Expedited Partner Therapy

Kansas became the latest state to explicitly permit expedited partner therapy (EPT) after Governor Laura Kelly (D) signed HB2250 into law, which included EPT authorization alongside other public health policy measures. EPT allows partners of patients diagnosed with an STI to receive treatment without being directly examined by a provider. As of 2026, nearly all states have laws outlining EPT rules, with Kansas joining as the 49th to formally regulate the process. While no adverse outcomes to EPT have been reported, the bill does include provisions that legally protect providers who prescribe EPT from civil liability—a strategy researchers argue strengthens EPT laws by empowering prescribers with legal protection. In addition, Kansas’ new law grants the state’s health secretary the authority to amend and adopt rules under the state’s reportable infectious disease statute when defining which STIs can be treated with EPT.

Contraception Regulations

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger (D) expanded birth control access for residents of the Commonwealth on April 12 when she signed the Right to Contraception Act into law. The bill establishes the right to contraception and allows people to sue if that right is violated. While a similar version of the legislation advanced in a previous session, it was vetoed by the state’s former governor, Glenn Youngkin (R). In addition, Gov. Spanberger also signed the Contraception Equity Act, which requires health insurance carriers to cover prescription and over-the-counter birth control options without cost-sharing. After receiving the legislation, the governor sent the bill back to the Senate with minor technical amendments, which the Senate and House both concurred to on April 22 and sent back to her for final approval.

In addition to Virginia’s new protections, Maine policymakers have created one of the first birth control safety net programs in the country. Members of the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee introduced an amendment to the state’s joint budget bill to add $5 million annually for reproductive health care providers who offer infertility treatment, contraceptive care, and STI testing and treatment. Governor Janet Mills (D) signed the budget bill into law on April 10.

Funding for contraceptive care has been a continuous policy debate in Maine after federal action in HR1, the landmark 2025 domestic spending bill, blocked certain providers from continuing to receive Medicaid reimbursements. This loss in federal funding uniquely impacted Maine Family Clinics, a statewide network of family planning services. The organization was one of several who advocated for support in the face of federal funding gaps after shutting down three primary care clinics last fall.

STI Prevention and Control

Delaware lawmakers may soon decide to revamp their existing STI prevention and control act by modernizing language and eliminating certain provisions. HB346, sponsored by Representative Eric Morrison (D – Newark), would formally equate “STD” with “STI” in statute, reflecting the more accurate, less stigmatizing acronym used to denote both symptomatic and asymptomatic infections. It would also remove the ability for the health department to quarantine individuals who are diagnosed with STIs or bring diagnosed patients to court as “imminent threats” for legal action. Moreover, the bill would redefine the way the state regulates disease intervention specialists by repealing a section that permits individuals without a medical license to draw blood for testing.

Members of the Health and Human Development Committee advanced the measure on April 22, and it will now move to the House floor for debate.

In addition to the changes listed, the bill would also modify how the state regulates prenatal syphilis screening. Current Delaware law requires providers to test a pregnant patient for syphilis and other STIs at both the first prenatal visit and in the third trimester. The new language would expand these requirements by codifying testing recommendations from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), who started recommending universal screening three times during pregnancy in 2024. However, the bill also explicitly outlines that any patient can refuse to be tested and that the provider must document they have counseled the individual on the risks of not testing.