CA bill requiring universities to provide abortion pills goes into effect

A California Senate bill requiring public universities and colleges in California to provide abortion pills to students recently went into effect.

The bill, “SB-24,” states that “each student health care services clinic on a California State University or University of California campus [must] offer abortion by medication techniques,” and took effect Jan. 1.

[RELATED: Medical Students react to a push to require abortion training in medical curricula]

According to SB-24, the procurement of such abortive “medication techniques” need not occur at affiliated hospitals, but can occur “onsite” at the university and “by providers on staff at the student health center.”

Campus Reform reported on the initial passing of SB-24 last year, noting that the bill claims that abortion is a “constitutional right” and “an integral part of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care.”

Legislatures in in other states have either followed, or intend to follow, in California’s footsteps.

[RELATED: Texas A&M student organization holds event teaching ‘self-managed abortions’]

New York proposed a similar bill in 2019, Inside Higher Ed reports, though it has not yet passed the state legislature. Massachusetts, however, passed a bill as an “emergency” measure to protect access to abortion and “gender-affirming care” at state universities.

All relevant parties have been contacted for comment by Campus Reform. This article will be updated accordingly.