California has been one of the main states in America supporting women’s rights, and with the passing of Assembly Bill 2540, they are taking the next step in helping women make proper decisions before and after their intimate time.
Assembly Bill 2540, authored by state Assemblymember Catherine Stefani, D-San Francisco, would mandate that the approximately 90 community colleges across California that have health centers offer access to medicinal abortion by Jan. 1, 2029.
“Four years after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, California has a responsibility to continue protecting and expanding access to reproductive healthcare,” Stefani said. “Rights mean little if people cannot access care, and where a student goes to college should never determine whether they can receive essential health services. AB 2540 helps ensure community college students have the same access to medication abortion services as their peers at UC and CSU campuses.”
The bill also requires that these colleges—as well as the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) systems—promote awareness that abortion pills are available on campus among their student bodies. It follows media reports from 2024 that said several UC and CSU campuses had failed to provide students with basic information on where or how to access abortion medication despite offering it after the passage of a similar bill for those systems in 2019.
Since 2023, health centers at UC and CSU campuses have been required to offer access to abortion pills to students.
In June, Stefani stated that community college students seeking medication-induced abortions often have to navigate transportation barriers or consequences for missing work. More than 60 percent of the student body across the California Community College system are economically disadvantaged, per data from the chancellor’s office, making both obstacles the biggest reason the bill needs to pass to help college students.
An amendment added in July expanded how community college health centers could offer access to medication abortions. The service, per the amendment, can be provided not just by health center staff but also through contracted external agencies, community health providers, or via telehealth. Michelle Barclay, president of the Health Services Association California Community Colleges (HSACCC), said this added flexibility is an “important step” in anticipating removing the association’s opposition.
To go into effect, the bill would require funding for “implementation readiness activities and ongoing operational costs” at each community college with a health center. This includes money for clinical staffing, student outreach, staff training, and data collection. Legislators estimated that the required funding would be from $7 million to $28 million.
The bill must pass with a majority vote in the Senate before Gov. Newsom can approve it. It is expected to be taken up by legislators when they return from their summer recess in early August.
