Washington approves a law to distribute abortion pills from its state stockpile
The measure amends the existing framework for access to drugs such as mifepristone, used in pharmacologic abortions.
Images of abortion pills (File).
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson, enacted new legislation that allows distribution of state-stockpiled abortion pills, eliminating the obligation to sell them at the purchase price.
The measure, corresponding to Senate Bill 5917 of Washington, modifies the current framework for access to drugs such as mifepristone, used in pharmacological abortions. Until now, the state was required to sell these pills at the purchase price plus an additional fee of five dollars per dose.
As reported by The Seattle Times, the new law eliminates that requirement and authorizes direct distribution of the drugs. In addition, it states that the Department of Corrections must coordinate with the Department of Health to identify individuals who will be able to access these pills.
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The decision comes in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (2022), which overturned the Roe v. Wade precedent and led several states to adopt measures to ensure access to abortion.
In 2023, under the administration of then-Gov. Jay Inslee, Washington purchased some 30,000 doses of mifepristone for a total of $1.275 million, with the goal of creating a reserve against possible federal restrictions. However, earlier this year, the state returned those 30,000 doses to the manufacturer after expiration, while a smaller batch of misoprostol also expired may have been destroyed.
According to the same report, the new legislation seeks to facilitate the use of the remaining batches before expiration. These include another 17,600 doses of mifepristone purchased in 2025, with expected expiration dates between 2028 and 2029, and whose supplier agreed to replace at no cost those not used in time.
The law went into effect immediately
However, the initiative has generated criticism among Republican lawmakers, who believe the rule is fiscally irresponsible and that it transforms the state into a distributor of abortifacient drugs. The bill passed largely along party lines, although it had the support of Republican Senators Paul Harris and Ron Muzzall.
The law took effect immediately, after it was signed into law Saturday.
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