Alaska Governor Vetoes Expanded Access to Birth Control

Alaska’s governor vetoed a bill on Sept. 4 that would have expanded access to birth control, on the same day an Alaska judge ruled against an abortion restriction. Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, vetoed Alaska House Bill 17, which was approved in bipartisan votes in both legislative chambers. The bill would have mandated that insurers provide coverage for birth control, including consultations to prescribe birth control drugs and procedures to insert birth control devices. Dunleavy said in a veto letter to Alaska House Speaker Cathy Tilton that “contraceptives are widely available, and compelling insurance companies to provide mandatory coverage for a year is bad policy.”...