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AB-2490 Reproductive Health Emergency Preparedness Program.(2023-2024)



Current Version: 09/05/24 - Enrolled

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AB2490:v94#DOCUMENT

Enrolled  September 05, 2024
Passed  IN  Senate  August 30, 2024
Passed  IN  Assembly  August 31, 2024
Amended  IN  Senate  August 15, 2024
Amended  IN  Senate  July 03, 2024
Amended  IN  Assembly  April 01, 2024
Amended  IN  Assembly  March 11, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 2490

Introduced by Assembly Member Petrie-Norris
(Coauthor: Assembly Member Haney)

February 13, 2024

An act to add and repeal Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 127650) of Part 2 of Division 107 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to health care.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 2490, Petrie-Norris. Reproductive Health Emergency Preparedness Program.
Existing law establishes the Department of Health Care Access and Information to oversee and administer various health programs. The California Constitution prohibits the state from denying or interfering with an individual’s reproductive freedom in their most intimate decisions. Existing law establishes the California Reproductive Health Equity Program within the department to ensure abortion and contraception services are affordable for and accessible to all patients and to provide financial support for safety net providers of these services.
This bill would, upon appropriation by the Legislature or the availability of funds from private sources, establish the Reproductive Health Emergency Preparedness Program (RHEPP) for the purpose of expanding and improving access to reproductive and sexual health care in emergency departments across California. The bill would require the department to award the grants and administer the RHEPP in collaboration with a California-based organization to serve as the trainer and technical assistance provider. The bill would require the department to establish minimum standards, funding schedules, and procedures for awarding grants and would specify the qualifications for the collaborating organization. The bill would limit the permissible uses of grant funds under the program, as specified. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2030.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the Reproductive Health Emergency Preparedness Program (RHEPP).

SEC. 2.

 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) Abortion care is a constitutional right and an integral part of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care. In clinical settings, both pregnancy loss and abortion are managed with the same medication and procedural skills.
(b) In May 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the California Proclamation on Reproductive Freedom reaffirming California’s commitment to ensuring access to reproductive health care services, including abortion.
(c) With the United States Supreme Court overturning the protections under Roe v. Wade (1973) 410 U.S. 113, 24 states now enforce formal restrictions or bans on abortion, meaning people in nearly one-half of the states in this country, over 36,000,000 women and other people who may become pregnant, have lost access to abortion care.
(d) California is committed to building upon existing protections to the right to abortion and implementing innovative and bold programs and policies to improve access and truly be a reproductive freedom state.
(e) In many California regions, the emergency department serves as the most accessible source of medical care for pregnant people due to shortages of primary care providers, obstetrician-gynecologists (OBGYNs), and reproductive health clinics.
(f) Many emergency department providers are inadequately trained to meet the growing reproductive health needs of the populations, especially in regions with OBGYN shortages.
(g) The State of California should create a statewide project for the purpose of advancing reproductive and sexual health care, including full-spectrum miscarriage and abortion care for emergency departments opting in to provide this service.

SEC. 3.

 Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 127650) is added to Part 2 of Division 107 of the Health and Safety Code, to read:
CHAPTER  6.5. Reproductive Health Emergency Preparedness Program

127650.
 (a) The Reproductive Health Emergency Preparedness Program (RHEPP) is hereby established for the purpose of expanding and improving access to reproductive and sexual health care in emergency departments across California.
(b) The Legislature finds and declares that emergency departments in hospitals are essential access points for pregnant people. The RHEPP shall work to improve and expand access to the full spectrum of sexual and reproductive health care in California’s emergency departments, including abortion and full-spectrum miscarriage care in emergency departments choosing to provide these services.

127651.
 (a) The RHEPP shall be administered by the department, in collaboration with a California-based organization to serve as the trainer and technical assistance provider.
(b) The organization chosen shall have experience providing funding, training, and technical assistance for hospital emergency departments related to abortion, contraception, pregnancy emergencies, and pregnancy loss. The organization shall coordinate directly with hospitals that apply to participate in the program.
(c) Funds awarded pursuant to the RHEPP shall be awarded to increase access to timely, evidence-based treatment of pregnancy loss and miscarriage, contraception, emergency contraception, and medical and surgical abortion.
(d) (1) The department shall award grants on a competitive basis.
(2) The department shall establish minimum standards, funding schedules, and procedures for awarding grants that shall take into consideration efforts identified to increase access to reproductive and sexual health care in emergency departments.

127652.
 Awardees receiving grants pursuant to the RHEPP may use those funds for, but are not limited to, any of the following:
(a) Providing medically accurate education, clinical guidelines and algorithms, and training tools to emergency department providers, including materials that correct common misinformation about abortion and other reproductive health care.
(b) Supporting clinical fellowships to serve as local champions working in emergency departments.
(c) Providing mentorship and coaching services.
(d) Piloting the delivery of medication abortion in emergency departments electing to provide these services.
(e) Training emergency department providers in medication abortion and manual or other aspiration techniques for the management of pregnancy loss and abortion in emergency departments electing to provide these services.

127653.
 (a) This chapter shall be operative upon appropriation by the Legislature or to the extent funds from private sources are made available for this purpose.
(b) This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2030, and as of that date is repealed.