AB 551

Existing law establishes the Department of Health Care Access and Information to oversee and administer various health programs. The California Constitution prohibits the state from denying or interfering with an individual’s reproductive freedom in their most intimate decisions. Existing law establishes the California Reproductive Health Equity Program within the department to ensure abortion and contraception services are affordable for and accessible to all patients and to provide financial support for safety net providers of these services. This bill would, upon appropriation by the Legislature or the availability of funds from private sources, establish the Reproductive Health Emergency Preparedness Program (RHEPP) for the purpose of expanding and improving access to reproductive and sexual health care in emergency departments across California. The bill would require the department to award the grants and administer the RHEPP in collaboration with California-based organizations to serve as the technical assistance provider. The bill would require the department to establish minimum standards, funding schedules, and procedures for awarding grants and would specify the qualifications for the collaborating organizations. The bill would limit the permissible uses of grant funds under the program, as specified. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2030.