AB 50: Pharmacists: furnishing contraceptives.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law, the Pharmacy Law, establishes in the Department of Consumer Affairs the California State Board of Pharmacy to license and regulate the practice of pharmacy. Exiting law requires a pharmacist, when furnishing self-administered hormonal contraceptives, to follow specified standardized procedures or protocols developed and approved by both the board and the Medical Board of California in consultation with the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the California Pharmacists Association, and other appropriate entities. Existing law requires those standardized procedures or protocols to require that the patient use a self-screening tool that will identify related patient risk factors and that require the pharmacist to refer the patient for appropriate followup care, as specified. Existing law requires the pharmacist to provide the recipient of the drug with a standardized factsheet that includes the indications and contraindications for use of the drug, the appropriate method for using the drug, the need for medical followup, and other appropriate information. Existing law authorizes a pharmacist furnishing an FDA-approved, self-administered hormonal contraceptive pursuant to the above-described protocols to furnish, at the patient’s request, up to a 12-month supply at one time.

This bill would limit the application of those requirements to self-administered hormonal contraceptives that are prescription-only, and would authorize a pharmacist to furnish over-the-counter contraceptives without following those standardized procedures or protocols. The bill would additionally authorize a pharmacist to furnish up to a 12-month supply at one time of over-the-counter contraceptives at the patient’s request. The bill would make related conforming changes.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. September 26, 2025Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 135, Statutes of 2025.
2. September 26, 2025Approved by the Governor.
3. September 15, 2025Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4:30 p.m.
4. September 8, 2025In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.
5. September 8, 2025Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2579.).
6. June 24, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
7. June 23, 2025From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.
8. June 9, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 9). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
9. May 7, 2025Referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.
10. April 29, 2025In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
11. April 28, 2025Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 73. Noes 0. Page 1316.).
12. April 24, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.