Richmond, Virginia—Everybody deserves the right to decide if and when they would like to have children, and today, the House has passed a bill to help protect that right. The Right To Contraception Act (SB 273), sponsored by Senator Ghazala Hashmi, passed the House on a vote of 53-44 today. Several states, including Virginia, are taking up bills to protect the right to access and use contraception this year. Those bills have faced strong opposition from Republican politicians who have been emboldened by the Dobbs decision to further restrict reproductive rights in their states. However, our community has been clear about its strong opposition to these attacks on our freedom, and the General Assembly has responded by passing SB 273 to ensure that contraception remains available. 

“Poll after poll makes it clear that our community overwhelmingly supports the right to contraception, and we are tired of extremist Republicans trying to force their views on the rest of us,” said LaTwyla Matthias, Executive Director of Progress VA. “Our personal decisions are our decisions, and everyone has the right to make their own choices about contraception, period. These politicians need to stop pretending to be doctors and get back to the business of passing laws that help everyone.”

Background:

• Democrats have introduced versions of the Right to Contraception Act in states across the country, including Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
• New polling indicates that 8 in 10 voters support the right to contraception, and that there is majority support for this bill across party, race, gender, and generational lines. Republicans support it 68% to 20%.
• 77% of polled voters say that they have personally used contraception, and 88% say that they think it is important that people should make their own decisions about when to use contraception and what method they want to use.