Bill > SB19

This bill establishes comprehensive protections for contraceptive access in Alabama by defining key terms and creating legal safeguards. The legislation defines contraception broadly as any action to prevent pregnancy, and includes a wide range of contraceptive methods approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, such as oral contraceptives, IUDs, emergency contraceptives, condoms, and other medical devices or methods. The bill guarantees that individuals in Alabama have the right to obtain contraceptives and that healthcare providers have the right to dispense them, and it prohibits state departments, agencies, and political subdivisions from implementing any laws or policies that would restrict or impede access to contraception. The bill also provides legal mechanisms for enforcement, allowing the Attorney General or affected healthcare providers to file civil actions against entities that violate these provisions, with specific defenses available only if an entity can prove a restriction significantly advances safety or is applied equally to medically similar products. Healthcare providers can bring actions on their own behalf or on behalf of patients, and the bill includes a provision that such legal challenges must meet a "clear and convincing evidence" standard. The law is set to take effect on October 1, 2025, and aims to comprehensively protect contraceptive access in the state.

Justice

https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/bill-search