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. Existing law authorizes a pharmacist to, among other things, furnish self-administered hormonal contraceptives and emergency contraception drug therapy pursuant to specified standardized procedures or protocols and requires a pharmacist to provide the recipient of the drug with a factsheet, as specified. Existing law authorizes a pharmacist to furnish a 12-month supply of federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) -approved, self-administered hormonal contraceptive at a patient's request under protocols developed by the board.
This bill would expand these authorizations to include self-administered FDA-approved nonhormonal contraceptives. The bill would make related conforming changes.
Existing law prohibits a health care licentiate from obstructing a patient in obtaining a prescription drug or device that has been legally prescribed or ordered for that patient and requires a licentiate to dispense drugs and devices pursuant to a lawful order or prescription, except under specified circumstances. Existing law applies these provisions to emergency contraception drug therapy and self-administered hormonal contraceptives.
This bill would also apply these provisions to self-administered FDA-approved nonhormonal contraceptives.

Statutes affected:
AB 968: 312.5 VEH
02/20/25 - Introduced: 312.5 VEH
04/07/25 - Amended Assembly: 733 BPC, 733 BPC, 2242.2 BPC, 2242.2 BPC, 4052 BPC, 4052 BPC, 4052.3 BPC, 4052.3 BPC, 4064.5 BPC, 4064.5 BPC, 312.5 VEH