House Bill 17 allows women to buy up to 12 months’ worth of birth control pills at a time.
By James Brooks, Alaska BeaconRep. Ashley Carrick, D-Fairbanks, listens to debate in the Alaska House of Representatives on Thursday, March 21, 2024.
Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia allow pharmacists to provide a birth-control prescription — something not allowed in Alaska and unchanged by HB 17 — and nine states require insurance companies to cover birth control without a prescription. Emergency contraception — the so-called “plan B” pill — was included in the original version of the bill but removed during the legislative process. Republicans also amended the bill to add additional language that allows religious employers to deny birth-control coverage.
Reps. Sarah Vance, R-Homer, and David Eastman, R-Wasilla, said they opposed the bill because it didn’t specifically address abortion-causing medication, something Carrick said is a separate topic. “I see it as a very rural-friendly bill, and I see it as saving money because there are a lot of costs associated with births that are unplanned or unexpected,” said Rep. Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham.
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