Vending Machine Emergency Contraceptives on College Campuses

College can be one of the most exciting times in a young person’s life. They are leaving home, often for the first time, and venturing off to learn who they might become as adults. It is also a frightening time for both the students and their parents as these young adults test their independence. It is not uncommon to hear about students from loving Christian homes that find themselves in a predicament because they were unprepared to deal with the peer pressures of alcohol, drugs, or sex on the college campus. Despite these students’ stress, the Illinois General Assembly would like to make matters worse by mandating that all public college campuses offer emergency contraception in vending machines.

Sponsored by State Representative Barbara Hernandez (D-Aurora), HB 4247 requires all Illinois public colleges and universities to provide emergency contraceptives in an easily accessed vending machine. Each of the schools would have to provide at least one of the machines somewhere on their campus. Students would not be required to see a physician or obtain a prescription to use the vending machine drugs.