Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has signed two groundbreaking bills aimed at fortifying reproductive health care across the state.

Governor Pritzker signed an expanded state shield law (HB3637), which enhances legal protections for health care providers engaged in offering reproductive health services that are lawful in Illinois. This legislation extends the state’s shield law to cover all health care providers, including Licensed Certified Professional Midwives and wholesale drug distributors, ensuring they are not subject to discipline for services legal in the state.

HB3637 also amends Illinois’ Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Now, medications previously approved by the FDA—such as mifepristone, a common medication for abortion—that lose their FDA approval but remain considered effective by the World Health Organization will not be considered in violation of state law. This is a direct measure to insulate Illinois providers from politically motivated efforts to rescind approval for widely used reproductive health medications.

The second piece of legislation, HB3709, mandates that public colleges and universities in Illinois must offer contraception and medication abortion to students if their campuses operate a pharmacy or health center. Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, college health centers will need to provide consultation appointments and direct access to these services, making reproductive health care more accessible for students throughout the state.

The legislative action comes as a direct response to national efforts to curtail reproductive rights.

“Since Roe fell, we’ve worked hard to ensure that Illinois is a safe haven for reproductive freedom in the Midwest and leading the country in strengthening women’s rights,” said Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton. “As Donald Trump and his administration continue to pull every lever they can to rip rights away from women, Illinois is making sure every woman, at every stage of life, can get the legal care they need from providers they trust.”

Governor Pritzker has made reproductive health a pillar of his administration’s agenda:

• Prior to the Dobbs decision, Illinois codified reproductive rights into state law.
• Illinois became the second state in the Midwest to offer over-the-counter birth control at pharmacies.
• In 2023 and 2024, a series of legislative actions strengthened shield laws, banned discrimination based on reproductive health decisions, and rolled out the Birth Equity Initiative to address health care inequities and support maternal health.