Bill to align campus over‑the‑counter contraception reporting and access wins broad support
Summary
Delegate Stephanie Smith presented HB 1076 to standardize reporting and clarify access requirements for OTC contraceptives at Maryland public colleges; partners including the Maryland Commission for Women and reproductive justice advocates said the law would extend reporting to four‑year institutions and require community colleges to provide FDA‑approved OTC contraceptives.
Delegate Stephanie Smith asked the Appropriations Committee for a favorable report on HB 1076, which would align reporting and access requirements for over‑the‑counter contraceptives across public two‑ and four‑year colleges. She said previous bills (2023–24) created campus access plans and led to the installation of wellness vending machines stocked with over‑the‑counter birth control and common products.
The commission chair of the Judicial Compensation Commission? (Megan Casey) and representatives from the Maryland Commission for Women, the Maryland Higher Education Commission, and reproductive‑rights groups described implementation grants and technical assistance that have increased access statewide; the Strauss Foundation funded implementation grants (up to $10,000) to community colleges, they said.
Witnesses testified the bill consolidates reporting to the Maryland Higher Education Commission, clarifies that community colleges must provide all FDA‑approved OTC contraceptives (including condoms, emergency contraception and OPIL) and creates consistent annual reporting. Advocates said Maryland is a national leader: the number of campuses with OTC vending access rose from 17 campuses in 9 states to 150 campuses in 30 states.
Committee members asked no substantive questions; the bill was heard and supporters asked for a favorable report.
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