Rep. Mike Thompson co-authors bill to protect right to contraception

A bill by Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, and Washington state Rep. Pramila Jayapal would make access to contraception part of federal law.

The move Thursday to introduce the Protecting Access to Contraception Act of 2022 followed a concurring opinion by Justice Clarence Thomas with the Supreme Court’s recent decision to reverse the Roe v. Wade decision that provided the right to abortion.

Thomas wrote the high court should reconsider Griswold v. Connecticut, the 1965 decision recognizing the constitutional right of married adults to access contraception without government restriction, according to Thompson’s office.

“I believe that everyone, regardless of the state in which they live, should have access to safe, effective, affordable and accessible methods of family planning and contraception,” Thompson said in the release. “That’s why today, with my colleague Rep. Jayapal, D-Seattle, I introduced legislation preventing states or localities from prohibiting or restricting the sale, purchase, possession, transportation, or use of contraception to ensure that further rights are not eroded by this extreme Supreme Court.”

The bill would provide a broad definition of contraceptive, covering birth control medication, IUDs, condoms and emergency contraception, as well as other relevant FDA-approved products, devices or medications, according to the release.

The bill would allow those harmed by violations of the law to take private legal action, and authorizes the Department of Justice to bring civil action to remedy any violation of the law.

When asked if the bill had any chance of being passed by the closely divided U.S. Senate, with two conservative Democratic senators, an aide said Thompson said he was “doing everything I can to get this legislation to the president’s desk. I am hopeful that our colleagues in the Senate recognize the critical importance of accessible, safe, affordable contraceptive access. If there are not 60 senators who support such access, the American people deserve to know.”

Thompson is a co-sponsor of the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would reverse the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization by codifying Roe v. Wade into law.

You can reach Staff Writer Kathleen Coates at kathleen.coates@pressdemocrat.com or 707-521-5209.