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HB 3709

HIGHER ED-STUDENT HLTH SERVICE

104th Regular Session Introduced by Dee Avelar and 34 co-sponsors

Public colleges in Illinois must ensure enrolled students have on-campus access to contraception and medication abortion starting 2025–2026, including on-site or telehealth options

Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0433
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Bill Summary · HB 3709

Summary — HB 3709 / Public Act 104-0433

Status: Enacted as Public Act 104-0433 (approved by Governor 08/22/2025; effective upon becoming law)

Main purpose

HB 3709 amends the Public Higher Education Act to require public institutions of higher education in Illinois that operate student health services to ensure enrolled students have on‑campus access to (1) prescribed contraception and (2) medication abortion beginning in the 2025–2026 academic year. The law also requires institutions to provide public information and annual reporting on these policies.

Key provisions

  • Definitions added/clarified (Section 5): includes definitions for “contraception,” “emergency contraception,” “medication abortion,” “student health services,” and “wellness kiosk” (wellness kiosks must include discounted emergency contraception).
  • New Section 19 — Medication contraception availability on campus:
    • Beginning 2025–2026, each public institution with student health services must provide enrolled students access to one or more health care professionals whose scopes of practice collectively authorize them under Illinois law to prescribe and dispense contraception (including medication and procedural methods).
    • Services may be provided via student health centers, telehealth, or external licensed providers.
    • If the campus student health services includes a pharmacy, that campus pharmacy must dispense contraception to students who elect to fill prescriptions there; students may instead use third‑party pharmacies.
    • Institutions must post information on how students can access contraception on the student health services website.
    • Institutions must report annually to the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) that policies have been adopted; IBHE will post institutional compliance annually on its website.

  • New Section 20 — Medication abortion availability on campus:

    • Beginning 2025–2026, each public institution with student health services must provide access to one or more health care professionals authorized to prescribe medication abortion; services may be offered through student health, telehealth, or external providers.
    • If the student health services includes an on‑campus pharmacy, the institution must make medication abortion available at a physical campus location (campus pharmacy, student health center via licensed provider, or another similar on‑campus location). Students remain free to fill prescriptions at third‑party pharmacies.
    • Institutions that dispense medication abortion from a university pharmacy must enter into a referral agreement with a tertiary care facility with obstetrics and gynecological services to address complications or suspected complicated pregnancies prior to dispensing.
    • Institutions must publish information online about accessing medication abortion and report annually to IBHE; IBHE will post compliance status annually.

  • Severability clause included.

Who is affected

  • Public institutions of higher education in Illinois that operate student health services — e.g., state universities and public community colleges listed in the Act.
  • Enrolled students at those institutions (gain expanded on‑campus access to contraception and medication abortion).
  • Campus health centers, campus pharmacies, telehealth providers, and tertiary care facilities (for required referral agreements).

Timeline and procedural notes

  • Operational compliance required beginning with the 2025–2026 school year.
  • Annual institutional reporting to the Board of Higher Education; the Board will publish compliance status each year.
  • Became Public Act 104-0433 on 08/22/2025.

Practical implications

  • Institutions may need to contract or hire licensed prescribers, expand telehealth partnerships, stock medications at campus pharmacies, and execute referral agreements with tertiary obstetrics/gynecology providers.
  • The Act does not appropriate funds; implementation costs (staffing, medication procurement, pharmacy operations, legal/contracting) are not specified in the text.
  • Students retain choice to fill prescriptions at external pharmacies.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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