Washington Governor Bob Ferguson signed Senate Bill 5917 into law on Saturday, authorizing the state to distribute mifepristone from its stockpile without charging recipients. The legislation removes the previous requirement that the state receive payment for the pills and directs the Department of Corrections to coordinate with the Department of Health to identify recipients.

The law comes after the Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade, prompting Democrat-led states like Washington to stockpile abortion drugs, including mifepristone and misoprostol. Former Governor Jay Inslee authorized the state to purchase 30,000 doses of mifepristone in 2023 for $1.275 million, citing concerns that future federal restrictions could limit access.

Earlier this year, Washington returned 30,000 expiring doses to the manufacturer, as the state previously had to sell pills at purchase price plus a small fee. A smaller misoprostol stockpile that expired in February was reportedly destroyed. Supporters of the new law say it will help prevent additional doses from going to waste and make the state’s supply more accessible.

The state also holds 17,600 doses of mifepristone purchased in early 2025, which do not expire until late 2028 and 2029. The supplier agreed to replace any unused expired doses at no cost.

Republican lawmakers criticized the bill as fiscally irresponsible and said it effectively turns Washington into a distributor of abortion drugs. The measure passed largely along party lines, with two Republicans, Senators Paul Harris and Ron Muzzall, joining Democrats in support.