The Iowa House Health and Human Services Committee advanced the Planned Parenthood-backed over-the-counter birth control proposal on Wednesday. Just two Republicans voted against the bill, though some noted that if changes are not made to the bill on the floor they will not support it.
The bill was amended in committee as it shortened the length of time patients had to see a doctor after receiving birth control. The bill originally allowed for 27 months to pass before a doctor’s visit was necessary, but the amendment lowered it to 15 months.
Another element of the bill includes immunity for the pharmacist when it comes to liability as long as the pharmacist follows the protocol.
Republican Rep. Shannon Lundgren noted the committee has worked on the contraceptive bill for several years and said she would vote it out of committee on Wednesday but still has some concerns. She said she’d prefer a patient see a doctor prior to receiving the contraception and then allow 24-36 months before they’d have to see a doctor again.
“Getting this birth control issue off our plate onto the floor is a good move,” Lundgren said. “We are obviously in business to try to prevent pregnancy. And I think we can all agree on that.”
The Iowa Standard asked Lundgren to clarify that comment following the meeting and she said she intended to say unwanted pregnancy, which helps prevent abortion.
Republican Rep. Barb Kniff McCulla said she would vote to pass it, but agrees further work needs to be done. Representative Steve Bradley essentially echoed those sentiments.
Republican Rep. Eddie Andrews, who joined Republican Rep. Tom Jeneary in voting against the proposal, expressed concerns from law enforcement that people engaged in human trafficking would take advantage of the bill as victims of human trafficking would have access immediately to contraceptives without having to see a doctor who may be able to spot signs of human trafficking.
“With that, I will be a no on this bill,” Andrews said.
Republican Rep. Devon Wood, who is managing the bill, said she too has concerns about human trafficking but noted human traffickers can already take advantage of the ability to get contraceptives through telehealth. Of course, this calls into question the need for an over-the-counter bill if birth control can be accessed through telehealth appointments.
Wood noted that legislators are trying to balance safety and healthcare access for Iowans.
