Virginia Democrats push governor to guarantee access to contraception

Democratic Virginia lawmakers again are trying to get Gov. Glenn Youngkin to sign legislation guaranteeing access to a wide array of contraception medications and devices. 

Democrats got 37,000 Virginians to sign a petition for Youngkin to sign the Right to Contraception Act approved by the Democrat-controlled Virginia Senate and House of Delegates.

Guaranteeing access to all contraception is crucial, co-sponsor Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-District 15, said. Supporters of the measure fear the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn precedents that protect contraception much like the Dobbs decision stripped away abortion rights in many states.

“This particular measure will ensure that Virginians have those protections in place should federal action happen,” Hashmi said. 

The bill defined contraception, prevented any restrictions and established enforcement by civil penalty.

Instead of signing the bill, Youngkin sent back a substitute measure that was not a new law but a policy statement that Virginians have a right to access contraception under current Supreme Court precedents.

“We know that we need more teeth in terms of having protections in place, so when the governor gutted the legislation, he really made it entirely meaningless,” Hashmi said. “It serves no purpose to protect reproductive health care and contraception.”

In Wednesday’s reconvened legislative session, the House and Senate let Youngkin’s proposed substitute die. The original bill is back in his hands.

“Gov. Youngkin has been consistently clear that he supports access to contraception but desires to protect Virginians’ constitutional rights and religious liberties,” a spokesman told News4.

“If he doesn’t sign the bill, then he is working against the wishes of over 80% of Virginians who do support the right to contraception,” Hashmi said.

“So, I hope that the governor is listening, listening to Virginians, listening to the people he represents and that he is going to do the right thing by signing the legislation,” Hashmi said.

Youngkin has until May 17 to decide.