California: Governor Newsom signs new landmark laws to protect reproductive freedom, patient privacy amid Trump’s war on women
The Californer/10327680

Trending...
News

Sep 26, 2025

Governor Newsom signs new landmark laws to protect reproductive freedom, patient privacy amid Trump's war on women

What you need to know: Governor Newsom signed a series of bills, including AB 260 and AB 1525, to safeguard access to reproductive health care.

SACRAMENTO – In a significant effort to advance reproductive freedom, Governor Gavin Newsom today signed legislation to protect access to essential reproductive care and help shield health care providers, patients, and lawyers from adverse legal action.

Governor Newsom signed AB 260 (Cecilia Aguiar-Curry), offering health care providers the option to prescribe abortion care medication to patients anonymously, ensuring California-regulated health plans cover mifepristone regardless of FDA approval status, and strengthening protections for health care providers from criminal prosecution and other legal action for administering medication abortion drugs.

The Governor also signed AB 1525 (Committee on Judiciary), helping to shield attorneys assisting other states with access to reproductive care from State Bar discipline.

"California stands for a woman's right to choose. I'm proud to sign these bills to protect access to essential health care and shield patients and health care providers in the face of amplified attacks on the fundamental right to reproductive freedom."

Governor Gavin Newsom

"With the Governor's signature on AB 260, California will continue to be a national leader in protecting reproductive and privacy rights," said Assembly Majority Leader and Legislative Women's Caucus Chair Cecilia Aguiar-Curry. "I appreciate the partnership with the Administration as we fight for the sanctity of the patient-health professional relationship, and the safety of Californians and their health providers."

"Today, even in California, access to abortion and reproductive health care hangs in the balance. President Trump's Administration and Republican members of Congress continue to attack reproductive health care access on all fronts, including ongoing threats to medication abortion and already successfully defunding all 109 Planned Parenthood health centers in California. And we know they won't stop there," said Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California CEO and President Jodi Hicks. "As Planned Parenthood fights to keep health centers open to provide the reproductive health care so many Californians rely on, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California is grateful to the Governor for signing Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry's bill, AB 260. This significant policy will help safeguard access to medication abortion for many Californians and protect the ability of our state's abortion providers to continue providing this life-saving care."

Other bills the governor signed today include:
  • Assembly Bill 45 by Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda) – Privacy: health data: location and research.
  • Assembly Bill 50 by Mia Bonta (D-Oakland) – Pharmacists: furnishing contraceptives.

California's actions to protect reproductive freedoms

In the years since the Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson decision, California has stepped up consistently to protect reproductive freedom, including:
  • June 2025: The 25-26 budget expanded the authority of CalRx to purchase brand-name drugs. This change gives the state more tools to respond to supply chain disruptions, market manipulation, or politically motivated restrictions that could threaten access to essential medications — including medication used for abortion care.
  • May 2024: Governor Newsom signed SB 233 with the Legislative Women's Caucus, allowing Arizona abortion providers to temporarily provide abortion care to patients from Arizona who travel to California for care following the Arizona Supreme Court's ruling to reimpose a regressive 1864 law imposing a near-total abortion ban in their state.
  • January 2024: The Reproductive Freedom Alliance, led by Governor Newsom, filed an amicus curiae brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Food and Drug Administration, et al., v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, arguing that, if the Court allowed the Fifth Circuit's decision rejecting FDA's approval of mifepristone to stand, it would undermine Governors' ability to provide adequate healthcare services and would have far-reaching implications beyond reproductive healthcare. The Supreme Court sided with the FDA in June 2024.
  • April 2023: Governor Newsom procured an emergency stockpile of Misoprostol, a safe and effective medication abortion drug, as legal challenges continue to move through the courts in an attempt to block abortion medication.
  • March 2023: Governor Newsom joined 13 other Governors in calling on major pharmacies to clarify plans for dispensing Mifepristone and other actions they plan to take to safeguard access to reproductive health care drugs.
  • February 2023: Governor Newsom launched the Reproductive Freedom Alliance, a coalition of 23 Governors fighting together to protect and advance reproductive freedom.
  • November 2022: Voters pass Governor Newsom and the Legislature's Proposition 1, an amendment to the state constitution to enshrine the right to reproductive freedom – including abortion care and contraception.
  • September 2022:
    • Governor Newsom launched Abortion.CA.Gov to ensure people across California, and the country, can access essential information regarding reproductive health care, including resources available to support access to care.
    • Governor Newsom, working with the Legislature, ensured California passed the largest reproductive freedom bill package in state history, building firewalls around California as a reproductive freedom state.
  • June 2022:
    • Governor Newsom signed legislation to help protect patients and providers in California against radical attempts by other states to extend their anti-abortion laws into California, on the same day Roe v. Wade was overturned.
    • California invested over $200 million in reproductive health care.
    • Issued an Executive Order protecting state-held data and information from being used by out-of-state anti-abortion entities to target providers and patients.
    • Joined the Governors of Oregon and Washington to launch a new Multi-State Commitment to defend access to reproductive health care and protect patients and providers.

Health care, Press releases, Recent news

More on The Californer
https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkur..." rel="nofollow external noopener">Recent news

Governor Newsom proclaims Native American Day, signs legislation supporting California Native community

Sep 26, 2025

News What you need to know: Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed today Native American Day and announced the signing of several bills that advance tribal priorities. Sacramento, California – As Native American leaders from across the state attend the celebration of Native...

State builds upon billions of dollars in behavioral health investment by awarding $127 million in grants for Prop 36 and Prop 47

Sep 26, 2025

News What you need to know: Governor Newsom today announced the state is awarding the latest round of funding — $127 million in grants — to local communities for programs eligible under both Propositions 47 and 36. This is on top of the multi-billion dollar investment...

Split screen: Governor Newsom launches new international climate partnerships as Trump unleashes unhinged UN rant

Sep 25, 2025

News What you need to know: Governor Newsom attended Climate Week in New York, where he launched new international partnerships with Brazil and Kenya to combat climate change, met with foreign leaders, and highlighted California's progress in clean energy and...

Filed Under: Government, State
Show All News | Report Violation

0 Comments

Latest on The Californer