Affirm Sexual and Reproductive Health Gears Up for 2025 Legislative Session
Last week, the 2025 legislative session commenced at the Arizona State Capitol with Governor Katie Hobbs’s energizing State of the State address. The Governor reflected on the achievements of 2024 and outlined her 2025 legislative priorities, which included protecting and expanding access to sexual and reproductive health care for Arizonans.
Sexual and reproductive health care were at the forefront of the Governor’s 2024 agenda and Affirm is a trusted partner in those efforts. In her State of the State Address, the Governor highlighted how last year’s agenda resulted in the repeal of the Civil War-era total abortion ban.
The sexual and reproductive health priorities the Governor outlined for 2025 are to protect access to contraception through the passage of the Arizona Right to Contraception Act, to protect access to IVF, and to end government surveillance of reproductive health care. The Arizona Right to Contraception Act was introduced last year in the House and the Senate. This common-sense legislation guarantees people across Arizona the right to access the contraceptive method of their choice. It would outlaw any attempts to limit or infringe on someone’s ability to access contraceptives or a doctor’s ability to offer them.
Additionally, the reproductive health priorities outlined in the Governor’s Executive Budget Summary were announced last week. Affirm applauds Governor Hobbs for including a detailed description of a new family planning coverage category through Medicaid that will expand eligibility access to critical reproductive health services. This includes a wide range of reproductive health services that will prevent pregnancy and treat infections that can lead to infertility. The family planning category will cover birth control, testing for breast and cervical cancer, pregnancy, and the prevention and detection of sexually transmitted infections. Providing cancer screenings and subsequent treatment through this category will save lives in Arizona.
The budget also allocates funding to provide for 12-month dispensing of contraceptive supplies to Medicaid members. This will reduce barriers to care for many Arizonans and generally make it more convenient to prevent unintended pregnancies. Arizonans deserve to have the freedom to access the critical health care they need in order to thrive.
“Investing in comprehensive contraception access and family planning services is vital to building healthier communities, lowering infant and maternal mortality rates, and reducing healthcare costs,” said Karen Martinot, Director of Programs and Clinical Administration, Affirm Sexual and Reproductive Health. “It empowers individuals to make informed decisions about their wellbeing. Supporting STI prevention and reproductive health is both a moral responsibility and a smart economic strategy that benefits everyone.”
“We look forward to working with the Governor’s office and state legislators to build upon the progress of 2024,” said Bré Thomas, CEO of Affirm Sexual and Reproductive Health. “Affirm remains firmly committed to protecting, improving, and expanding access to sexual and reproductive health care for all Arizonans, and we know Governor Hobbs is too.”
