Postsecondary/med. abortion

AN ACT Relating to access at public postsecondary educational 1
institutions to medication abortion; and adding a new chapter to 2
Title 28B RCW. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds and declares the 5
following:6
(1) Access to abortion is a human right, an integral part of 7
essential health care, and vital for promoting public health.8
(2) There are approximately 196,000 pregnancy capable students 9
attending Washington's public institutions of higher education and 10
many of these students need access to abortion services each year. A 11
central mission of Washington's student health centers serving these 12
institutions is to minimize the negative impact of health concerns on 13
students' studies and to facilitate retention and graduation.14
(3) Students seeking pregnancy termination face substantial 15
travel, financial, and logistical barriers. Students must travel as 16
far as 78 miles, or over four hours on public transit, round trip to 17
the nearest abortion-providing facility, and the average wait time 18
for an appointment is 10 days. The supreme court Dobbs v. Jackson 19
women's health organization decision has increased the burden on 20
abortion-providing facilities in the state, meaning longer wait times 21
H-2971.1
HOUSE BILL 2535
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Representatives Reeves, Macri, Parshley, Pollet, Ramel, and Scott
Read first time 01/16/26. Referred to Committee on Postsecondary
Education & Workforce.
p. 1 HB 2535
for students needing to access care. A 2024 report from senator Maria 1
Cantwell's office states that clinics in Oregon have already seen a 2
50 percent increase in patients from Washington state traveling for 3
abortion care, and the average wait times in Washington for abortion 4
appointments in a Seattle area clinic have already increased by one 5
week due to the influx of patients traveling from out of state. These 6
financial and time burdens negatively impact academic performance, 7
mental health, and physical health. 8
(4) Though many of Washington's public institutions of higher 9
education have student health centers, only one campus student health 10
center currently offers medical abortion services and only one other 11
is known to be in the process of implementing abortion services. 12
Medication abortion is extremely safe, efficacious, and cost-13
effective. Research shows that the provision of medication abortion 14
in student health centers is safe, effective, and feasible.15
(5) Because medication abortion is recognized as a safe and 16
effective treatment for pregnancy termination and a health service 17
every pregnant person in the state has the legal right to choose, it 18
is the intent of the legislature that public institutions of higher 19
education make medication abortion as accessible and cost-effective 20
for students as possible. 21
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The definitions in this section apply 22
throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires 23
otherwise.24
(1) "Council" means the Washington student achievement council as 25
defined in RCW 28B.77.010. 26
(2) "Medication abortion" has the same meaning as 27
"abortion medications" in RCW 69.41.050. 28
(3) "Public institution of higher education" or "public 29
institutions of higher education" means institutions of higher 30
education as defined in RCW 28B.10.016. 31
(4) "Safety net abortion provider" means an abortion provider 32
contracted with the department of health's sexual and reproductive 33
health program. 34
(5) "Student health center" means a clinic or health center 35
providing physical health care services to students operated by 36
public institutions of higher education. 37
p. 2 HB 2535
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1)(a) By the start of the 2027-28 1
academic year, each student health center must offer access to 2
medication abortion through:3
(i) A public program that connects patients in Washington to 4
reproductive health services; 5
(ii) A formal agreement with a safety net abortion provider with 6
telehealth capabilities; or 7
(iii) Other available methods. 8
(b) Student health centers that do not offer medication abortion 9
services prior to the effective date of this section must utilize the 10
most cost-effective option to offer medication abortion services.11
(2) By the start of the 2027-28 academic year, each public 12
institution of higher education that does not operate a student 13
health center must provide information and referral services for 14
medication abortion to students seeking such services. The 15
institution must train current student support staff on the 16
availability of public resources to refer students to, including 17
existing: 18
(a) Directories of qualified health care providers who can 19
lawfully administer medication abortion; 20
(b) Private and accessible space on campus for the student to 21
participate in telehealth appointments; 22
(c) Student technical support to participate in telehealth 23
appointments; and 24
(d) Student access to electronic devices to participate in 25
telehealth appointments. 26
(3)(a) All public institutions of higher education must maintain 27
a comprehensive health services webpage on an existing website that 28
provides clear, accessible information and resources regarding 29
reproductive health services including, but not limited to, prenatal 30
care and options for pregnancy termination. 31
(b) The webpage must include: 32
(i) Detailed instructions for scheduling appointments, with 33
contact information for both pregnancy-related services and 34
behavioral health services; 35
(ii) Links and contact information for existing campus resources 36
that assist students in requesting academic accommodations, including 37
absences, rescheduling exams, or adjusting other academic 38
requirements due to pregnancy, recovery from medical treatment, or 39
related conditions; and 40
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(iii) An unbroken link and accurate description that directs 1
students to the abortion page of the sexual and reproductive health 2
section of the department of health's website. 3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. Sections 1 through 3 of this act 4
constitute a new chapter in Title 28B RCW.5
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p. 4 HB 2535