California solidified its stance as a sanctuary state for women’s reproductive and transgender healthcare Sept. 30. During the fall of ​​Roe v. Wade and bills limiting transgender and non-binary rights, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed 997 legislature bills, many of which protect transgender youth and abortion patients with others narrowing pay gaps with respect to race and gender. 

California already has strong protections in place with respect to civil rights, and these recent bills affirm the state’s liberal majority and progressive legislature, taking a stand against efforts in many red states to actively criminalize transgender and reproductive healthcare. 

Transgender protection laws

Senate Bill (SB) 107 aims to make California a sanctuary state for transgender youth seeking trans-affirming health care. 

This law, taking effect Jan. 1 of 2023, will allow LGBTQ+ Californians a new level of safety and reassurance that their right to affirming healthcare will not be removed, creating a ripple effect of safety and relief across the state.

Ana Marson, the director of health and wellness at Orange County’s LGBTQ Center, noted the progress this bill incites in California.

“This means that transgender and LGBTQ+ identifying individuals will have the ability to safely receive the care they need,” Marson told The Panther. “It will take effort and advocacy to ensure that healthcare providers are culturally competent and affirming throughout California, but this is definitely a step forward towards making California a leader in trans and LGBTQ+ healthcare.” 

With trans healthcare declining in many states, laws like SB 107 enable healthcare facilities across California to provide services to out-of-state LGBTQ+ Americans. 

“With laws such as SB 107, we are able to provide information and offer resources to those outside of California looking to travel to access affirming healthcare,” Marson said. “As an organization that links the LGBTQ+ community to healthcare providers, we have a responsibility to ensure they are affirming in every sense for every intersection of identity.”  

Women’s reproductive health

Following the overturn of Roe v. Wade, California swings further left with Newsom’s signing of bills including Assembly Bill (AB) 2091, AB 1242, SB 1375 and AB 2223, which provide protection against criminal liabilities for pregnancy loss or abortion.

According to The New York Times Newsom has pledged that California will become a sanctuary for women seeking abortions as other states prohibit abortion or other reproductive rights.

Bills like AB 1242 and AB 2091 enhance privacy protections for medical records related to abortion care, against disclosures to law enforcement and out-of-state third parties. 

SB 1375 increases access to affordable, quality abortion and reproductive care in California. AB 2223 removes all penalties from anyone violating any abortion health and safety standards when performing an abortion on a woman through all nine months of pregnancy.

Similarly to trans healthcare, these bills may encourage out-of-state residents to seek reproductive-related healthcare in California. 

“It does seem likely that, with new abortion restrictions going into effect in many red states, the demand for abortion and reproductive health services in California will increase,” said John Compton, a political science professor. “The new state laws were passed in anticipation of that, and they will likely make it easier for out-of-state citizens to obtain these services in California.”

Gender and race 

In addition to female and trans healthcare, Newsom also signed into effect civil rights-related bills regarding gender and race salary transparency. 

Labor bills like ​​SB 1162 require employers to showcase salary ranges for available job positions to applicants and employees, setting new pay data reporting requirements based on both gender and race.

The goal of these laws is to narrow pay gaps with respect to race and gender in the state, allowing California to join a handful of other states that have required medium and large employers to publicly post salary ranges for new job positions. 

Laws such as AB 1287, prohibit the discriminatory “pink tax” on products marketed to women, and additional measures expand support for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. In culmination with gender and race transparency, Newsom’s laws create a national stance toward women’s liberation and anti-discrimination within California.

What these laws mean for California’s future

Compton said much remains unclear about how the courts will react to state laws that are in conflict with one another. 

“The question today is whether, or to what extent, California can affect what is currently happening in other states, and these unknowns may not be resolved until being brought to the courts,” Compton said. “Can Texas, for example, enforce its anti-abortion laws against California providers who assist out-of-state residents? Can California really override parental custody rights in other states for minors seeking medical procedures in California?”