The California legislature is in session and Democrats have already introduced over a dozen bills to fund, protect, and expand abortion in California.
Some of the pro-abortion bills introduced by the legislature during the 2023 legislative session so far:
AB 315 would allow lawsuits against pregnancy care centers and clinics for supposedly “false or misleading” statements. *As of May 18, this bill is dead for the year*
AB 352 would prohibit the release of data related to the commission of an abortion to other states’ law enforcement.
AB 571 would prohibit malpractice insurers from refusing to cover abortionists or charging more for plans that cover liability for damages arising from abortions.
AB 576 would require Medi-Cal to reimburse for chemical abortions at gestational ages beyond the FDA’s approved 10 weeks and to reimburse for chemical abortion regimens not approved by the FDA.
AB 583 would give grants to fund abortion doulas. *As of May 18, this bill is dead for the year*
AB 598 would mandate that California’s sex-ed curriculum include information about where students can get abortions locally. *As of July 15, this bill is dead for the year*
AB 602 would encourage lawsuits against pregnancy care centers and clinics for supposedly “false or misleading” statements.
AB 710 would create a public information campaign to smear pro-life pregnancy centers. *As of May 18, this bill is dead for the year*
AB 793 would hinder law enforcement attempting to collect digital evidence of illegal abortions.
AB 1194 would extend existing privacy protections to always include internet searches related to having an abortion.
AB 1432 would require that every health insurance policy for a California resident cover abortion.
AB 1707 would prohibit the Department of Consumer Affairs from considering licensees’ history of convictions of illegal abortions in other states.
AB 1720 would limit where ultrasounds can be performed, in order to hinder pregnancy centers.
SB 36 would prohibit the apprehension of fugitives in California who have violated other states’ abortion laws and prohibit witnesses of illegal abortions in other states from being compelled to testify. *As of May 18, this bill is dead for the year*
SB 345 would prohibit the medical board from considering a license applicant’s history of performing illegal abortions, would protect from legal prosecution those who assist remotely in illegal abortions in other states, and would replace the term “unborn child” in California laws with “fetus,” and would repeal California’s unenforced law that a parent of a minor must be notified before her abortion.
SB 385 would allow physician assistants to perform surgical abortions without supervision.
SB 487 would shield abortionists from enforcement of civil judgments after violating other states’ laws restricting abortions and would prohibit insurers from considering a client’s civil judgments due to violation of other states’ laws restricting abortions.
SB 729 would require insurers to cover in vitro fertilization for same sex couples and single people.
(The letters “AB” or “SB” at the beginning of a bill’s name refer to whether it started in the state Assembly or Senate.)
What can you do? You can visit your representatives’ offices, write them letters, call them, or email them. As the bills make their way through the approval process, every legislator will have the opportunity to vote on these bills - and some legislators will vote multiple times in various committees and a floor vote.
To find out who your state Assembly and state Senate representatives are, visit the legislature’s Find Your Rep page. (Then save their info in your contacts so you can easily call them!) The representatives recognize how much effort you put into contacting them, so an in-person visit is worth the most, while an email is worth the least - but it is worth more than no contact at all.
If you call your representative about a bill, the phone will be answered by a staff person and you need only say, “Hello, I’m calling to ask the Senator [or Assemblyman] to vote no on [bill number].” The staff person may ask a few questions and will then thank you for your call. That’s it, but your position will be noted and tallied.
Visit our Contact Elected Officials page for more ways to voice your opposition.
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