Alaska governor vetoes bill requiring insurance cover a year of birth control at a time

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has vetoed a bipartisan bill that would have forced insurance companies to cover up to a year’s supply of birth control at a time. Supporters say the measure would have been especially important in providing access in rural areas. Dunleavy spokesperson Jeff Turner says the Republican governor vetoed the bill Wednesday because “contraceptives are widely available.” The measure overwhelmingly passed the state Legislature this year: 29-11 in the Republican-controlled House and 16-3 in the Senate, which has bipartisan leadership. Supporters of the bill say the veto would keep barriers in place that make it difficult to access birth control in much of the state, including villages only accessible by plane.