Golden State Today

OAKLAND — On June 24, on the first anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade, Attorney General Rob Bonta reminded Californians about the range of abortion rights and protections that safeguard their access to reproductive care. Despite the court’s decision, California remains a safe haven for all those seeking, providing, or assisting with abortions. Attorney General Bonta today highlighted California’s strong reproductive freedom laws, provided information on residents’ options for free or low-cost birth control, shared tips on protecting their privacy, and warned them against being misled by crisis pregnancy centers.

“One year after a radical Supreme Court decision put millions of lives in danger by overturning Roe v. Wade, California remains at the forefront of the fight for reproductive rights,” said Attorney General Bonta. “As anti-abortion extremists try to regulate people’s bodies and deny pregnant people choice, we work to empower them. At the California Department of Justice, we’ve sponsored legislation, issued consumer and legal alerts, brought together task forces and coalitions, defended our laws in court, fought for access to medication abortion, and protected patients and providers from harassment and violence. The battle is not yet over, but I promise you this: California will not waver or back down in its fight to protect reproductive freedom.”

A year ago, on June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court dismantled 50 years of precedent by erasing Americans’ constitutional right to abortion in its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The decision unleashed a slew of anti-abortion legislation in many states and sparked attacks on reproductive freedoms nationwide.

California, however, moved equally swiftly to safeguard abortion rights and protect and expand access to reproductive care through a comprehensive slate of legislation:

• SCA10 (Atkins), affirmed by the people of California as Proposition 1, reaffirmed our state constitutional protections for the right to choose an abortion.
• AB 1242 (Bauer-Kahan), sponsored by Attorney General Bonta, ensured that law enforcement and the tech industry do not cooperate with other states’ efforts to criminalize abortion care.
• AB 1666 (Bauer-Kahan) barred enforcement of out-of-state civil anti-abortion actions against anyone who receives or seeks, performs or induces, or aids someone in obtaining an abortion.
• AB 2091 (Bonta) protected abortion records in California from access by out-of-state law enforcement agencies and other third-parties.
• AB 2626 (Calderon) prohibited licensing boards from suspending, revoking, or denying a healthcare provider’s license solely for performing an abortion that is lawful in California in accordance with the licensee’s practice act.
• AB 2223 (Wicks) ensured that no one in California will be investigated, prosecuted, or incarcerated for ending their pregnancy or experiencing pregnancy loss.
• Executive Order N-12-22, (signed by Governor Newsom), prohibited California law enforcement from cooperating with out-of-state agencies to extradite anyone seeking, providing, or assisting with access to reproductive healthcare services, including abortion, in California.

All of the above protections were passed and became law. A year after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, they remain firmly in place, ensuring that abortion remains safe, legal, and accessible in California. A full list of Californians’ abortion-related rights can be found here.

While the right to seek an abortion remains fully protected in California, people who seek reproductive care across state borders should be wary of the sensitive data or information they share through their online and offline activities. This data can be accessed and weaponized against them by agencies from anti-abortion states. To best protect your reproductive privacy:

• Be careful who you talk to about your search for abortion care.
• Keep your internet searches and online activity private.
• Turn off location sharing on your phone and mobile device.
• Keep your email, text, voice, and social media messages private.
• Pay for abortion-related care in cash or with a prepaid card, if possible.

More detailed tips and guidelines on protecting your digital privacy can be found here.

While seeking help and information about abortion care, Californians should do their research before approaching a crisis pregnancy center (CPC). Some CPCs have been reported to mislead and misinform pregnant people in an attempt to discourage them from accessing abortion care.

Trustworthy sources for accurate information include:

• California Abortion Access, which is a safe space to access detailed guidance and resources on abortions. California protects the privacy of those who visit this website, and their information is not saved or tracked.
• ACCESS Reproductive Justice, which connects people to free and low-cost programs that pay for reproductive healthcare for people living in, traveling to, or traveling from California to receive an out-of-state abortion.
• Women’s Reproductive Rights Assistance Project, which provides direct and logistical support, transportation assistance, abortion appointment navigation, and other resources.
• The National Abortion Federation, which maintains a list of abortion providers.

More information on crisis pregnancy centers can be found here.

Besides access to abortion care, Californians also have the right to access free or low-cost birth control. This applies to all residents, regardless of immigration status or age.

• For those who have health insurance through an employer, most plans cover up to a 12-month supply of FDA-approved birth control, including the ring, patch, or oral birth control pills, dispensed at one time, for free.
• Those on Medi-Cal or who have low income may be entitled to free birth control through any Medi-Cal provider or through the Family Planning, Access, Care, and Treatment Plan (Family PACT) program.
• Those who do not have health insurance or do not use it can still obtain, for cost, self-administered hormonal birth control from a pharmacist, without a prescription. To locate a participating pharmacist in your area visit birthcontrolpharmacies.com.

More details on Californians’ right to free or low-cost birth control can be found here.

Supporting, defending, and expanding access to abortion and all other health care remains a top priority for Attorney General Bonta. More information on the Attorney General’s fight for reproductive freedom can be found here.

Original source can be found here.