Assembly BillFailedHealth and Safety
AB 1500: Sexual and reproductive health information.
What AB 1500 does, verified February 3, 2026
This bill aims to improve access to sexual and reproductive health information in California. The state will partner with an organization to update and maintain an internet website that provides information on abortion services, including the location of providers and practical support services. The website will also include information on sexual and reproductive health, which is historically available on federal websites. A stakeholder and community workgroup will be formed to review and update the website's content every three months. The state will ensure public awareness of the website and prepare an annual report on its reach and impact. This will help ensure that Californians have access to accurate and up-to-date information on their reproductive health.
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
2In CommitteeCurrent
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. (2026-02-02)Alert me
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Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions11 total · showing 5
| Feb. 02, 2026 | From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. |
| Jan. 31, 2026 | Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution. |
| May. 23, 2025 | In committee: Held under submission. |
| Apr. 23, 2025 | In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file. |
| Apr. 09, 2025 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 1.) (April 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
Latest bill textAmended version, March 28, 2025 · 1,868 words
| Amended IN Assembly March 28, 2025 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 1500
| Introduced by Assembly Member Schiavo |
February 21, 2025 |
An act relating to reproductive health care. to amend Section 123430 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to sexual and reproductive health.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1500, as amended, Schiavo. Awareness campaign: abortion services. Sexual and reproductive health information.
Under the California Constitution, the state is prohibited from denying or interfering with an individual’s reproductive freedom in their most intimate decisions, including their fundamental right to choose to have an abortion. Existing law, the Reproductive Privacy Act, prohibits the state from denying or interfering with a pregnant person’s right to choose or obtain an abortion prior to viability of the fetus, or when the abortion is necessary to protect the life or health of the pregnant person.
Existing law requires the California Health and Human Services Agency, or an entity designated by the agency, to establish an internet website where the public can find information on abortion services in the state. Existing law requires the internet website to include specified information and resources, including, among other things, the location of abortion providers and practical support services, as specified, to help a person access and obtain an abortion. Existing law requires the internet website to be updated every 6 months.
This bill would require the State Department of Public Health to partner with an organization, as specified, to update and maintain the above-described internet website. The bill would require the internet website to include additional information on sexual and reproductive health, including, among others, sexual and reproductive health information historically relied on and made available on federal internet websites, as specified. The bill would require the organization to recruit, form, and consult with a stakeholder workgroup and community workgroup, as specified, to determine and update the information and resources posted on the internet website. The bill would require the organization, in consultation with those workgroups, to review the information and resources on the internet website to ensure that it is current and updated at reasonable intervals, but no less than once every 3 months. The bill would require the department to ensure public awareness of the internet website, as specified. The bill would require the department to prepare and submit a report to the Legislature on an annual basis that includes, at a minimum, information about the internet website’s reach and impact. The bill would make related findings and declarations.
Existing law establishes the Department of Health Care Access and Information to oversee and administer various health programs. 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.
It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation relating to an awareness campaign on abortion services within the state.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) Abortion misinformation and disinformation have surged since the overturn of Roe v. Wade.
(b) In response to Roe v. Wade being overturned, California established Abortion.CA.Gov to ensure people across the state and country have accurate and comprehensive information when accessing abortion services in California.
(c) According to the 2024 Kaiser Family Foundation Women’s Health Survey, less than one-half of reproductive age women, 18 to 49 years of age, inclusive, in the United States are aware of the current abortion policy in their state. Even in states where abortion is generally available, a majority of people were not aware of the policies around abortion. One in four women of reproductive age say if they needed or wanted an abortion they would not know where to go nor where to find information.
(d) Scientific, evidence-based, medically accurate and inclusive sexual and reproductive health information, including clinical practice guidelines and public health data, have been altered and removed from federal internet websites.
(e) In a rapidly evolving landscape, California’s online hub for information about sexual and reproductive rights, and linkages to care must be maintained and regularly updated in partnership with content experts in the field to prevent delays in access to time-sensitive health care and improve public health outcomes.
SEC. 2.
Section 123430 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:123430.
(a)(b) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) “Department” means the State Department of Public Health.
(2) “Stakeholder workgroup and community workgroup” means the workgroups formed pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (c).
(c) (1) (A) To ensure people have access to evidence-based, medically accurate, comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information, data, research, services and resources, including when accessing abortion services in California, the department shall partner with an organization to update and maintain the internet website established pursuant to subdivision (a).
(B) The department shall ensure that the organization described in subparagraph (A) is a California-based nonprofit organization with all of the following:
(i) Content expertise.
(ii) Extensive partnerships in the sexual and reproductive health care and justice and allied movements.
(iii) Experience sharing resources, including current clinical guidelines with providers.
(iv) Experience maintaining publicly accessible internet websites with community-informed and responsive sexual and reproductive health care information and links to relevant medically accurate resources and providers statewide.
(2) The internet website established updated and maintained pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include all of the following information and resources:
(A) A person’s legally protected rights to an abortion the full range of sexual and reproductive health care services and information, including minors’ rights under state law.
(B) The location of abortion providers or links to the information in the state. Location information shall be posted and updated in a manner that allows people to easily identify the health care providers that provide abortion in the state.
(C) Practical support services, such as airfare, lodging, ground transportation, gas money, meals, dependent childcare, doula support, and translation services, to help a person access and obtain an abortion.
(D) Payment support resources, including coverage options, state programs, and other assistance that is available to help people with the cost of the abortion procedure.
(E) General description of the available types of abortion. abortion and other sexual and reproductive health services as needed and appropriate based on input from the stakeholder workgroup and community workgroup.
(F) Information to combat misinformation and disinformation, and ensure that people have comprehensive and medically accurate counseling and support services.
(G) Any other information or resources that will assist an individual seeking comprehensive and accurate information about exercising their legal right to abortion and other sexual and reproductive health services, and accessing abortion these services in the state.
(H) Sexual and reproductive health information historically relied on and made available on federal internet websites, including, but not limited to:
(i) Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines around sexual and reproductive health.
(ii) Evidence-based data and research on sexual and reproductive health.
(iii) Educational materials and public health resources on sexual and reproductive health topics.
(3) The organization shall recruit, form, and consult with a stakeholder workgroup and community workgroup to determine and update the information and resources posted on the internet website. The workgroups shall have the following compositions:
(3)The agency shall consult with subject matter experts when determining the information and resources posted on the internet website. “Subject matter experts” include,
(A) The stakeholder workgroup shall include,
but is not limited to, the department, the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, the Department of Justice, the State Department of Health Care Services, the Department of Managed Health Care, and organizations that represent patients, providers,(B) The community workgroup shall include, but is not limited to, California youth and other representatives of communities who have historically and currently face systemic barriers to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care and information in regions across the state, and who experience inequitable sexual and reproductive health disparities as a result of these systemic barriers.
(4) The internet website shall have mobile capabilities.
(5) The internet website shall comply with Section 508 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794d), regulations implementing that act as set forth in Part 1194 of Title 36 of the Federal Code of Regulations, and any laws or regulations governing the accessibility of state internet websites.
(6) The agency, in consultation with the subject matter experts, organization, in consultation with the stakeholder workgroup and community workgroup, shall review the information and resources on the internet website to ensure that it is current and updated at reasonable intervals, but no less than once every six three months. The internet website shall contain a feature to allow users to report erroneous or outdated information.
(b)
(d) The internet website and informational materials created and distributed pursuant to this section shall be made available in a manner to ensure that they are accessible by all state residents. The internet website and informational materials shall be translated into Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Korean and in compliance with the Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Services Act (Chapter 17.5 (commencing with Section 7290) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code).
(c)
(e) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the internet website established pursuant to this section shall not include the name or location of any individual who is an abortion provider.
(f) The department shall ensure public awareness of the internet website through a broad range of strategies, including, but not limited to, both of the following:
(1) Preparing governmental newsletters and notifications to be disseminated from relevant departments and public universities.
(2) Partnering with one or more community-based organizations with experience administering sexual and reproductive health public awareness campaigns in the state to both develop public education and outreach activities, campaigns, and materials and disseminate campaign materials and information to increase public awareness about the internet website.
(g) (1) The department shall prepare and submit a report to the Legislature on an annual basis that includes, at a minimum, information about the internet website’s reach and impact, including, but not limited to, total unique visits, total visits to the site, and other information determined in consultation with the stakeholder workgroup and community workgroup.
(2) The information reported shall be provided in aggregate numbers only and shall not disclose any personally identifiable information.
(3) A report to be submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation relating to an awareness campaign on abortion services within the state.
Text of AB 1500 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions