wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > SB 5826 > Original Bill
The legislature finds and declares the following:
Access to abortion is a human right, an integral part of essential health care, and vital for promoting public health.
There are approximately 196,000 pregnancy capable students attending Washington's public institutions of higher education and many of these students need access to abortion services each year. A central mission of Washington's student health centers serving these institutions is to minimize the negative impact of health concerns on students' studies and to facilitate retention and graduation.
Students seeking pregnancy termination face substantial travel, financial, and logistical barriers. Students must travel as far as 78 miles, or over four hours on public transit, round trip to the nearest abortion-providing facility, and the average wait time for an appointment is 10 days. The supreme court Dobbs v. Jackson women's health organization decision has increased the burden on abortion-providing facilities in the state, meaning longer wait times for students needing to access care. A 2024 report from senator Maria Cantwell's office states that clinics in Oregon have already seen a 50 percent increase in patients from Washington state traveling for abortion care, and the average wait times in Washington for abortion appointments in a Seattle area clinic have already increased by one week due to the influx of patients traveling from out of state. These financial and time burdens negatively impact academic performance, mental health, and physical health.
Though many of Washington's public institutions of higher education have student health centers, only one campus student health center currently offers medical abortion services and only one other is known to be in the process of implementing abortion services. Medication abortion is extremely safe, efficacious, and cost-effective. Research shows that the provision of medication abortion in student health centers is safe, effective, and feasible.
Because medication abortion is recognized as a safe and effective treatment for pregnancy termination and a health service every pregnant person in the state has the legal right to choose, it is the intent of the legislature that public institutions of higher education make medication abortion as accessible and cost-effective for students as possible.
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
"Council" means the Washington student achievement council as defined in RCW 28B.77.010.
"Medication abortion" has the same meaning as "abortion medications" in RCW 69.41.050.
"Public institution of higher education" or "public institutions of higher education" means institutions of higher education as defined in RCW 28B.10.016.
"Safety net abortion provider" means an abortion provider contracted with the department of health's sexual and reproductive health program.
"Student health center" means a clinic or health center providing physical health care services to students operated by public institutions of higher education.
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By the start of the 2027-28 academic year, each student health center must offer access to medication abortion through:
A public program that connects patients in Washington to reproductive health services;
A formal agreement with a safety net abortion provider with telehealth capabilities; or
Other available methods.
Student health centers that do not offer medication abortion services prior to the effective date of this section must utilize the most cost-effective option to offer medication abortion services.
By the start of the 2027-28 academic year, each public institution of higher education that does not operate a student health center must provide information and referral services for medication abortion to students seeking such services. The institution must train current student support staff on the availability of public resources to refer students to, including existing:
Directories of qualified health care providers who can lawfully administer medication abortion;
Private and accessible space on campus for the student to participate in telehealth appointments;
Student technical support to participate in telehealth appointments; and
Student access to electronic devices to participate in telehealth appointments.
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All public institutions of higher education must maintain a comprehensive health services webpage on an existing website that provides clear, accessible information and resources regarding reproductive health services including, but not limited to, prenatal care and options for pregnancy termination.
The webpage must include:
Detailed instructions for scheduling appointments, with contact information for both pregnancy-related services and behavioral health services;
Links and contact information for existing campus resources that assist students in requesting academic accommodations, including absences, rescheduling exams, or adjusting other academic requirements due to pregnancy, recovery from medical treatment, or related conditions; and
An unbroken link and accurate description that directs students to the abortion page of the sexual and reproductive health section of the department of health's website.
Sections 1 through 3 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 28B RCW.