Governor Newsom Fails California Youth Again by Blocking Bill to Make Free Condoms Available Amid Rising STI Rates Among Youth
Sacramento, CA – On the eve of World Contraception Day, Governor Gavin Newsom once again failed California teens by vetoing SB 954 – the Youth Health Equity + Safety (YHES) Act (Menjivar) – which would have made California the second state in the U.S. to provide free condoms in public high schools.
California is facing an STI crisis among California youth. SB 954 provided a proven solution to this crisis, received overwhelming legislative support, and advocates addressed the cost concerns noted in the Governor’s veto message of a similar measure last year. Governor Newsom’s veto of SB 954 blatantly ignores the urgent need and overwhelming demand from California teens to safeguard their health.
Youth advocates with the YHES 4 Condoms Youth Ambassadors expressed their outrage with Governor Newsom’s decision:
“Once again, Governor Newsom has failed us. As teens who live in a state that claims to lead the nation in sexual and reproductive health, we expect better,” said Martin Orea, Youth Ambassador with the YHES 4 Condoms Campaign and youth leader with Generation Up. “SB 954 was a chance to equip us with the resources we need to protect ourselves, yet Governor Newsom chose to turn his back on us. We rely on our elected officials to make the right decisions for our future—but instead, the Governor let us down. But this setback won’t stop us. We understand the stakes, and we are determined to keep fighting until every student has the tools and education to make informed, safe decisions about their health. Our lives, our future, and our health are on the line, and we won’t stop pushing for the changes we need. Governor Newsom, it’s time for you to prioritize our health and well-being, and that starts with listening to youth voices.”
SB 954, authored by Senator Caroline Menjivar (D-San Fernando Valley) and cosponsored by Black Women for Wellness Action Project, California School-Based Health Alliance, Essential Access Health, GENup, Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity (URGE), and Voters of Tomorrow, would have ensured that all public high school students have access to condoms and prevented schools from prohibiting condom distribution during sex education classes or health fairs. The bill would have protected equitable access to comprehensive sex education by empowering the California Department of Education with the authority to monitor compliance of the California Healthy Youth Act, and prohibited pharmacies and retailers from asking for ID when purchasing condoms.
"When Governor Newsom vetoed a similar bill last year, I took his reasoning of fiscal costs at face value. This year, I set out to put funding in place to implement a mandate for condoms in high schools, ensuring we weren’t introducing the same bill without addressing the Governor’s concern. With SB 954 – Youth Health Equity & Safety Act, the coalition and I worked purposefully, in partnership with my LGBTQ Caucus colleagues and End the Epidemics, to secure $5 million dollars in the state budget. We were creative and, during a deficit year, found money already in a special fund specifically for SB 954. Now, once again the Governor says he is vetoing SB 954 due to ongoing costs. The Governor vetoes bills because they weren’t considered in the budget process and even when I did that, it still gets vetoed, causing a lot of confusion. While I cannot speculate on an ulterior motive, let’s get real, it’s not the cost. The ongoing cost California cannot afford is the $1B we spend annually on STI related care. In deficit years we continue to address the budget with cuts instead of reinvesting into preventive measures for a variety of issues, like STIs. Since this bill is focused on high school students, the cost we cannot afford is another year of youth experiencing half of all STI cases, some of which hold lifelong impacts. Both of my YHES bills have been led by a highly informed and persistent group of youth, which gives me hope for a more just and equitable future." - Senator Caroline Menjivar
This decision comes at a time when STI rates among youth, particularly youth of color and LGBTQ+ youth, continue to rise at alarming rates. Statewide data indicates over half of all STIs are experienced among California youth ages 15 – 24 years old. The CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) shows that the percentage of sexually active students who used condoms decreased from 2013 to 2023. For males, condom use dropped from 66% to 58%, and females from 53% to 46%.
In response to the Governor’s veto of SB 954, cosponsors Black Women for Wellness Action Project, California School-Based Health Alliance, Essential Access Health, GENup, Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity (URGE), and Voters of Tomorrow stated:
"We are shocked and deeply saddened by the Governor’s decision to veto SB 954. Our coalition heard Governor Newsom’s concerns loud and clear after he vetoed similar legislation last year and addressed those concerns by securing funding in this year’s budget and specifying that if funds are not designated for this purpose in the future, schools have no obligation to provide free condoms. Governor Newsom has evidently not heard the urgent concerns from California teens that they are facing a public health crisis and need their elected leaders to do their job to protect youth health and safety, and failed to recognize the changes made to ensure that schools face no additional cost burden. We will continue to work alongside Senator Menjivar, youth, and community partners to advance youth sexual and reproductive health. Our fight for health equity and safety for California teens does not end here."
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Essential Access Health advances reproductive equity and champions quality sexual and reproductive health care for all through funding, advocacy, research, training for providers and healthcare professionals, and youth and community empowerment and education. We work to ensure that everyone, everywhere can get the care they want and need, where and how they need it, with dignity and respect.