California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed nine bills expanding and protecting abortion into law, furthering the state’s status as an abortion destination.
In a press release, Newsom announced the package. “Radical politicians continue their all out assault on women’s health care with dangerous and deadly consequences,” he said. “The right to an abortion is enshrined in California’s constitution. We will continue to protect women and health care workers who are seeking and providing basic care.”
Three of the bills involve protections for abortionists; SB 345 shields abortionists when they violate laws protecting preborn children from abortion in pro-life states, SB 487 provides “additional safeguards” for abortionists to participate in the Medi-Cal program, and AB 1707 protects abortionists and abortion facilities from licensing actions in other states. Abortionists who send abortion pills into pro-life states from California are also protected.
Other bills further protect and expand abortion, such as allowing physician assistants to commit abortions, and mandating that insurance companies cannot refuse to provide malpractice coverage due to someone’s status as an abortionist.
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The California Future of Abortion Council applauded the package.
“As more states enact extreme and harmful abortion restrictions, California continues to lead the way in pioneering innovative policies to protect and expand access to the full spectrum of sexual and reproductive health care,” the group said in a statement included in Newsom’s press release. “The bills signed today not only strengthen legal protections for people seeking or providing abortion and gender-affirming care but include crucial reforms to improve accessibility and affordability of services for all who need them. We thank the Governor, as well as the bill authors and Legislative Women’s Caucus, for exemplifying the kind of leadership we need as we continue the work to make California a reproductive freedom state.”
Newsom has earned a reputation as one of the most pro-abortion politicians in the country. For example, he has required abortion to be committed on all 11 University of California campuses and 23 California State University campuses, and declared that he wants California to be seen as an abortion haven. These bills are another sign of how his goal of California as an abortion sanctuary is becoming a reality.
