SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California is preparing to spend up to $20 million to bring women from other states to its abortion clinics, a policy aimed at increasing access to a procedure that has been outlawed or restricted in many states since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Gov. Gavin Newsom had previously restricted the money in the state’s “Abortion Practical Support Fund” for in-state travel only, saying “we have to be realistic about what we can absorb.” That decision surprised abortion advocates, especially since Newsom, a Democrat, had vowed to make California a sanctuary for women in other states seeking abortions.
Abortion advocates spent weeks lobbying the governor’s office on the issue. Friday, just days before the end of the legislative session, Newsom and legislative leaders revealed an amendment to the budget that would allow the state to spend public money on out-of-state travel for abortions. Lawmakers are scheduled to vote on it next week.
While the fund will receive public money, it also accepts private donations — something the Newsom administration said will be important to cover costs.
“As the Governor has stated, California is doing its part, but we cannot do it all — private donations and philanthropy will be critical to these efforts,” Newsom spokesperson Alex Stack said. “We all need to step up to support women who are being denied reproductive freedoms by their state governments and are forced to come to California for abortion care.”
Jodi Hicks, CEO and president of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, said the change is significant given that state officials have been working for months to increase the state’s capacity to provide abortions in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court decision.
“None of that matters if we’re not also ensuring that patients can get to where they need to go,” she said. “Everyone deserves to get health care, including abortion, and unfortunately for half the country they need to travel outside the state they live in in order to get that.”
As some states move to outlaw or restrict abortion access, some state and local governments have acted to use public money to help women in those states travel to get the procedure. In Republican-led states, city leaders in St. Louis, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio, have pledged to use public money to help women get abortions.