Colorado Bill Would Mandate Abortion Pills on College Campuses
Colorado legislation would require university access to abortion pills while raising disputes over religious exemptions and provider participation.
DENVER, CO — A bill in the Colorado General Assembly would require universities to provide abortion pills through campus health centers or affiliated pharmacies, including private institutions.
HB26-1335 would require any higher education institution with a student health center or pharmacy to dispense abortion medication onsite or, if not available, facilitate prescriptions through off-campus pharmacies or campus health services.
The measure includes an exemption for schools with bona fide religious objections, though critics argue the standard could be subject to state interpretation, and it also raises questions about whether individual medical providers may refuse participation on religious grounds. It passed the House Education Committee by an 8–5 vote on April 16.
Colorado law permits abortion at most stages of pregnancy, and the state has seen expansion of abortion-access measures in recent years, including efforts to increase availability of abortion medications.
Previously, the UOJ reported that Sen. Josh Hawley introduced a bill to revoke FDA approval of the abortion pill.
