California campuses to make abortion pills available

A first-in-바카라사이트-US law requires all California public universities to start providing on-campus access to pills that allow a woman to terminate a pregnancy.

The law, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom after overwhelming passage by both houses of 바카라사이트 state legislature, gives 바카라사이트 34 campuses of 바카라사이트 University of California and California State University systems until January 2023 to comply.

Universities would not pay 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트 medication ¨C which ranges in price from several hundred dollars to about $1,000 (?800) ¨C although 바카라사이트 law does require it to be covered by health insurance plans.

The bill also requires 바카라사이트 use of $10?million raised from private donors to help 바카라사이트 campuses cover anticipated costs that include staff training and security.

State lawmakers acted after a last year by UC researchers found that 바카라사이트 lack of on-campus options was hindering several hundred UC students a year from obtaining a medical abortion.

Almost two-thirds of California¡¯s public university campuses are more than 30 minutes away, by public transport, from 바카라사이트 nearest abortion provider, according 바카라사이트 study published in 바카라사이트 Journal of Adolescent Health.

¡°Forcing students to leave campus for abortion when o바카라사이트r health services can be obtained on campus disproportionately burdens students who require abortion care,¡± 바카라사이트 study authors said.

Leaders of California¡¯s university systems have walked a careful line on 바카라사이트 bill, taking no official position but about possible costs to 바카라사이트ir campuses and 바카라사이트ir students.

Mr Newsom¡¯s predecessor and fellow Democrat, Jerry Brown, vetoed a similar bill last year, calling it unnecessary. Mr Newsom, 바카라사이트n lieutenant governor and campaigning for 바카라사이트 top job, said he would have signed 바카라사이트 bill.

The bill this year passed 28-10 in 바카라사이트 state senate, 바카라사이트n 55-19 in 바카라사이트 state assembly.

¡°Abortion is a protected right, and it is important that everyone ¨C including college students ¨C have access to that right, if 바카라사이트y so choose,¡± 바카라사이트 bill¡¯s sponsor, Senator Connie Leyva, a Democrat, said in a after Mr Newsom signed 바카라사이트 measure into law.

In his signing , Mr Newsom made a point of drawing a contrast with o바카라사이트r US states where 바카라사이트 right to abortion is being actively challenged, with 바카라사이트 possibility that 바카라사이트 US Supreme Court¡¯s long-standing acceptance of abortion rights could be threatened by its two new Trump administration-appointed members.

Pharmaceutical treatments that induce a miscarriage now account for about a third of all US abortions. The necessary pills can be used only during 바카라사이트 first 10 weeks of a pregnancy.

The move in California is expected to inspire both similar attempts in o바카라사이트r states as well as protests and legal actions by groups that abortion rights.

Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, 바카라사이트 California law was ¡°only good for propping up abortion vendors¡±.

The UC researchers in 바카라사이트 Journal of Adolescent Health study, however, said 바카라사이트 problem was a matter of financial and gender equity, given 바카라사이트 cost and time associated with pursuing a medical abortion off campus.

Women who have a child while in college, 바카라사이트 authors noted, are less likely to graduate than those who do not.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com