California Bill Would Mandate Free Abortions at All College and University Campuses

State   |   Christina Vazquez   |   Mar 6, 2019   |   10:22PM   |   Sacramento, CA

Students from the University of California and California State University plan to lobby legislators in Sacramento next week for the pro-abortion College Student Right to Access Act.

On March 11, pro-abortion students plan to meet with legislators to discuss and answer questions about state Senate Bill 24, The Daily Californian reports. The bill would require all public colleges and universities in California to provide abortion drugs to students on campus by 2023. The bill also would continually appropriate the funds needed to mandate free abortions on campuses in Califoria.

State Sen. Connie Leyva, a pro-abortion Democrat and sponsor of the bill, pushed for a similar bill in 2018. The previous bill would have required California public universities and community colleges to provide abortions drugs up to 10 weeks of pregnancy at their student health centers. Former Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed it in September.

In his veto announcement, Brown said the legislation was “not necessary.” Though Brown was a pro-abortion Democrat, he even acknowledged that, “because the [abortion] services required by this bill are widely available off-campus, this bill is not necessary.”

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That has not stopped Leyva from reintroducing the same proposal in SB 24, which is very similar to its vetoed predecessor. With a new governor in power, too, pro-abortion advocates hope the legislation will pass this time. Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would support the bill if it reaches his desk, according to The San Francisco Chronicle.

Advocates of SB 24 claim the legislation would increase access to abortion for women. This being said, Californians for Life research found the average distance between a California public college and an abortion facility is less than 6 miles.

California is one of the most radical states in regards to abortion access. Later term, elective abortions are legal, and girls as young as age 12 can obtain abortions without parental knowledge or consent.

Initially, California public colleges and universities opposed Leyva’s first bill because of safety concerns and liabilities. Many pointed out that college health centers are not prepared to provide abortions. Additionally, most college health centers are not open in the evenings or on weekends, so they would not be able to treat complications.

Pro-life groups also argue that college campuses should offer more resources for students who are pregnant or parenting. Leyva’s bill does not require colleges to provide health resources for students who choose to parent or make an adoption plan for their baby.