On January 1st, 2023, a law went into effect that requires all CSU and UC campuses to provide medical abortion pills at their health centers. Contrary to popular belief- this law did not pass after Dobbs v. Jackson (which overturned Roe v. Wade), it actually dates back to 2019. Governor Gavin Newsom aimed to expand sexual healthcare access for women on college campuses, at a reduced fee. Now in 2023, we are finally able to see SB- 24 in action. California is the first state to require its colleges to provide abortion pills and is a safe haven for students who need this service. Anyone who needs a medical abortion (two pills taken a couple of hours apart), can get the necessary means for about $50, which is the wholesale price. On college campuses, up to 54 percent of sexual assault survivors report having an unplanned pregnancy, so implementing the practices that SB-24 outlines could mean the difference between finishing one’s degree or dropping out of college entirely due to an unplanned pregnancy.
In the aftermath of Dobbs v. Jackson, around 24 states have enacted restrictions on abortions. With SB-24 enforcing all CSU and UC campuses to provide medication for abortions, it provides a huge relief for California residents and students. Although an unplanned pregnancy is daunting no matter what the circumstances are, students enrolled in CSU and UC schools can see some sort of relief with this law. This expansion of access helps sexual assault survivors, in particular, who want to seek abortion services. The aftermath of sexual assault can be terrifying, but hopefully, this law will help survivors feel like they have people in their corner at their university and do not have to face the outcomes alone.
Offering this medication on college campuses eliminates a number of issues. Number one- cost. SB-24 offers the two abortion pills at the wholesale price of $50, which is immensely lower than the typical resale price people find at clinics, which can range from $600- $800. While $50 is not easy for everyone to pay, especially college students, it opens up the accessibility door by significantly dropping the price. This is particularly helpful for people who do not have insurance. By just offering the medication at a fee of $50, students do not have to worry about which off-campus clinics will take their insurance if they have any at all. For the first couple of years, funding has been donated by a private, unnamed entity. Because of this generous donation, no taxpayer dollars are being contributed and the price will be able to stay at the wholesale price. Number two- transportation. Offering this service on campus, helps students get the necessary medication without the stress of how to physically get to a clinic. In college towns that are in more rural areas, clinics that offer abortion pills are hard to get to and are often overwhelmed with patients. Many colleges, Cal Poly included, do not allow first-year students to have their cars on campus. Students without cars who need abortion services are left with the options of taking the bus, incurring the cost of an Uber both ways, or walking if a clinic is close enough, all with the possibility of missing class due to being at the mercy of another person’s schedule. Number three- out-of-state dilemmas. In this law, university health centers are able to mail the abortion pill to students over breaks. This attracted some controversy after Roe was overturned because it often involves mailing the pills over state lines. So far, and most likely because it is such a new law, there has just been criticism. While anti-abortion groups have tried to counter this law, especially the ability to mail the pills over state lines, they have not been met with success. This is a major factor in helping sexual assault survivors. In the instance that a student of a CSU or UC is in another state for a summer or winter break, they can still have access to the full range of abortion medication, as if they were right on campus.
Another benefit that was included in this bill is training staff on how to approach this subject with students. During training, staff was able to listen to real CSU and UC students’ opinions on how they can help students, emotionally and physically. The staff of health centers reported that they had previously not understood the impact of this law on individual students, and hearing from women who believed this was an essential service was extremely powerful. This specific training can particularly benefit sexual assault survivors because health center staff will be able to provide more individualized care, pertinent to each situation. With more emotional and physical understanding, women who have experienced sexual violence and who are seeking these services will feel more comfortable talking through these issues with health center staff.
SB-24 has the potential to remove medical barriers often imposed on students, for a multitude of reasons. Because California is implementing laws to stay a safe haven for women who need abortions, students will have the opportunity to finish their degrees despite a potential unplanned pregnancy. In light of the overturning of Roe, this is a small victory for all women and students in California.