After a month of fearing Roe v. Wade would never live to see its 50th anniversary, the Supreme Court ruled as expected and chose to overturn the landmark ruling. Abortion access remains under threat for every person in the United States, and the fight is far from over.
California maintains the commitment to protecting and strengthening access to reproductive health care services so that every person has access to a safe abortion. Read our list below to see what legislation has passed and what actions are currently pending to help protect reproductive rights.
Bills
- AB 133 and SB 245 – Authored by the Budget Committee and Senator Lena Gonzalez respectively, these two bills eliminate deductibles for abortion services, thereby ensuring cost is not a barrier to accessing abortion services. 2021-22, both enacted into law.
- AB 1356 – Authored by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, AB 1356 creates new crimes under the California Freedom of Access to Clinic Act directed at videotaping, photographing, or recording patients or providers within 100 feet of the facility or disclosing or distributing those images; makes violent or repeated offenses punishable as felonies; and updates and expands online privacy laws and peace officer training relative to anti-reproduction-rights crimes. 2021-22, enacted into law.
- AB 1666 – Authored by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, this bill prohibits the enforcement of out-of-state fetal heartbeat abortion restriction laws in California. 2021-22, pending on Senate Floor.
- AB 1918 – Authored by Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, this bill establishes the California Reproductive Health Service Corps (RHSC) within the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) to recruit, train, and retain a diverse workforce of reproductive health care professionals to work in underserved areas. 2021-22, pending in Senate Health Committee.
- AB 2091 – Authored by Assemblymember Mia Bonta. AB 2091 prohibits health plans from releasing medical information related to an individual seeking or obtaining an abortion in response to a subpoena or a request if that subpoena or request is based on either another state’s laws that interfere with a person’s rights to choose or obtain an abortion or a foreign penal civil action. 2021-22, pending in Senate Health Committee.
- AB 2134 – Authored by Assemblymembers Dr. Akilah Weber and Cristina Garcia, this bill establishes a Medi-Cal program to ensure abortion and contraception services are affordable and accessible to all patients and to provide financial support for safety net providers of these services. 2021-22, pending in Senate Health Committee.
- AB 2223 – Authored by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, AB 2223 deletes the requirement that a coroner hold inquests for deaths related to or following known or suspected self-induced or criminal abortion and the requirement that an unattended fetal death be treated as a death without medical attendance. This bill does not promote infanticide and instead strives to protect individuals from prosecution for pregnancy-related outcomes. 2021-22, pending in Senate Health Committee.
- AB 2626 – Authored by Assemblymember Lisa Calderon. This bill prohibits health care professional licensure boards in California from suspending or revoking the license of a health practitioner for performing an abortion so long as they performed in accordance with state law. 2021-22, pending in Senate Health Committee.
- SB 374 – Authored by Senator Dave Min, SB 374 names reproductive coercion as a form of domestic violence for which a restraining order may be granted under the Domestic Violence Protection Act. 2021-22, enacted into law.
In addition, I encourage you to get involved in the fight to expand access and promote awareness. I hope the resources below will prove useful.
National Abortion Federation
Unite and support abortion providers in delivering safe, patient-centered care.
1090 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20005
naf@prochoice.org
(202) 667-5881
Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California
Create a safe climate in which all persons have universal access to reproductive health services.
Find a Planned Parenthood near you!
NARAL Pro-Choice America
Protect reproductive freedom by fighting for access to abortion care, birth control, paid parental leave, and protections from pregnancy discrimination.
1725 Eye Street, NW Suite 900
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 973-3000