Georgia House bill by author Rep. Camp on pharmacist contraceptive access passes House and Senate

Passed bill authored by State Rep. Beth Camp aims to increase access to contraceptives by allowing pharmacists to dispense and administer hormonal contraceptives under specified protocols, following approval in both chambers, according to the Georgia State House.

It passed both chambers as of Thursday, April 2, clearing the House by a vote of 158-11 and the Senate by a vote of 49-1.

The bill, introduced as HB1138 on Monday, Feb. 2 during the 2026 regular session of the 158th General Assembly, was formally described as: ’Increasing Access to Contraceptives Act; enact’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill, the “Increasing Access to Contraceptives Act,” allows trained pharmacists, under a joint protocol with the state medical and pharmacy boards, to dispense self-administered hormonal contraceptives and administer injectable hormonal contraceptives without a patient-specific prescription, subject to age, screening, counseling, training, documentation, and referral requirements. It grants civil, criminal, and professional liability protections to pharmacists and practitioners acting under standing orders. The bill requires private insurers and Medicaid to cover at least a three-month initial supply and 12-month refills of prescription contraceptive drugs, with a 12-month annual maximum. It takes effect January 1, 2027.

In the House, 75 Democrats and 83 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while one Democrat and 10 Republicans opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 19 Democrats and 30 Republicans voted in favor, while one Republican voted against it.

The bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Bethany Ballard (Republican-147th), Rep. Gerald Greene (Republican-154th), and Rep. Jan Jones (Republican-47th), along with three other co-sponsors.

Camp graduated from Georgia Military College at Milledgeville in 1997 with an AS and again in 2017 from Clayton State University with a BA.

Camp, a Republican, was elected to the Georgia State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 135th House District, replacing previous state representative Calvin Smyre.

The bill was signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp on Monday, May 11.

In Georgia, the legislative process begins when a lawmaker, often at a constituent’s request, works with the Office of Legislative Counsel to draft a bill. After filing with the Clerk of the House or Secretary of the Senate, the bill receives its first reading and is sent to a committee, where most of the debate and fact-finding takes place. If approved, it advances to the floor for a third reading, debate, and a vote. To become law, the bill must pass both chambers, sometimes through a conference committee if versions differ, before being sent to the governor. The governor then has six days during session—or 40 days after adjournment (Sine Die)—to sign, veto, or allow the bill to become law without a signature. The Georgia General Assembly meets annually for a 40-day session beginning the second Monday in January.

Information in this article was obtained from the Georgia State House. The source data can be found here.