California’s Final State Budget Must Protect Reproductive Equity

California’s Final State Budget Must Protect Reproductive Equity

Sacramento, CA — Last week, the California Legislature passed a budget bill that maintained critical sexual and reproductive health programs and investments. Legislative leaders understood how important these programs are for the health and well-being of Californians and communities statewide. Now it’s time for the Governor to sign the final budget bill into law with these measures – and California’s commitment to protecting sexual and reproductive health access for all – intact.

“Three years ago, as the Supreme Court overturned a 50-year constitutional right to abortion, Governor Newsom declared California a Reproductive Freedom State and signed a budget with historic investments in family planning and abortion access,” said Amy Moy, Co-CEO of Essential Access Health. “Today, those gains are at risk. Sexual and reproductive health care providers across the state are grappling with the loss of Title X federal funding, cuts to HIV and STI prevention, uncertainty around the future of Medicaid, and the expiration of key 2022 state investments. California is at risk of losing the infrastructure we’ve built – precisely at the moment when it’s needed most. Now is the time for Governor Newsom to reaffirm California’s leadership – and its values – by protecting sexual and reproductive health in the State Budget.”

The Legislature’s budget proposes to:

• Backfill the Loss of Title X Funding to Protect Critical Family Planning Services. It has been more than 70 days that California family planning providers are not receiving any Title X federal family planning funds for the first time in the state’s 55-year history with the program. Without state intervention, nearly half of Title X-funded agencies report that they will have immediate or likely layoffs, and 62% report that they will have immediate reductions in family planning services.
• Invest ADAP Rebate funds to protect and sustain HIV and STI prevention programs that are facing substantial and devastating cuts due to hostile actions at the CDC.
• Restore essential supplemental payments to health care providers for family planning and abortion care from Proposition 56 funds.
• Continue funding for the Reproductive Justice and Freedom Fund to protect awards already made to community-based organizations, including Essential Access Health, for abortion-related research and culturally-appropriate community education.

The budget approved by the State Legislature does not include additional investments to sustain critical abortion access programs established in 2022 through the work of the California Future of Abortion Council in collaboration with Governor Newsom and the Women’s Legislative Caucus. The Uncompensated Care Grant Program, which has already supported more than 130,000 patients in accessing abortion and contraception – including patients forced to travel to California for care due to inhumane bans on abortion – and the LA County Abortion Safe Haven Program, which recognizes the unique role LA County plays as a hub for abortion access, will both be discontinued if additional state funding is not secured. Essential Access will continue to work with state leaders and coalition partners to identify funding streams to preserve these important programs.