Colorado Law Mandates Colleges to Provide Abortion Drugs Amid Federal Challenges
Colorado Governor Jared Polis has signed a new law requiring colleges and universities in the state with student health centers to provide access to abortion medication. This legislation, set to take effect in August 2027, mandates that campus pharmacies offer the medication or provide prescriptions for off-campus pharmacies if they lack in-house facilities. However, institutions are exempt if compliance would jeopardize federal grants, deviate from standard billing practices, or conflict with religious beliefs. The law emerges as federal rules on abortion drugs face legal challenges, with a U.S. appeals court recently freezing rules that allowed telemedicine prescriptions and mail delivery of mifepristone. The U.S. Supreme Court has temporarily restored access pending ongoing litigation.