AB 2134 — Reproductive health care.

Summary

Existing law, the Reproductive Privacy Act, prohibits the state from denying or interfering with a person's right to choose or obtain an abortion prior to viability of the fetus, or when the abortion is necessary to protect the life or health of the person. The act defines "abortion" as a medical treatment intended to induce the termination of a pregnancy except for the purpose of producing a live birth. Existing law establishes the Department of Health Care Access and Information to oversee and administer various health programs. Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. Existing law establishes a schedule of benefits under the Medi-Cal program and provides for various services, including comprehensive clinical family planning services that are rendered through the Family Planning, Access, Care, and Treatment (Family PACT) Waiver Program. This bill would establish the California Reproductive Health Equity Program within the Department of Health Care Access and Information to ensure abortion and contraception services are affordable for and accessible to all patients and to provide financial support for safety net providers of these services. The bill would authorize a Medi-Cal enrolled provider to apply to the department for a grant, and a continuation award after the initial grant, to provide abortion and contraception services at no cost or a reduced cost to an individual with a household income at or below 400% of the federal poverty level who is uninsured or has health care coverage that does not include both abortion and contraception, and who is not eligible to receive both abortion and contraception at no cost through the Medi-Cal and Family PACT programs. The bill would establish the California Reproductive Health Equity Fund, a continuously appropriated fund, to provide this grant funding. The bill would require the department to conduct an annual evaluation of the program and report its findings to the Legislature. By creating a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation. Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care, and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law requires group health care service plan contracts and disability insurance policies to cover contraceptive services and methods without cost sharing, as specified. Existing law authorizes a religious employer to request a contract or policy that does not include contraception coverage for its employees. This bill would require a health care service plan or health insurer that provides health coverage to employees of a religious employer that does not include coverage and benefits for both abortion and contraception to provide an enrollee or insured with written information at specified times on the abortion and contraception benefits or services that may be available at no cost through the California Reproductive Health Equity Program. Because a willful violation of this provision by a health care service plan would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would require the Department of Industrial Relations to post on its internet website information regarding abortion and contraception benefits or services that may be available at no cost through the California Reproductive Health Equity Program to employees whose employer-sponsored health coverage does not include coverage for both abortion and contraception. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Bill Text

• Chaptered 09/27/22 - Chaptered Current pdf September 27, 2022
• Enrolled 09/01/22 - Enrolled pdf September 01, 2022
• Amended 08/24/22 - Amended Senate pdf August 24, 2022
• Amended 06/23/22 - Amended Senate pdf June 23, 2022
• Amended 04/28/22 - Amended Assembly pdf April 28, 2022
• Amended 03/24/22 - Amended Assembly pdf March 24, 2022
• Introduced 02/15/22 - Introduced pdf February 15, 2022
• AB2134 View text html

Action History

1. September 27, 2022

   Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 562, Statutes of 2022.

2. September 27, 2022

   Approved by the Governor.

3. September 12, 2022

   Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.

4. August 30, 2022

   Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 57. Noes 18.).

5. August 29, 2022

   In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

6. August 29, 2022

   Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 31. Noes 9. Page 5204.).

7. August 25, 2022

   Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

8. August 24, 2022

   Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

9. August 11, 2022

   Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

10. August 11, 2022

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 11).

11. August 02, 2022

    In committee: Referred to suspense file.

12. June 29, 2022

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 1.) (June 28). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

13. June 23, 2022

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on JUD.

14. June 23, 2022

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 8. Noes 1.) (June 22). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

15. June 08, 2022

    Referred to Coms. on HEALTH and JUD.

16. May 27, 2022

    In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

17. May 26, 2022

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 53. Noes 19.)

18. May 19, 2022

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

19. May 19, 2022

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 12. Noes 4.) (May 19).

20. May 19, 2022

    Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 4736.)

21. May 18, 2022

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.

22. May 02, 2022

    Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

23. April 28, 2022

    Read second time and amended.

24. April 27, 2022

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 3.) (April 26).

25. April 19, 2022

    In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

26. March 28, 2022

    Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.

27. March 24, 2022

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. Read second time and amended.

28. March 24, 2022

    Referred to Com. on HEALTH.

29. February 16, 2022

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 18.

30. February 15, 2022

    Introduced. To print.

Sponsors

• Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah · Primary
• Anna M. Caballero · Cosponsor
• Cecilia M. Aguiar-Curry · Cosponsor
• Rebecca Bauer-Kahan · Cosponsor
• Marc Berman · Cosponsor
• Lisa Calderon · Cosponsor
• Atkins · Cosponsor
• Skinner · Cosponsor
• Scott D. Wiener · Cosponsor
• Jeff Gonzalez · Cosponsor
• Matt Haney · Cosponsor
• Robert Garcia · Cosponsor

Votes

Subjects