Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California Statement on Historic Bill Package Protecting and Expanding Sexual and Reproductive Health Care

August 31, 2022
Brandon Richards, Director of Communications
[email protected]

 

Entire PPAC Sponsored Legislative Package Moves to Governor’s Desk

SACRAMENTO — Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California (PPAC) released the following statement from Legislative Director Molly Robson regarding the eight remaining bills of the PPAC sponsored legislative package receiving successful floor votes in the second legislative chamber and moving to the Governor’s desk for signature:

“As California leaders continue their steadfast response to the overturning of Roe v Wade, passing this critical legislative package once again demonstrates their commitment to not just protecting access to sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion, but expanding it. These bills, along with the historic investment in sexual and reproductive health care, ensures our state remains a ‘Reproductive Freedom state’ at a time of national crisis.

“As more states pass hostile and extreme bans, California has taken a holistic response not seen anywhere else. Knowing bans are limiting access for millions already, with more on the horizon, it is imperative Governor Newsom takes swift action by signing the entire bill package – and the additional bills supported by the California Future of Abortion Council – in order to continue California’s response to the abortion crisis and ensure residents, and people forced to seek care here, are able to access abortion care when they want or need it.

“Additionally, the crucial protections for gender-affirming care and expansion of telehealth medicine included in this legislative package come as trans youth, their families, and patients across the country look for health care they want or need under growing threats to other essential health care.

“This bold legislative package can serve as a blueprint for many other states seeking to take proactive action and we call on Governor Newsom to take decisive action by signing this full package into law. California must continue to meet this moment and it can with these bills.”

 

LEGISLATION HEADED TO THE GOVERNOR FOR SIGNATURE:

AB 32 (Aguiar-Curry): Improves patient access to health care by establishing telehealth flexibilities, including allowing some new patients to be established via synchronous telehealth modalities, improving patient access to care, and making telehealth flexibilities from the public health emergency permanent.

• Included in the budget was DHCS’ policy for telehealth beyond the Public Health emergency with respect to Medi-Cal.

AB 2091 (Bonta): Enhances privacy protections for medical records related to abortion care against disclosures to law enforcement and out-of-state third parties seeking to enforce hostile abortion bans in other states.

• Has an urgency clause and would go into effect immediately upon signature by Governor Gavin Newsom

AB 2134 (Weber): Establishes the “California Reproductive Health Equity Program” which will provide grants to providers who provide uncompensated care to patients with low-incomes and those who face other financial barriers to accessing abortion and contraception.

• Funding included in the budget signed in June by Governor Newsom.

AB 2205 (Carrillo): Requires the qualified health plans under Covered California to report annually to the Department of Insurance and Department of Managed Health Care the total amounts of funds collected in the segregated accounts (established under the ACA to hold premium payment of $1 per member per month and from which claims for abortions must be paid) to determine the funds currently in those accounts and how much is being used each year to pay claims.

AB 2223 (Wicks): Ensures that no one in California will be investigated, prosecuted, or incarcerated for ending a pregnancy or experiencing pregnancy loss.

SB 107 (Wiener): Protects trans youth, their parents, and providers for seeking or providing gender-affirming care in California and provides refuge from anti-trans, hostile states and their laws.

SB 1142 (Skinner & Caballero): Creates an “Abortion Information Webpage” with comprehensive information regarding accessing abortion services in California, to provide patients one point of entry to connect with the nearest and most accessible abortion provider, obtain information about coverage or financial support for care, and logistical assistance and resources for travel, lodging, or other needs.

• Funding included in the budget signed in June by Governor Newsom and revised in Senate Bill 121 & Assembly Bill 204 to create the “Abortion Support Fund” to provide grants to California organizations that assist patients in overcoming barriers to abortion through direct practical and logistical support.

SB 1245 (Kamlager): Establishes the Los Angeles County Reproductive Safe Haven Pilot Project to support innovative approaches and patient-centered collaborations to safeguard patient access to abortions, regardless of residency.

• Funding included in the budget signed in June by Governor Newsom and revised in Senate Bill 179 & Assembly Bill 179.

LEGISLATION ALREADY SIGNED INTO LAW/PASSED THIS YEAR:

AB 1666 (Bauer-Kahan): Protects patients and providers in California from civil liability judgments for providing reproductive health care to patients when the claims are based on laws in other states that are hostile to abortion rights and are contrary to the public policy of California.

• Signed into law by Governor Newsom on June 24, 2022, and went into effect immediately due to the urgency clause it contained

SB 245 (Gonzalez): Remove cost-sharing for abortion services, eliminating co-pays and co-insurance in commercial insurance for abortion.

• Signed into law by Governor Newsom in May of 2022 and goes into effect January 1, 2023.

SCA 10 (Atkins & Rendon): Amends the state constitution to explicitly protect access to abortion and contraception.

• Successfully passed the CA Assembly and CA Senate in June and will be on the ballot this November as Proposition 1

 

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Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California (PPAC) is the state public policy office representing California’s seven separately incorporated Planned Parenthood affiliates. Through advocacy and electoral action, PPAC promotes sound public policy in areas of sexual and reproductive health care and sex education.