HB1335 requires Colorado institutions of higher education that operate student health centers to provide students access to abortion medication beginning August 1, 2027. The bill defines abortion medication broadly as prescription drugs used to terminate a pregnancy and applies to state, local district, private, and participating private institutions. It allows access to be provided through an on-site pharmacy or other outlet, through a licensed provider at the student health center, through telehealth, or by referral/fill at an off-campus outlet, depending on the institution’s setup.
The bill also includes privacy and operational protections. It bars institutions from knowingly disclosing personally identifiable student records, billing information, or precise location data related to legally protected health-care activity in response to requests from other states seeking to impose liability, subject to federal law and valid Colorado court orders. It further prohibits professional liability insurers from penalizing institutions for complying with the law. At the same time, the bill preserves limits for federal law, court orders, sincerely held religious beliefs, federal grant participation, billing practices, and clinical referrals.
In practical terms, the bill would add a new section to Colorado law governing higher education institutions and student health centers, creating an affirmative duty to ensure abortion medication access on campus for enrolled students. It would affect campus health clinics, on-site pharmacies or drug outlets, health-care providers working at those centers, insurers, and institutions that receive federal funding or have religious objections. The measure is framed as a reproductive-health access and privacy bill rather than a broader abortion regulation bill.
The voting history suggests the bill was supported but contested. It advanced through the House and Senate with majority support, but several votes were close or divided, including failed amendment attempts in House Education and a split Senate committee vote. The general sentiment in the bill text is strongly supportive of abortion access, gender equality, and student health access, while the recorded votes indicate meaningful opposition, likely centered on abortion policy, institutional autonomy, religious exemptions, and compliance burdens for colleges and campus health centers.
The main points of contention appear to be whether the state should require colleges to stock or dispense abortion medication, how far privacy protections should go when other states seek records, and how the bill should accommodate religious institutions and federal-law constraints. Supporters appear to view the bill as a reproductive-rights and student-health measure, while opponents likely object to mandated provision of abortion medication on campus and the potential conflict with institutional policies or religious beliefs.
The bill would create a new statutory requirement in Title 23 for institutions of higher education that operate student health centers to provide access to abortion medication, effective August 1, 2027. It would also impose confidentiality restrictions on disclosure of student records and location data tied to legally protected health-care activity, and it would protect institutions from insurance retaliation for complying. The measure would affect campus health centers, affiliated pharmacies or outlets, health-care providers, insurers, and students at public and private colleges and universities in Colorado.
Overall sentiment appears supportive among the bill’s sponsors and legislative majorities, with the bill advancing through both chambers. The bill text itself is strongly pro-access and grounded in reproductive-rights and equality findings. However, the recorded votes show notable opposition and some failed amendments, indicating the measure was controversial and not universally supported. The debate likely reflected broader disagreement over abortion access, campus implementation, and exemptions for religious or federally constrained institutions.
The main contention is whether Colorado should require colleges with student health centers to provide abortion medication on campus or through affiliated services. Opponents likely focused on religious exemptions, institutional autonomy, federal funding risks, and whether the state should mandate participation in abortion-related care. Another point of contention is the bill’s privacy provision limiting disclosure of records and location data to other states, which may raise concerns about interstate cooperation and legal compliance. Supporters, by contrast, emphasize reproductive health access, gender equality, and student privacy.