SACRAMENTO, Calif. — This year, Gov. Gavin Newsom affirmed abortion access, calling California “a proud reproductive freedom state” and across the country for trying to take away families’ rights.
He signed legislation mandating that insurance companies cover in vitro fertilization. He supported restricting students’ cellphone use in schools and signed a nation-leading ban on food dye in school snacks and drinks. And he endorsed a bill allowing businesses to operate Amsterdam-style cannabis cafés.
Still, in a heated election cycle with Vice President Kamala Harris, a Californian, on the presidential ticket, the Democratic governor was noticeably reluctant to impose additional industry regulations.
Newsom vetoed several health and safety bills, frequently citing cost concerns. But many of these proposals risked perpetuating California stereotypes trumpeted by presidential nominee Donald Trump and other Republicans. The governor rejected , as well as for new cars, even drawing on social media from GOP Assembly leader James Gallagher, who credited Newsom for vetoing “some pretty bad/stupid bills.”
Most of the laws Newsom approved take effect Jan. 1, 2025, while some have longer phase-in times. Here are the governor’s actions on key health bills:
Health Care
Group health care service plans and disability insurance must cover infertility and fertility services under , including for LGBTQ+ people, generally starting in mid-2025. The California Association of Health Plans warns of higher premiums as a result.
Local health officers can inspect private detention facilities, including six immigration detention centers, under .
And the governor signed , allowing small, rural, or “distressed” hospitals to get an extension of up to three years on a 2030 legal deadline for . But he vetoed , which would have allowed all hospitals to apply for an extension of the deadline for up to five years.
Newsom also vetoed , which would have known as pharmacy benefit managers and banned some business practices that critics say increase costs and limit consumers’ choices. He also rejected , which would have mandated health care coverage for menopause, and , which would have required the state for transactions involving health care providers and private equity firms. And he vetoed and , which would have allowed some community college districts to offer bachelor’s degrees in nursing.
Medical Debt
Credit reporting agencies will be prohibited from including medical debt in consumers’ credit reports under , but last-minute amendments . Earlier this year, the Biden administration proposed federal rules barring unpaid medical bills from affecting patients’ credit scores.
Medi-Cal
Medi-Cal, which provides health care for about 15 million low-income people, will cover hospital emergency rooms’ treatment of psychiatric emergencies under .
But Newsom rejected , which would have made medically supportive food and nutrition a Medi-Cal benefit, and , which would have expanded Medi-Cal coverage of telehealth.
Mental Health
Newsom signed aimed at boosting behavioral health care, including through California’s new court-ordered treatment program.
But , Newsom rejected an annual scholarship fund for students pursuing a mental health profession if they worked for three years in that new treatment program. Critics say should have broadened the scholarship to all county behavioral health programs.
Abortion
California will increase penalties for obstructing or impeding access to reproductive health care services, and for posting personal information or photographs of a patient or provider. These are currently misdemeanors; would make them punishable as misdemeanors or felonies.
Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California also backed , smoothing approval of new health centers, and , supporting California’s Family PACT (Planning, Access, Care, and Treatment) program for people with family incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level.
Aging
Newsom approved related to aging, including measures requiring increased training for law enforcement () and health care professionals () in helping people with dementia. requires better access to prescription labels for those who have trouble seeing or who need translated instructions. And he signed another package of bills aimed more broadly at helping .
Violence Prevention
Assault or battery against a doctor, physician, nurse, or other health care worker within an ER could bring up to a year in county jail, a $2,000 fine, or both under . That makes it as for assaulting a medical worker in the field. California law previously set a lesser penalty for assault within an ER.
The state is taking more steps to deter gun violence with new laws. Among them, increases requirements for safely storing firearms, in keeping with . will increase law enforcement training and revise policies on using gun violence restraining orders, while expands when courts can impose gun violence restraining orders.
And hospitals will eventually have to screen patients, family members, and visitors for weapons at entrances under .
Substance Use
will require workplace first-aid kits to include naloxone or other drugs that can reverse opioid overdoses, while protecting those who administer the naloxone from civil liability.
Under , local jurisdictions will allow retailers to sell noncannabis food and beverages and have live music and other performances in areas where cannabis consumption is allowed. Assembly member Matt Haney, a Democrat from San Francisco, said his intent is to allow Dutch-style cannabis coffeehouses. Newsom approved the measure despite vetoing Haney’s similar bill last year, amid that the measure would undermine California’s nation-leading effort outlawing indoor smoking.
And furthers enforcement of California’s ban on flavored tobacco, passed .
Youth Welfare
California is the first state to generally bar public schools from providing food containing red dye 40 or any of five other synthetic food dyes used in products including . is Democratic Assembly member Jesse Gabriel’s follow-up to that banned a chemical found in Skittles candy.
A bill to increase transparency with the use of restraints and seclusion rooms in state-licensed short-term residential therapeutic programs became law with some from celebrity Paris Hilton. She backed , which will also require the state Department of Social Services to post the information on a public dashboard.
And school districts’ sex education curricula must include menstrual health under .
But , which would have sped licensing for providers of gender-affirming care, and , which would have provided free condoms in high schools.
Women’s Health
Selling menstrual products with intentionally added PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” will be banned under . PFAS, short for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, have been linked to serious health problems.
was passed in an effort to of a 2019 law aimed at reducing the disproportionate rate of maternal mortality and other pregnant women of color.
is aimed at improving treatment of pregnant women who are incarcerated. Critics wanted the original version, which banned solitary confinement, and were upset when it was amended to allow up to five days of confinement if prison officials find a safety or security threat.
is aimed at increasing participation in the CalFresh nutrition program, part of a .
And under , the public will get more notice when hospitals plan to close their maternity wards. The measure will increase the notice requirement to 120 days, up from the current 90.
But , which would have required six months’ notice to state agencies of potential maternity ward closures. The agencies would then have been required to conduct a community impact assessment.
Social Media
broadens California’s Cyberbullying Protection Act regulating social media platforms to apply to minors instead of pupils. Social media platforms that intentionally violate the law could face civil penalties of up to $10,000, along with compensatory and punitive damages. Those damages could be sought by a parent, a legal guardian, or various prosecutors. Under current law, damages are capped at $7,500 and may be pursued only by the state attorney general.
restricts “addictive feeds” to minors, including banning social media notifications to minors during school hours.
And will limit the use of smartphones in schools.
This article was produced by Ńîąóĺú´«Ă˝Ň•îl Health News, which publishes , an editorially independent service of the .Ěý
