(Sacramento, CA) – The California Coalition for Reproductive Freedom (CCRF) and the Future of Abortion (FAB) Council Steering Committee today called on Governor Gavin Newsom to sign the remaining 24 bills from the 2024 Reproductive Freedom Legislative Package into law. This set of bills is critical to advancing reproductive health, rights, and justice throughout the state.
For the past three years, CCRF and the FAB Council have partnered with the Governor and legislative leaders to enact groundbreaking policy and budget measures in response to the fallout from the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson, which overturned Roe v. Wade. These legislative actions have protected patients and providers, expanded equitable and affordable access to abortion care, and safeguarded the reproductive health of Californians, as well as people traveling from states where abortion is banned or restricted.
"As reproductive rights continue to face unprecedented attacks nationwide, it is essential that California upholds its legacy as a beacon of reproductive freedom," said Sylvia Castillo, Executive Director of the California Coalition for Reproductive Freedom. "By embracing a Reproductive Justice framework, first coined by SisterSong, we can dismantle systemic barriers and ensure reproductive freedom for all Californians, particularly marginalized communities."
The Reproductive Freedom Legislative Package, originally consisting of 35 bills, was developed to:
Protect and expand equitable access to abortion services and related care
Increase patient access to sexual and reproductive health services
Reduce disparities in maternal health outcomes
Support the reproductive health workforce and improve clinic infrastructure
Enhance reproductive health equity
Address the needs and well-being of families
With two bills already signed by the Governor, the remaining 24 bills stand as the final step in ensuring that California continues to lead in reproductive health policy. These bills are designed to be responsive to the needs of historically underserved communities, including people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, low-income populations, youth, rural residents, people with disabilities, and those who are incarcerated.
“Governor Newsom, your leadership has been instrumental in protecting reproductive rights during this critical time. We are proud of the work we have accomplished together, and we urge you to sign the remaining bills to continue making California a Reproductive Freedom State,” continued Castillo.
About CCRF
The California Coalition for Reproductive Freedom (CCRF) is a statewide alliance of organizations dedicated to advancing sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice through education, advocacy, and policy work.
About the FAB Council
The Future of Abortion (FAB) Council was established to provide leadership and policy recommendations in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The FAB Council’s mission is to safeguard and expand access to abortion care for all Californians and those seeking refuge in the state. In 2024, the FAB Council was incorporated as a special project of CCRF.
Learn more about the individual bills:
Protecting and Expanding Equitable Access to Abortion Services and Related Care
These bills address recommendations made by the Future of Abortion Council.
AB 2085 (Bauer-Kahan) Planning and Zoning: Ministerial Approval: Community Clinic
Summary: Would streamline the clinic permitting process and improve enforcement of constitutionally protected access to care.
AB 2099 (Bauer-Kahan and McCarty) Crimes: reproductive health service*
Summary: Would update the penalties for the FACE Act to protect reproductive health care clinics.
AB 2339 (Aguiar-Curry) Medi-Cal: telehealth
Summary: Would require Medi-Cal to cover asynchronous telehealth services and address barriers to accessing care via mobile apps and other asynchronous modalities.
AB 2490 (Petrie-Norris) Reproductive Health Emergency Preparedness Program
Summary: Would establish the Reproductive Health Emergency Preparedness Program (RHEPP) for the purpose of expanding and improving access to reproductive and sexual health care – including treatment for pregnancy loss and miscarriage, and abortion care – in emergency departments across the state.
AB 2670 (Schiavo and Holden) Awareness campaign: abortion services
Summary: Would require the Department of Public Health to develop an awareness campaign to publicize the internet website “abortion.ca.gov.”
SB 233 (Skinner and Aguiar-Curry) Expediting Authority for Arizona Abortion Providers to Offer Care in CA - Signed
Summary: Would temporarily allow licensed Arizona doctors to provide abortion and related care to Arizona patients traveling to California through November 30, 2024.
Increasing Patient Access to Sexual + Reproductive Health Care Services and Resources
AB 2129 (Petrie-Norris) Immediate postpartum contraception
Summary: Would require commercial health plans to cover the cost of immediate postpartum contraception provided in hospital and accredited birth center settings as a separate payment from the standard global OB code payment
AB 2258 (Zbur) Health care coverage: cost sharing
Summary: Would codify ACA provisions requiring health coverage of preventive services without cost sharing into state statute.
AB 2843 (Petrie-Norris) Health care coverage: rape and sexual assault
Summary: Would require coverage without cost-sharing for medical care and treatment received following a rape or sexual assault.
SB 729 (Menjivar) Health care coverage: treatment for infertility and fertility services
Summary: Would provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of infertility and fertility services.
SB 954 (Menjivar) Youth Health Equity + Safety Act
Summary: Would expand youth access to condoms in schools and communities
SB 1131 (Gonzalez) Family PACT Program
Summary: Would improve and streamline the ability for providers to become Family PACT providers and deliver family planning services to Californians.
Reducing Disparities in Maternal Health Outcomes and Seeking Justice for Pregnant People
AB 1895 (Weber) Public health: maternity ward closures
Summary: Would stem the tide of hospitals closing their labor and delivery wards by requiring community impact assessments and the opportunity for public input prior to any closure.
AB 2319 (Wilson and Weber) California Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act
Summary: Would strengthen the Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act, which requires implicit bias training for perinatal providers, by adding accountability measures.
AB 2527 (Bauer-Kahan) Incarceration: pregnant persons
Summary: Would improve conditions for incarcerated pregnant people by requiring at least 120 ounces of clean water, access to high-quality meals, and limit pregnant people’s placement in solitary confinement.
Supporting the Reproductive Health Workforce + Improving Clinic Infrastructure
AB 2250 (Weber) Social determinants of health: screening and outreach
Summary: Seeks to make social determinants of health screenings a covered benefit for Medi-Cal beneficiaries.
AB 2442 (Zbur) Healing arts: expedited licensure process for gender-affirming health and mental health care
Summary: Would require specific boards to expedite the licensure process for applicants demonstrating that they intend to provide gender-affirming health care and gender-affirming mental health care.
AB 3129 (Wood) Health care system consolidation
Summary: Would authorize the Attorney General oversight of the relationship between private equity/ corporate entities and health care providers. AB 3129 would protect health care access, availability, choice, cost, and quality for California communities across the state.
Improving Reproductive Health Equity
AB 1810 (Bryan and Bonta) Incarcerated persons: menstrual products
Summary: Would allow incarcerated people to access menstrual supplies without submitting a request.
AB 1955 (Cervantes, Jackson, Lee, Low, Zbur) Support Academic Futures & Educators for Today’s Youth Act - Signed
Summary: Would strengthen existing CA protections against forced outings of LGBTQ+ students in schools.
AB 2229 (Wilson) California Healthy Youth Act: menstrual health education
Summary: Intends to revise the current sexual health curriculum to add the definition of “Menstrual Health” and require the inclusion of information regarding menstrual cycles, menstrual disorders and irregularities, menopause, menstrual stigma, and any other relevant topics related to the menstrual cycle.
AB 2515 (Papan) Menstrual products: perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
Summary: Intends to reduce hazardous chemicals contained in menstrual products.
AB 3161 (Bonta) Health and care facilities: patient safety and antidiscrimination
Summary: Seeks to address racial bias in healthcare by, among other things, requiring healthcare facilities to report patient demographics when reporting patient safety events to CDPH and require hospital patient safety plans to include specified methods to address racism and discrimination in healthcare.
Supporting the Needs and Well-being of Families
AB 2123 (Papan) Disability compensation: paid family leave
Summary: Would allow employees to access benefits under California’s Paid Family Leave Program without having to first use accrued vacation time.
AB 2263 (Friedman) The California Guaranteed Income Study and Funding Act
Summary: Proposes a study to assess departmental infrastructure, funding strategies, and target populations for a statewide Guaranteed Income program. The study will be led by a newly formed Coordinating Council.
SB 1090 (Durazo) Unemployment insurance: disability and paid family leave: claim administration
Summary: Would allow employees to apply for Paid Family Leave and State Disability Insurance up to 30 days before the leave period begins so they can get confirmation of their eligibility and benefit in advance.
Comments