California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two bills on Wednesday relating to abortion rights, with both helping children hide medical information from parents.
The first bill, AB 1356, will create new offenses arising from recording or photographing patients or providers within 100 feet of the entrance to a reproductive health services facility. The other, AB 1184, will keep patient information confidential for patients who are not the primary policyholder for their health insurance. Healthcare services that patients can keep confidential include “reproductive health care and gender-affirming care,” according to the governor’s statement .00:16/01:56
“California has been a leader in protecting access to sexual and reproductive rights, but as we’ve seen recently with unprecedented attacks on these rights, we can and must do more,” Newsom said in his statement. “I applaud the establishment of the California Future of Abortion Council and look forward to its important work to advance our state’s leadership on this vital issue. I’m proud today to sign these two bills that demonstrate our dedication to strengthening and further protecting access to reproductive health care services in California.”
Newsom’s statement noted his signing of the bills came after Texas enacted a ban on abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, promising California would “remain a haven for all Californians, and for those coming from out-of-state seeking reproductive health services here.”
All nine Republican members of the California Senate opposed the signing of AB 1184 and sent a letter to Newsom urging him to veto the bill.
“We should be encouraging parents and family to be involved in their children’s lives, not removing them further from it,” read the letter .
Newsom’s signing of the twin bills comes just over a week after he handily defeated a recall effort on Sept. 14. The election is set to cost taxpayers roughly $276 million .
The governor’s office did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.