Assembly Passes AB 260 to Safeguard Reproductive Healthcare in California

(SACRAMENTO, CA) — The California State Assembly has passed AB 260, authored by Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters), with bipartisan support. The bill reaffirms California’s commitment to protecting reproductive healthcare, particularly access to medication abortion, amid growing national attacks on reproductive rights and as other states roll back reproductive healthcare access.

“AB 260 is about ensuring Californians have the freedom to make decisions about their own bodies without fear or interference from political agendas,” said Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry. “It safeguards providers, strengthens access through telehealth, and ensures mifepristone—a safe, FDA-approved medication for over 20 years—remains legal and available throughout California, especially for those in rural and underserved areas.”

Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade, many states have enacted strict abortion bans. AB 260 positions California as a bulwark against these changes, ensuring state-level protections remain intact amid federal uncertainty. AB 260 offers comprehensive protections for healthcare providers, pharmacists, clinics, and hospitals from penalties for legally prescribing or dispensing mifepristone. It removes prescriber names from medication labels for their safety; mandates insurance coverage, including Medi-Cal, for medication abortion; expands access through telehealth services; and eliminates outdated and discriminatory language from state law such as references to “chaste character.”

“California must stand firm in the facts and our values,” Aguiar-Curry added. “This is especially important with the federal government trying to restrict access and the proposed state budget cuts to healthcare. Reproductive healthcare is basic, essential health care. AB 260 ensures we protect patients, providers, and our fundamental rights.”

AB 260 is supported by state leaders, including Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, Attorney General Rob Bonta and State Treasurer Fiona Ma, and several leading reproductive health organizations. Supporters of this bill highlight that it strengthens legal protections and modernizes access to reproductive care, and ensures equitable care for marginalized communities and Medi-Cal recipients who face greater barriers to healthcare.

"In California, we don’t just defend reproductive freedom—we lead the fight to protect it,” said Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis. “As extremist forces across the country try to ban abortion and restrict access to essential healthcare, AB 260 makes it clear—mifepristone is safe, it is legal, and it will remain accessible in our state. I’m proud to co-sponsor this critical legislation and thank Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry for her leadership in authoring this bill. AB 260 ensures that women, patients, providers, and the fundamental right to choose are protected in California, no matter what happens in Washington. We will never back down."

“With President Trump in the White House, California’s leadership on reproductive rights is critical. AB 260 would allow us to continue leading the way by protecting access to abortion medication, and I’m grateful to be working closely on it with Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Abortion medication is both safe and effective – full stop – and we must continue defending it.”

"AB 260 builds on California’s leadership by establishing clear protections for providers, pharmacies, and clinics that legally dispense mifepristone,” said State Treasurer Fiona Ma, CPA. “It ensures health plans continue to cover medication abortion, supports access through telehealth, updates outdated legal codes, and protects provider privacy by removing names from prescription labels. As California State Treasurer and a strong advocate for reproductive rights, I am proud to cosponsor AB 260."

"As our nation grapples with a Republican-manufactured public health emergency, California once again demonstrates its unwavering commitment to safeguarding reproductive freedom and ensuring access to essential abortion care. TEACH is honored to co-sponsor this vital legislation that allows our healthcare providers to do what they do best, provide patients with safe, evidence based, patient-centered abortion care,” said Flor Hunt, Executive Director of Training in Early Abortion for Comprehensive Healthcare. “With decisive leadership, Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry championed AB 260. It is a move that actively ensures California delivers an unambiguous and powerful message to both patients and providers throughout the state—and you have our unwavering support.”

“As the Trump Administration lays out their ridiculous plan to “review” mifepristone, a safe and effective abortion medication approved by the FDA for over two decades, California must ensure providers like Planned Parenthood can continue to provide the abortion care constitutionally protected in our state,” said Jodi Hicks, CEO and President of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California. “There is no reproductive freedom without access and federal changes to mifepristone’s accessibility—without state protections— will severely impact Californians’ access to abortion care. As federal threats to mifepristone intensify, AB 260 seeks to provide the protections necessary to safeguard medication abortion in California so all patients can access the care they deserve, when and where they need it.”

“As a leading provider of virtual reproductive health care, Hey Jane sees firsthand how critical it is for Californians to have safe, timely, and equitable access to medication abortion and other essential health services,” said Kiki Freedman, Co-Founder and CEO at Hey Jane. “At a time when the current administration is relentlessly attacking reproductive rights nationwide, AB 260 is a bold and necessary step to protect and expand these freedoms in California-especially for people in rural and underserved communities who face the greatest barriers to care. We are proud to be a cosponsor of this legislation and applaud Assembly Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry for championing this bill to ensure California remains a beacon of reproductive freedom for all.”

“Access to medication abortion is essential health care and protecting it is more important than ever. As RFK, Jr. and anti-abortion lawmakers move to attack mifepristone, AB 260 is a necessary safeguard for Californians’ health, rights, and futures,” said Ryan Stitzlein, President of Political and Government Relations at Reproductive Freedom for All Vice. “It is imperative that our champions in the legislature prioritize getting this bill over the finish line and we look forward to working with them to make that happen.”

“The National Health Law Program is proud to co-sponsor AB 260. It not only includes important legal protections for abortion seekers and providers, but makes tangible improvements to equitable access to care. This bill will ensure Medi-Cal coverage of asynchronous telehealth for abortion services. This is crucial in addressing serious access barriers associated with synchronous telehealth that may disproportionately harm Medi-Cal enrollees, including technological limitations, scheduling constraints, and privacy concerns,” said Cat Duffy, Policy Analyst at the National Health Law Program. “We are thrilled that the Assembly has passed AB 260 and will continue to work with Assemblymember Aguiar- Curry and our partners to support policies that reinforce California as a reproductive freedom state.”

“We witness daily the barriers faced by Californians seeking reproductive healthcare, particularly those in marginalized communities who struggle the most to access essential services. AB 260 represents a crucial advancement in protecting and expanding abortion access across our state at a time when individuals are under great stress as their rights continue to be under attack nationwide,” said Jessica Gil, Executive Director at ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE. “By removing unnecessary barriers to medication abortion and other vital health services, this bill ensures that geography, income, or background will never determine a person's ability to access abortion care, a key tenet of Reproductive Justice. We are honored to support Assembly Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry's legislation and remain committed to ensuring California makes reproductive healthcare accessible for all people, regardless of their circumstances."

As AB 260 moves to the Senate, Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry and supporters of this bill remain committed to upholding Californians’ constitutionally protected reproductive rights.