Alaska Governor Vetoes Birth Control Bill

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has vetoed a bill that would have required insurance companies to cover up to a year's supply of birth control, a move that has stunned supporters given the overwhelming bipartisan support in the state legislature. The bill aimed to improve birth control access, particularly in rural and remote areas. Dunleavy's spokesperson defended the veto, claiming that contraceptives are already widely available and that the mandate is bad policy. Critics argue that the veto maintains barriers to birth control, especially for Medicaid patients and those in isolated communities. On the same day, Alaska Superior Court Judge Josie Garton struck down a long-standing law restricting who can perform abortions, allowing advanced practice clinicians to do so. The dual developments highlight ongoing conflicts over reproductive rights in Alaska.