FAIRFAX, VA (Rocktown Now) — Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed a package of legislation aimed at protecting reproductive freedoms, expanding access to contraception, and reducing cost barriers for reproductive healthcare in Virginia on Thursday.

At the Turning Point Suffragist Memorial, Spanberger signed the Right to Contraception Act and the Contraception Equity Act which are measures that guarantee Virginians’ right to obtain and use contraceptives and require health insurance plans to cover contraception, including certain over-the-counter options.

The Right to Contraception Act prohibits state and local governments from enacting or enforcing laws that restrict access to contraceptives, including emergency contraception and intrauterine devices (IUDs). The legislation had previously been vetoed by former Governor Glenn Youngkin.

Spanberger said the new laws ensure reproductive healthcare decisions remain with individuals rather than government officials, adding that Virginia remains the only Southern state that has not imposed additional restrictions on reproductive healthcare following the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade.

The governor was joined at the signing ceremony by Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi, Congressman Eugene Vindman, and bill patrons Jennifer Carroll Foy, Marcia Price, and Josh Thomas, along with reproductive rights advocates from across the Commonwealth.

Supporters of the legislation said the measures will help protect access to contraception while making reproductive healthcare more affordable for Virginians.