Golden State Today

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has announced a legal victory following the Kern County Superior Court's decision to reject a lawsuit by anti-abortion activists. The suit challenged Senate Bill 245, known as the Abortion Accessibility Act, which mandates that abortion services be covered without copays or deductibles.

Attorney General Bonta stated, "The ability to access safe and timely abortion services without financial barriers is vital for those seeking abortion care. The Abortion Accessibility Act does just that by ensuring that personal medical decisions are left to individuals and their doctors, not dictated by financial constraints." He expressed satisfaction with the court's ruling, emphasizing its role in ensuring equitable access to abortion healthcare and supporting the dignity and autonomy of Californians.

The Abortion Accessibility Act requires health care service plans licensed in California and certain insurance policies issued after 2023 to cover abortion services without cost-sharing requirements. Before this act, individuals with private health insurance often faced significant financial burdens due to deductibles and copays for abortion care.

In their lawsuit, anti-abortion activists claimed that the law violated privacy and equal protection provisions of the California Constitution by discriminating against women who choose to carry pregnancies to term. However, the court found no evidence that the act interferes with women's rights in this regard. It noted that "the State provides many benefits . . . to pregnant women who choose not to terminate their pregnancies."

The Reproductive Justice Unit within the California Department of Justice’s Healthcare Rights and Access section represented Attorney General Bonta along with the Department of Insurance and the Department of Managed Health Care in this case. The unit focuses on protecting access to sexual and reproductive healthcare both within California and across the United States.