California is already known as a progressive blue state, but now it is pushing to lead the nation in abortion access.
Over the past year, California has passed several bills and proposed ideas that either expand access to abortion or protect the procedure in some way.
Just last week, Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Abortion Accessibility Act, which gets rid of out-of-pocket expenses from insurers and health plans for abortion and related services. In most cases, women in California can now get an abortion for free.
In terms of timing, Newsom was direct in a statement about the legislation. He called out other states that have recently moved to limit access to abortion.
“As states across the country attempt to move us backwards by restricting fundamental reproductive rights, California continues to protect and advance reproductive freedom for all,” Newsom said. “With this legislation, we’ll help ensure equitable, affordable access to abortion services so that out-of-pocket costs don’t stand in the way of receiving care.”
In a video commemorating the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Newsom was joined by his wife. Newsom said, “Today, California stands as a proud reproductive freedom state where we’re committed to not just protecting the constitutional right to abortion but to expanding access to reproductive care.”
Last year, Newsom announced that California was going to be a “sanctuary” for abortion – relating to women who would likely come to California seeking abortions if it’s made illegal in other states.
In the fall, the governor signed a few other related bills designed to create protections around abortion. For example, a new privacy law put restrictions on recording or taking photos near a reproductive healthcare clinic.
Newsom also announced his administration would participate in the California Future of Abortion Council, which is a coalition of pro-abortion groups seeking to influence policymakers and others on abortion. Last year, the Council released a blueprint with 45 policy recommendations and a lot of legislative proposals that seem to mirror their priorities.
This is specifically noticeable at the state legislature level. The California Legislative Women’s Caucus has pushed multiple pro-abortion actions, including a bill that would protect clinicians who provide abortions to patients who traveled from states with abortion restrictions. It would also protect people who assist in facilitating those out of state abortions.
The Caucus also wants to create a fund that would allow people to donate to abortion providers and other related community groups. They also want to expand the abortion provider network around the state.
Other measures are also being considered by legislators, which include greater protections on medical information related to abortion, as well as expanding the scope of practice for nurse practitioners so they can begin performing abortions without a physician more quickly.
California is already a national leader when it comes to number of abortions.
In 2017, there were more than 862,000 abortions in the United States, and more than 132,000 of those were performed in California, which was the most of any state.
On a per capita basis, California is sixth in the nation, ranking below Washington, D.C.; New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Florida. For comparison, the states that rank lowest include Wyoming, South Dakota, Kentucky, Idaho, and Missouri.