Earlier this month, California lawmakers passed more than a dozen bills with the goal of making the state an abortion sanctuary.
Some of the bills deal with protecting people from prosecution in other states and expanding abortion access within California. The bills that were passed include the following:
- AB 1666 prohibits California law enforcement from cooperating with abortion investigations occurring in other states, as long as the abortion was legal under California law. Governor Gavin Newsom already signed this one into law.
- AB 2091 prohibits medical information pertaining to abortions from being shared with other states.
- AB 2223 removes the requirement that a coroner investigates deaths that resulted from self-induced or criminal abortions, and prohibits a coroner’s statements about fetal death from being used in a criminal prosecution against a mother or anyone assisting her. AB 2223 prohibits anyone from being prosecuted for committing an abortion or helping someone obtain an abortion, thus decriminalizing back-alley abortions. The bill also allows the mother to sue any law enforcement agency for investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of her newborn.
- SB 1375, which would lower health standards for abortions by authorizing nurse practitioners and nurse-midwives to perform first-trimester abortions without the supervision of a physician.
- AB 204 allocates $20 million of taxpayer money for women from other states to travel to California to receive an abortion
- AB 1918 sets up scholarships for medical students and loan repayment for graduates who commit to three years as an abortionist in California.
- SB 1142 provides money to pregnant mothers for abortion-related costs, including expenses related to travel, lodging, childcare, meals, doula support, and translation services — both for Californians and those coming from other states.
This legislative package is now in the hands of Gov. Newsom, who has vowed to make California an abortion sanctuary. He has until September 30 to sign the bills.
While each of these bills is morally abhorrent, some have received significant backlash. Pro-lifers are concerned that AB 2223 will enable infanticide and make the prosecution of this crime difficult. “The specific wording and nature of the bill will make it almost impossible for law enforcement to investigate any suspicious newborn deaths,” claims Live Action.
Commenting on AB 204, California Family Council President Jonathan Keller states that “California policymakers continue to prioritize abortion over adoption and parenting…Sacramento only offers these financial incentives to out-of-state women on the condition they end their pregnancies. This is not pro-choice.” Rather than offering women real options and long-term solutions that benefit everyone, the state only wants to expand access to a procedure that harms everyone involved.
These are just a few of the recent attempts made by California lawmakers to radically expand abortion access. Lawmakers already passed laws to allow minors to obtain secret abortions with their parents’ insurance and eliminate copays for abortions. The good news is that California Democrats are far removed from the general consensus on abortion. Polling shows that the majority of Californians believe preborn children should be protected after the first trimester.
Meanwhile, federal leaders are taking the opposite approach. Senator Lindsey Graham introduced a bill that would protect the unborn after 15 weeks’ gestation, which most Americans are in favor of. The Protecting Pain-Capable Unborn Children from Late-Term Abortions Act would bring America in line with the rest of the Western world when it comes to abortion. The bill’s text even includes a long list of medical facts about a baby’s development in the womb, noting that at 15 weeks, babies can feel pain, open and close their fingers, sense stimulation, and much more.
While Newsom is likely to sign a slew of abortion bills in the coming weeks, pro-lifers should remain hopeful that federal legislation will combat California’s extremism.
Take Action:
Contact Governor Gavin Newsom and tell him to veto the abortion bills on his desk: Click here for contact details.
