California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two bills this week that would allow minors to receive abortion and gender-affirming healthcare services unbeknownst to their parents.
In a news release from Newsom’s office, published Wednesday, the Governor announced that his administration will participate in a new advisory group, the California Future of Abortion Council, and signed two bills into law to “[futher] the state’s commitment to ensuring access to essential reproductive and sexual health care services.”
“The legislation will protect the privacy of patients seeking sensitive health care services, including reproductive health care, and create new safeguards to protect patients and providers from harassment,” the news release reads.
One of the bills, AB 1356, builds off already existing legislation meant to curb “anti-reproduction rights” behaviors. AB 1356 creates new offenses for recording or photographing patients or providers within 100 feet of the entrance to a healthcare service facility.
The second bill, AB 1184, protects the privacy of patients who receive “sensitive” health care services, “including reproductive health care and gender-affirming care, by ensuring patient information is kept confidential if they are not the primary policyholder for their health insurance.”
In the text of AB 1184, “sensitive services” are defined as “all health care services related to mental or behavioral health, sexual and reproductive health, sexually transmitted infections, substance use disorder, gender affirming care, and intimate partner violence.” Furthermore, the bill describes a “protected individual” as “any adult insured covered under a health insurance policy or a minor who can consent to a health care service without the consent of a parent or legal guardian, pursuant to state or federal law.”
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All nine Republican members of the California State Senate opposed the signing of AB 1184. Earlier this month, the members penned a letter to Newsom asking him to veto it.
“AB 1184 prevents a parent from being informed when their minor who is 12 years old receives medical services covered by the parent’s healthcare insurance. We should be encouraging parents and families to be involved in their children’s lives, not removing them further from it. This bill, in an effort to further hide information from parents and caregivers, would put policyholders in the impossible position of being financially responsible for bills they did not incur and cannot verify as being legitimate. Additionally, it further limits parents’ abilities to protect their children by removing them from sensitive conversations as early as 12 years old. Parents have a right to be involved in sensitive medical decisions for their young children,” the letter reads.
“California has been a leader in protecting access to sexual and reproductive rights, but as we’ve seen recently with unprecedented attacks on these rights, we can and must do more,” Newsom said in a statement. “I’m proud today to sign these two bills that demonstrate our dedication to strengthening and further protecting access to reproductive health care services in California.”
In the news release, Newsom directly attacked Texas’ new legislation, S.B. 8, that outlaws abortion upon fetal heartbeat detection. Additionally, he lambasted the Supreme Court for voting 5-4, allowing S.B. 8 to stand.
“This action [AB 1356 and AB 1184] comes in the wake of attacks on sexual health care and reproductive rights around the country, including the U.S. Supreme Court’s failure to block Texas’ ban on abortion after six weeks,” the news release reads. “California is a national leader on reproductive and sexual health protections and rights, and Governor Newsom’s actions today make clear that the state will remain a haven for all Californians, and for those coming from out-of-state seeking reproductive health services here.”
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