State-mandated, taxpayer-funded: College campuses dispensing abortion drugs

The abortion pill — which now makes up an estimated 65% of abortions in the U.S. — is available on college campuses and is mandated in the states of California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and New York.

Despite the fact that the FDA is still conducting a safety review of the abortion pill, and new research suggests that as many as 11% of women experience at least one serious complication from taking mifepristone within 45 days, various U.S. states have gone so far as to mandate that public universities and colleges provide students with the abortion pill – either directly on campus or through referrals.

Key Takeaways:

• Four states — California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and New York — require the abortion pill to be made available to students on college campuses through health centers.

• Other states — including Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, and Vermont — require college campuses to offer assistance with, access to, and referrals for abortion.

The Details:

The abortion pill procedure, 'self-managed' by a woman without medical supervision or medical assistance, puts women at risk, including those taking it on their college campuses and in their dorm rooms. Live Action’s white paper, "The State of Chemical Abortion: A Mechanism of Death," extensively details the dangers and corruption surrounding the abortion pill.

California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and New York currently require public institutions of higher learning to provide students access to the abortion pill regimen on campus.

Notably, university staff, including in California, expressed concerns over these laws. Colorado has recently advanced legislation which would mandate public and private colleges and universities to similarly provide access to the abortion pill to students.

Behind the Curtain:

A Live Action video, posted in 2018, describes how a student would likely experience a chemical abortion in her dorm:

“A chemical abortion requires the student to take two pills. The first pill, RU-486 [mifepristone], blocks nutrients to the baby. This would be taken in a campus health center [or in her dorm room without any medical supervision].

A day or two later, she takes the second pill, misoprostol. This causes contractions, cramping, and heavy bleeding to expel the baby from her uterus. She will often have headaches, diarrhea, and vomiting as well. For a girl in college, this will happen in her bathroom or dorm room. Keep in mind, college bathrooms and dorms are shared....

Chemical abortions are not risk free. Women may need corrective surgery and even life-saving medical procedures....” 

California

Under California law, as of 2023, all public universities in the state are required to offer chemical abortions either by providers on staff at the student health center, through telehealth services, or by providers associated with a contracted external agency.

In 2019, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB24 into law, requiring  health centers at public universities to offer the abortion pill to students by 2023. All 10 University of California campuses and 23 California State University campuses are forced to participate. 

SB24 established the College Student Health Center Sexual and Reproductive Health Preparation Fund to provide the University of California and California State University with direct allocations “to support medication abortion readiness at each public university student health center.”

The bill was the result of years of pro-abortion activism, led by Democrat Sen. Connie Leyva.  Leyva began the push to get abortion pills on state university campuses in 2017, claiming that young college students need easier access to abortion. That bill was vetoed by then-Governor Jerry Brown who said that medical abortions are “widely available off-campus.” After Newsom announced during his gubernatorial campaign in 2018 that he would have signed the bill, Leyva decided to try again.

Both the University of California and California State University expressed concerns about providing the abortion pill to students, including cost and liability. Pro-lifers have expressed similar concerns. However, as of January 1, 2023, all the state universities are mandated to be in compliance with the radical abortion pill law.

The universities either provide the abortion pill directly to students on campus or refer students to outside organizations including Planned Parenthood.

Live Action confirmed through university websites that six of the 10 University of California campuses (UC Irvine, UCLA, UC Merced, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz) offer the abortion pill to students on campus. Most of the 23 California State University campuses appear to offer the abortion pill, based on their website listings.

Multiple California universities advertise mail-order abortion pills through partnering organizations. Mail-order abortion pills on campus are cause for concern, as students are likely unprepared to manage the normal consequences of chemical abortion, let alone any complications that may arise as they go through the abortion procedure in their dorm rooms. 

UC Riverside states on its website that students can receive abortion pills in the mail from FPA Women’s Health Telehealth. The abortion pills are mailed directly to the students and virtual follow-ups are scheduled; this can hardly be considered appropriate medical care. On the university website, CSU Channel Islands refers students to FPA Family Planning Associate’s abortion pill telehealth service. CSUCI’s website also mentions grant funding for chemical abortions available to enrolled students.

Multiple California universities advertise low-cost abortion pills for students, and at least one university advertises free abortion pills for students enrolled in university health insurance plans (UC San Diego). Some university websites mention other financial assistance for students’ abortions including funds from grants and Uber gift cards.

As previously reported by Live Action News, a 2025 Campus Reform analysis has found that public universities in California are quietly adding abortion to school insurance plans. Insurance plans for both University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) colleges include abortion coverage. UC students are automatically enrolled into the university health care plan, and it is extremely difficult to opt out.

Abortions on California college campuses have been on the rise since SB24 was signed into law and went into effect in 2023. 

According to the 2025 report on the California Commission on the Status of Women & Girls website, the 10 University of California campuses facilitated a total of 297 chemical abortions and received a total of $2,492,326.63 in reimbursements from the College Student Right to Access Act grant. The report shows that the 23 California State University campuses facilities a total of 349 chemical abortions and received a total of $3,302,260.02 in reimbursements from the College Student Right to Access Act grant. 

Illinois

On August 22, 2025, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed House Bill 3709 into law, mandating that public universities and colleges, including community colleges, in Illinois provide enrolled students with access to chemical abortion drugs beginning in the 2025-26 school year.

The law requires that public institutions of higher education in the state with student health services must provide enrolled students with access to one or more health care professionals who are able to prescribe abortion pills and discuss abortion options. The institutions must provide the abortion services through student health services, telehealth services, or other external licensed providers.

The law further mandates that public universities or colleges with a pharmacy must provide the abortion pill at a physical location on campus.

Additionally, public universities and colleges in the state with student health services are required to provide students with information about accessing the abortion pill on campus on their websites. 

The law lists by name the institutions required to provide students with abortion pill access: “the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University, Western Illinois University, a public community college in this State, or any other public university, college, or community college now or hereafter established or authorized by the General Assembly.”

Based on their health services websites, a majority of the institutions appear to refer students off-campus for abortions instead of providing abortions on campus.

Massachusetts

Under state law, as of 2022, all public Massachusetts universities and community colleges are required to have a “medication abortion readiness plan” and allow students to access the abortion pill directly from staff at the student health center, through referrals, or through abortion information. Massachusetts public universities and community colleges were first required to submit their abortion pill plans to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health by Nov. 30, 2023. 

In July 2022, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed H5090 into law. The extreme bill codified abortion into state law, required insurers to pay for abortions, and mandated that state colleges and universities make chemical abortions available on campus. Additionally, it put protections in place for Massachusetts abortionists. 

The legislation established the Public University Health Center Sexual and Reproductive Health Preparation Fund to help cover expenses for the universities’ and colleges’ abortion pill programs. The fund is “administered by the department of public health, in consultation with the department of higher education.” 

Under the law, all 15 public community colleges, all nine state universities, and all five University of Massachusetts campuses are required to assist students in obtaining the abortion pill.

In reviewing the websites for the Massachusetts public institutions of higher learning, Live Action News found that many of the institutions refer students to outside organizations, especially Planned Parenthood, to assist students in obtaining chemical abortions, as required by state law. Notably, Live Action News discovered that Salem State University offers the abortion pill on campus up to 11 weeks of pregnancy–which is past the FDA-approved 10 weeks gestational limit on the abortion pill.

New York

Under a 2023 New York law, every state university of New York (SUNY) campus and every city university of New York (CUNY) campus must provide students with abortion pill access. There are a total of 64 campuses in the SUNY system and a total of one university and 26 college campuses in the CUNY system.

Signed into law on May 2, 2023 by New York Governor Katy Hochul, Senate Bill S1213B requires the public New York universities to either employ or contract with individuals authorized to prescribe abortion pills, or provide students with information and referrals to providers authorized to prescribe abortion pills.

The Act went into effect on August 1, 2023, forcing 91 campuses to supply students with the deadly abortion drugs upon request.

According to research conducted by Live Action News, the majority of New York public universities refer students seeking abortion pills to a hospital system, Planned Parenthood, or a private abortion facility.

Live Action News did not find a public university website advertising abortion pills available on campus.

Several private New York institutions of higher learning, though not required by law, have expressed willingness to provide the abortion pill to students on campus. An online search showed that Columbia University and Cornell University offer the abortion pill, and Barnard College has moved towards offering the abortion pill.

States Requiring 'Abortion Access':

Connecticut 

As of January 1, 2024, all public universities in the state of Connecticut are required to provide access to abortion for students who live on campus under Public Act 23-41: An Act Concerning Access to Reproductive Health Care by Students at Public Institutions of Higher Education.

All public universities in Connecticut within the University of Connecticut (UConn) and Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) systems are required to have plans in place for providing students access to abortion either on-campus or off-campus, through information, counseling, referrals, telehealth, and transportation.

The University of Connecticut system is required to provide abortion access to its students under the law, and according to its website, UConn offers referrals for surgical abortions and offers (or will soon offer) prescriptions for the abortion pill.

It does not appear that any of the campuses within the UConn and CSCU systems currently offer the abortion pill on campus.

Delaware

Delaware law requires public universities in the state to provide students with on-site access to the abortion pill, with exceptions for universities that can only provide information and referrals.

Effective July 1, 2025, the Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 301 “requires public universities in this state to provide access to medication for the termination of pregnancy and emergency contraception. The medication and contraception must be provided on-site, but consultation to provide them may be performed by a provider at the student health center or by a provider who is associated with a university-contracted external agency.”

Exceptions

The law grants exceptions to universities not equipped or staffed to provide the abortion pill on campus. These universities are, however, required to provide abortion information and referrals, including specified information on their websites.

If students request telehealth abortion services, these schools are required to accommodate the student requests by providing private space for a telehealth appointment; the schools are also required to assist students with academic accommodations if the students need them for abortions.

The primary public higher education institutions in Delaware (University of Delaware, Delaware State University) do not currently appear to offer the abortion pill on campus, but they do offer information and referrals for abortion.

Maryland

Under a 2023 law approved by Governor Wes Moore, certain Maryland public universities and colleges are required to provide students with access to abortion, either through direct provision or referrals.

HB 477, Ch. 251 states: “Each public senior higher education institution, in consultation with students, shall develop and implement a reproductive health services plan to provide at the public senior higher education institution or to refer students to a comprehensive range of reproductive health services.”

“Abortion Care Services” are listed in the law as reproductive health services that the institutions must provide either on-campus or provide to students through off-campus referrals.

The institutions required to comply with this law are: The constituent institutions of the University System of Maryland, Morgan State University, and St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

Based on their health services websites, a majority of the institutions appear to refer students off-campus for abortions instead of providing abortions on campus.

Vermont

Public universities and colleges in Vermont are required to provide students with access to abortion, under the Vermont Public Act 15 of 2023. 

Signed into law by (Republican) Governor Phil Scott on May 10, 2023, the Vermont law mandates that the University of Vermont and colleges within the Vermont State College system assist students in obtaining abortions, “including having in place equipment, protocols, patient educational materials, informational websites, and training for staff.”

The institutions may also provide abortions themselves.

Bottom Line:

Millions of state taxpayer dollars are potentially being directed towards the provision of the dangerous abortion pill to young students with very little medical supervision and even through “telehealth.” Students are ill-equipped to handle the normal effects of the abortion pill, let alone complications. Officials in the California public university systems expressed doubt that the universities themselves are equipped to handle the cases.

The abortion pill procedure, 'self-managed' by a woman without medical supervision or medical assistance, puts women at risk on their college campuses and in their dorm rooms. Live Action’s white paper, "The State of Chemical Abortion: A Mechanism of Death," extensively details the dangers surrounding the abortion pill, and the corruption.

Live Action and other pro-life organizations are calling on the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to immediately suspend the approval of mifepristone as an abortifacient and prohibit the distribution of abortion pills through mail-order services, and have asked U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche to side with pro-life state attorneys general currently suing the FDA over the dangerous abortion pill policies. 

Lethal for the unborn child, dangerous and potentially deadly for the mother, and costly to the taxpayer, the abortion pill's harms have serious repercussions on society.