UPDATE, 4/3/19, 10:59p EST: Secular Pro-Life reports that SB 24 unfortunately passed the committee and now moves to the education committee:
4/2/19: Last year, California Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a bill that would mandate abortion pills be provided to students on public college campuses. But just months later, in December, the bill was reintroduced. Now, it’s being considered by the California Senate Health Committee, meaning public college campuses are, once again, in danger of being turned into first trimester abortion facilities.
Called the “College Student Right to Access Act,” the bill would require every public college or university with an on-campus health center to provide the abortion pill to any student who wants it. Secular Pro-life notes that TODAY is the day to contact Senators to voice disapproval, as the Senate Health Committee votes on the bill tomorrow, April 3rd.
Despite arguments to the contrary, there is no shortage of abortionists close to California colleges; the average distance, in fact, is less than six miles. And while abortion activists frequently claim that the abortion pill — often known as RU-486 — is perfectly safe, there are, in fact, severe side effects.
Side effects often include extremely heavy bleeding, painful and debilitating menstrual cramps, and nausea; women who have undergone a medication abortion are not uncommonly shocked to find just how bad the experience really is. Jennifer Baumgardner, a pro-abortion author, quoted a woman in her book who described it as “one of the most painful experiences I’ve ever been through,” explaining that she “felt like my insides were tearing themselves apart,” and said she eventually “passed out from the pain.” Yet women are expected to go through this kind of traumatic experience alone, without a doctor’s supervision, in a dorm room and/or shared restroom facilities?
Women have also died from taking RU-486, which illustrates another problem with giving college students abortion pills on campus. Deaths are usually because a woman had an undiagnosed ectopic pregnancy or was further along in her pregnancy than she thought, which is why it’s vital for an ultrasound to be performed before an abortion is committed. Yet it’s doubtful that every college campus will be outfitted with ultrasound machines, as well as staffers who know how to properly operate them.
Put simply, this bill will almost certainly put the lives of young college students at risk, for no reason.
READ: In 25 years, California taxpayers paid over half a billion dollars for abortion
Democratic Senator Connie M. Leyva, who reintroduced the bill, argued that students need the pill available on campus to ensure they have access to abortion. “As critical health care protections and services for women are under attack at the federal level and in several states across our country, California continues to lead the way by strengthening access to safe and timely reproductive health care,” she said in a statement. “It is critically important that we reaffirm the constitutional right of college students to access abortion care without delay, and that should always include student health centers on public university campuses. Regardless of where they may live, all Californians should have access to the full range and choices of reproductive care services so that they can plan their futures and accomplish their goals. I am confident that the incoming Legislature will also approve SB 24 and that Governor-Elect Gavin Newsom will continue to stand strong in his support for a woman’s right to choose.”
According to Leyva’s statement, the bill is heavily backed by the abortion industry, including NARAL Pro-Choice California, California Latinas for Reproductive Justice, Students United for Reproductive Justice at UC Berkeley, ACLU California, and more. But as Pro-Life San Francisco points out, there are issues with conscience protections and taxpayer funding, on top of the danger it poses to college students.
Live Action founder and president Lila Rose slammed the previous version of the bill last year, pointing out that she has been in campus health centers, which only promote abortion for pregnant students.
“The same legislature that is pushing to make abortions readily available has not even tried to put the same effort into pregnancy, parenting, and adoption support programs to help these women keep their babies,” Rose said.
“True empowerment would include options and support for women, not all of these lies about how easy and safe abortion is; not this encouragement to take a life for convenience’s sake.”
Today, it is vital that pro-lifers call their state senators and voice their opposition to SB 24. You can find your state senator here; take action now and tell your senator to vote against SB 24.
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