A pair of bills drawing hours of testimony at the Legislature would make Nevada the fifth state to allow women to access 12-month supplies of birth control.
Dozens of people attended Monday hearings on proposals aimed at decreasing health risks and unplanned pregnancies that occur between contraceptive prescriptions.
Democratic lawmakers in control of the statehouse are sponsoring Senate Bill 233 and Assembly Bill 249.
Assemblywoman Teresa Benitez-Thompson of Reno says they intend to allow any woman prescribed birth control to ask her pharmacist to dispense a year’s supply — even if the doctor’s note is for the current threshold of three months, or less.
Both bills would strip businesses of their ability to claim a religious objection to insuring birth control.
Opponents argue that’s amoral and unfair to religious organizations.