Two Anti-life Bills Became Law Over the Weekend  

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB

AB 2085 and SB 729 into law this weekend, marking major setbacks for the pro-life movement. 

This past weekend, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two bills into law that related to reproduction in the state. These laws were not directly related to abortion but were round-about ways for the California legislature to further antagonize the desire to protect the sanctity life across the state.  

AB 2085 

The first of these pieces of legislation is AB 2085: Planning and zoning: permitted use: community clinic, which is dedicated to making it difficult for cities to reject the building of a Planned Parenthood or other abortion provider where they might not want one. This bill would dramatically alter zoning laws to make it significantly easier for abortion-providing facilities to be built.  

In short, the legislation ensures approval for a clinic that meets four qualifications: (1) Is located where office, retail, healthcare, or parking are primarily permitted, (2) Complies with minimum construction standards, (3) Meets objective design reviews, and (4) Does not require the demolition of historic structures. What is more interesting about the legislation is that it exempts these projects from having to follow the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).  

AB 2085 was recommended after Planned Parenthood attempted to build a new facility in Fontana and was met with new zoning laws in protest. This bill could make protesting those buildings and exercising local government control a lot more difficult if passed.   

According to Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, “Abortion rights mean nothing without abortion access.” She claims of her legislation that AB 2085 will expand “health care access to our state’s most vulnerable communities.” 

The Vice President of Government Affairs at Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California Molly Robson also came out in support of the bill, stating that it “helps bridge the gap in access to health care by ensuring a straightforward and unbiased process for permitting and opening community health centers.”  

This move to streamline the approval process for community clinics that offer reproductive health services undermines both local control and community values.  

Greg Burt, Vice President of California Family Council (CFC), said of the bill that it “is a direct assault on the ability of local communities to govern themselves and uphold their values. It prioritizes the abortion industry over the rights and concerns of local citizens.”  

Signing this legislation ultimately disregards the beliefs of every Californian who supports promoting life-affirming alternatives to abortion by making it even more difficult to oppose the construction of these facilities. The truest consequences of this legislation will become known in the coming months and years, as it is now law.  

SB 729 

The other piece of legislation to be signed into law this past weekend was SB 729. After over one year in the Appropriations Committee, SB 729: Health care coverage: treatment for infertility and fertility services, requires that all health care plans moving forward “provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of infertility and fertility services,” became law.   

It should be noted that current law already requires that health insurance providers cover fertility treatments to those diagnosed with medical infertility. SB 729 specifically seeks to alter the definition of infertility, exclusions of in vitro fertilization (IVF) from health care coverage, and provide coverage for up to three oocytes retrievals.  

When analyzing SB 729, it becomes clear that a most concerning aspect is its overbroad and biologically inaccurate suggestion for a new definition of infertility. According to the text of the legislation, “infertility” will now be defined as a “condition or status” in which a person is incapable of reproducing “either as an individual or with their partner without medical intervention.”   

This means that California law now characterizes single men, who are biologically incapable of becoming pregnant, either by themselves or with a partner, as “infertile.” It is also within itself an untruth, as it is impossible for anyone to become pregnant by themselves without medical intervention. The law now seeks to equate a biological and medical inability to reproduce to a relational choice of infertility, due to either celibacy or a same-sex relationship.  

As Reproductive Freedom for All writes, advocates for SB 729 praise it for its dedication to ensuring that LGBTQ+ couples are not excluded from insurance that would cover IVF treatments. Because of the expansive coverage, this bill is estimated to cost California taxpayers roughly $80 million annually.   

State Senator Caroline Menjivar (D.), a co-author of the bill, stated, “It will ensure that queer couples no longer face higher out-of-pocket expenses in building their families compared to non-queer families…This bill is essential for achieving full equality and advancing comprehensive healthcare for all Californians.”  

Gov. Newsom’s office wrote of the legislation that “California is a proud reproductive freedom state – and that includes increasing access to fertility services that help those who want to start a family.”  

He also went on to boast that since Roe was overturned, the state “has built California into a national leader for reproductive freedom.” To support this claim, he boasted that his administration has spent over $240 million to “protect and expand access to reproductive health care in California.”  

Together, these bills fundamentally disregard and dismiss the concerns of those who seek to create a culture that values and protects life. These advancements in the legislative arena are cause for both pause and concern; however, they are also a fervent reminder that the work to save lives has only just begun.  

For further updates on the ramifications and news relating to this and all family-related education, continue to follow us here.