State laws protecting the right to choose passed since 2009

The following states have passed laws protecting the right to choose since the death of Dr. George Tiller in 2009:

Arizona:

  • 7/2009  Prohibits coercing a woman into having an abortion
  • 7/2009  Establishes criteria for a judge to utilize when considering bypassing the state's parental consent for abortion law

California:

  • 6/2014  Provides full range of Medicaid services to pregnant women up to 138% of Federal Poverty Level; subsidizes care for pregnant women up to 208% of Federal Poverty Level.
  • 9/2014  Requires insurance plans to cover all FDA-approved contraceptives without cost-sharing or delay

Colorado:

  • 5/2010  Ensures that health insurance plans cover contraception
  • 3/2011  Funds substance abuse treatment for pregnant women
  • 3/2012  Funds substance abuse treatment for pregnant women
  • 3/2012  Prohibits use of drug test results performed during prenatal care as evidence in criminal cases
  • 6/2013  Repeals pre-Roe v Wade state abortion ban

Connecticut:

  • 6/2009  Prohibits non-medical use of ultrasound *
  • 6/2014  Requires instruction on prevention of child sexual abuse in sex education classes

Hawaii:

  • 7/2009  Sex education is required to be medically accurate and include information on contraceptives
  • 4/2013  Requires that rape victims receive information about and access to emergency contraception

Illinois:

  • 1/2013  Requires sex education to include prevention of child sexual abuse
  • 8/2013  Requires mandatory health education must be medically accurate
  • 8/2013  Voluntary sex ed must be medically accurate and include information about contraception
  • 8/2013  Required sex education include dating violence information

Indiana:

  • 2/2012 Expanded Medicaid-based family planning to be based on income
  • 3/2012  Requires education on sexual abuse and/or teen dating violence

Iowa:

  • 5/2011 Expanded Medicaid-based family planning & contraception to include men

Kentucky:

  • 3/2011  Funds substance abuse treatment for pregnant women

Louisiana:

  • 7/2009  Protects a woman's access to abortion when a medical provider refuses to perform the procedure
  • 6/2013  Amends infant abandonment laws
  • 6/2014  Requires instruction on dating or sexual violence in sex education classes
  • 6/2014  Requires instruction on prevention of child sexual abuse in sex education classes

Maryland:

  • 5/2011  Expanded contraception via Medicaid to be based on income
  • 4/2014  Allows insurance plan enrollees to make sure medical records remain private

Massachussetts:

  • 7/2014  Protects access to clinics

Minnestota:

  • 4/2012  Increased age at which an infant may be abandoned

Mississippi:

  • 4/2012  Protects the identity of a parent surrendering an infant
  • 4/2014  Requires instruction on prevention of child sexual abuse in sex education classes

New Hampshire:

  • 6/2014  Protects access to clinics

New Jersey:

  • 5/2011  Requires sex education instruction on dating violence and abusive relationships

New Mexico:

  • 3/2013  Includes police and firefighters as acceptors of abandoned infants
  • 3/2014  Requires instruction on dating or sexual violence in sex education classes

North Carolina:

  • 6/2009  Sex education is required to be medically accurate and include information on contraceptives

North Dakota:

  • 4/2010  Prohibits non-medical use of ultrasound *

Oregon:

  • 6/2009  Weakens abstinence requirements in sex education and codifies medically accurate requirements
  • 6/2009  Requires health plans to cover HPV vaccine
  • 3/2012  Requires education on sexual abuse and/or teen dating violence
  • 5/2015  Bans sexual orientation conversion therapy for minors
  • 6/2015  Requires insurance carriers to cover prescriptions written for full year of prescription contraceptives

South Carolina:

  • 6/2010  Expands state medical coverage (Medicaid) to cover abortion in the case of severe health impairment

Tennesee:

  • 5/2013  Requires publicly funded drug treatment centers to give priority to pregnant women

Utah:

  • 4/2014  Requires instruction on prevention of child sexual abuse in sex education classes

Vermont:

  • 2/2012 Expanded Medicaid-based family planning to be based on income
  • 3/2014 Repeals pre-Roe v Wade abortion ban

Virginia:

  • 3/2011  Requires information on dating violence and abusive relationships when sex education is provided

Washington:

  • 6/2011  Directs state to expand Medicaid family planning income limit from 200% to 250% of federal poverty limit

Wisconsin:

  • 6/2009  Requires health plans that cover prescription drugs must cover contraception
  • 6/2009  Requires a pharmacy to dispense valid Plan B and contraceptive prescriptions
  • 2/2010  Sex education must be medically accurate
  • 2/2010  Sex education must include discussion of contraception

*  According to the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada, ultrasounds provided by non-medical providers provide a false sense of security, because the technician is not required to offer information on fetal irregularities or concerns.  The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended that a fetus should not be exposed to ultrasound for commercial and entertainment purposes.  This law is meant to address ultrasounds done in order to determine the gender of the fetus.


Information provided by Guttmacher Institute, Guttmacher Institute