No out-of-pocket costs for abortion under bill signed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom [The Sacramento Bee]

Mar. 23—As other states move to restrict access to abortion, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law aimed at making them more accessible.

Senate Bill 245, authored by Sen. Lena Gonzalez, D-Long Beach, prohibits health insurers from imposing co-pays, deductibles or other cost-sharing requirements for abortions and abortion-related services. California is one of six states that requires health insurance plans to cover abortion services.

"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 in a statement. "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."

First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom also released a statement following the bill's signing into law, saying that California has taken action to improve access to abortion by removing financial barriers to the procedure.

"In the Golden State, we value women and recognize all they shoulder in their dual roles as caregivers and breadwinners. California will continue to lead by example and ensure all women and pregnant people have autonomy over their bodies and the ability to control their own destinies," Siebel Newsom said in a statement.

California lawmakers aren't stopping with SB 245. They have introduced a slate of bills aimed at improving access to abortions and shielding abortion-seekers from retribution from states that have passed anti-abortion laws.

The California Future of Abortion Council, made up of members groups including NARAL Pro-Choice California and Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, released a statement on Wednesday morning throwing its support behind a package of bills currently working their way through the California Legislature.

They include bills to create an "Abortion Support Fund" which would provide grants to California organizations assisting patients in overcoming barriers to abortion; allow nurse practitioners that meet specified training requirements to perform first-trimester abortions independently; shield both abortion patients and providers from civil liability judgments from other states for providing reproductive care; enhance medical record privacy protections related to abortion care to shield against disclosures to law enforcement and out-of-state third parties seeking to enforce abortion bans.

Other bills would ensure that no one in California is investigated, prosecuted or incarcerated for ending a pregnancy or experiencing a pregnancy loss and protect abortion providers from having their medical license removed or suspended for providing abortion care in California while complying with California law.

"As states around the country continue to take dangerous and extreme actions restricting access to the constitutional right to abortion, California must provide an alternative way forward — one that prioritizes accessibility, affordability, and equity. This legislative package addresses key barriers to accessing abortion care here in California, both for Californians and for people forced to seek care here after being unable to access care in their home state," said Planned Parenthood's Jodi Hicks in a statement. "This is the most consequential year for abortion rights since 1973 and California must meet the moment by continuing to build upon its status as a Reproductive Freedom state by taking these steps."

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