Illinois has become the first state in the Midwest to require public colleges and universities to provide students with access to medication abortion and contraception on campus, following the signing of House Bill 3709 by Governor J.B. Pritzker on August 22.
The new law, which takes effect immediately, mandates that starting with the 2025–2026 school year, public institutions must make medication abortion and contraception available through campus health centers, telehealth services, or licensed external providers. If a campus pharmacy exists, it will be required to dispense prescribed contraception and, where applicable, medication abortion.
Supporters say the law addresses a critical need for reproductive health access at a time when abortion rights are under increasing pressure in many states. In several regions, college health centers are explicitly barred from offering abortion services, forcing students to leave campus and sometimes travel across state lines to receive care.
“Illinois students can now get medication abortion when they need it—without leaving campus or facing delays that drive up costs and complexity,” said Alicia Hurtado, Advocacy and Communications Director at the Chicago Abortion Fund (CAF). “Abortion is healthcare, and students deserve the same access on campus as they do to any other form of basic medical care. By becoming the first state in the Midwest to guarantee public university campus access to medication abortion, Illinois is sending a clear message: young people’s health and futures matter. This is a win for students, for reproductive freedom, and for every state looking to Illinois as a model of bold, responsive leadership.”
Illinois joins California, Massachusetts, and New York in enacting laws requiring student access to medication abortion. California was the first state to pass such legislation in 2019, with implementation beginning in 2023. Massachusetts followed in 2022, and New York in 2023. Advocates note that while these measures are milestones, awareness of available services often lags behind, underscoring the importance of implementation and outreach to students across Illinois.
House Bill 3709 was sponsored by Representative Barbara Hernandez and Senator Celina Villanueva, with strong advocacy from students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and coalition partners. CAF credited Governor Pritzker’s leadership and the persistence of student organizers with ensuring the bill’s passage.
The law also represents another step in Pritzker’s broader efforts to position Illinois as a national leader in protecting reproductive health care, particularly after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade and allowed states to ban or restrict abortion access. Since then, Illinois has seen an increase in patients traveling from across the Midwest and the South to seek abortion care.
Founded 40 years ago, the Chicago Abortion Fund has grown into the nation’s largest independent abortion fund, assisting patients in Chicago, across the Midwest, and nationwide. CAF not only provides funding for procedures but also helps with travel, childcare, emotional support, and logistical coordination. The organization works with more than 75 abortion clinics in 12 states. Since the Dobbs ruling, CAF has received requests for assistance from 40,000 people, with 16,000 support requests in 2024 alone and more than $7 million distributed in direct aid.
With the new law in place, Illinois colleges and universities will be tasked with building systems to ensure timely, equitable access to medication abortion and contraception for thousands of students beginning in 2025. Advocates hope the measure will ease barriers for young people balancing school, work, and health needs, and solidify Illinois’ standing as a state committed to reproductive freedom.