SB 24

On September 30, 2018, Jerry Brown vetoed a bill that would have required health centers on California college campuses to provide the abortion pill on college campuses.  Governor Brown said he vetoed the bill because abortion clinics are accessible to Californias college students.  On average, there is a clinic within 6-7 miles of any campus in the state, according to Governor Brown.

The 2018 election was held on November 6.  Governor-elect Newsom promised that as governor, he would sign a bill requiring college campuses to become abortion pill dispensaries.  The Pro-Abortion supermajority in the State Senate obliged him by refiling the bill on December  3, 2018.

The new bill, SB-24, has passed out of both the Health and Education committees and will go to the full Senate for a vote shortly.  It is expected to pass easily in the Senate and the House.

There are 31 Student Health Centers on UC and CSU campuses that would be affected by this legislation.  If this legislation passes, these health centers will all have to be equipped with private rooms, sufficient for a pelvic exam, as well as ultrasound machines. Ultrasound must be performed to determine the gestational age, and to rule out ectopic pregnancy.  

The abortion pill regimen can not be administered after ten weeks pregnancy.  While it is permissible for nurses and other medical professionals to perform abortions in California, currently no one at any of the health centers at properly trained in administration o the abortion pill. They will also have to develop professional relationships with abortion doctors in their area to provide aspiration abortion in the event a medicated abortion fails.  They must have also phlebotomists and a source for testing of possible RH incompatibility.  

The abortion procedure, via medication, is not a simple prescription.  It is a multi-day and multi-medication process, with multiple assessments and criteria to be assessed beforehand.  The agenda that wants to promote this easy access to abortion, also fails to consider the multiple complications that can arise. 

At the end of all this analysis, the one thing that remains abundantly clear, is that what young women really need, is support of a life affirming clinic that will help her in the difficult place she finds herself.  In Southern California, Stanton will continue to do that.  It is critically important, perhaps now more than ever, that we support and empower women.