Access to Birth Control Act

This legislation sets national rules so people can get FDA‑approved birth control and related medicines at pharmacies without delay. If a product is in stock, the pharmacy must provide it promptly. If it’s not in stock, the pharmacy must quickly either refer or transfer the prescription to a nearby pharmacy that has it, or order it and let the customer know when it arrives. Pharmacies must not intimidate customers, give misleading information, break confidentiality, or refuse to return a valid prescription upon request. It responds to reports of some pharmacies refusing to provide birth control, especially after the Dobbs decision.

Pharmacies can still refuse in limited, standard situations: if there’s no valid prescription when one is required, the customer can’t pay, or a pharmacist uses professional clinical judgment to refuse. It keeps stronger state protections in place, says that existing workplace civil rights rules still apply, and states the federal religious freedom law cannot be used to challenge these requirements. There are penalties and a right to sue if a pharmacy breaks the rules, and the law takes effect 31 days after it’s enacted .

• Who is affected: Pharmacies, pharmacy staff, and customers seeking birth control and related medications.
• What changes: Provide in‑stock items without delay; if out of stock, refer/transfer or order; no intimidation, misinformation, breaches of privacy, or holding prescriptions; limited refusal reasons; federal penalties and private lawsuits allowed; stronger state protections remain; religious freedom law can’t be used to block these rules; civil rights protections remain .
• When: Takes effect 31 days after enactment.