. Judge Garton found that the law violated privacy and equal protection rights, particularly impacting low-income individuals and those with limited access to care.
The ruling highlighted the challenges faced by women in rural Alaska who often have to travel long distances for abortion care due to a shortage of providers in the state. While there was no concrete evidence of delays in accessing abortions, the judge emphasized that the law created unnecessary barriers to care. The state is currently reviewing the decision.
It is worth noting that advanced practice clinicians are allowed to provide abortion care in around 20 states, according to the Guttmacher Institute. The decision in Alaska reflects a growing trend towards expanding access to reproductive health services beyond traditional medical providers.
