California lawmakers vote to make abortions cheaper

California lawmakers revealed a bill that would create a mechanism for taxpayers to pay for women in other states where abortion might be illegal to travel to California to receive care. The bill would create the Abortion Practical Support Fund, which would give grants to nonprofit groups that help women get abortions. The groups could use the money to pay for things like airfare, lodging, ground transportation, gas money, meals, dependent child care, doula support, and translation services.

The fund, which state Sen. Nancy Skinner said would be the first of its kind in the country, would accept private donations, but state lawmakers could also choose to put taxpayer money in it. That would require an appropriation in the state budget.

“We really wanted to double down on our effort to make sure that every Californian has access to the full range of reproductive services they need, including abortion,” said Skinner, a Democrat from Berkeley who is a co-author of the bill along with Democratic Sen. Anna Caballero. “Of course, we have states around us where these restrictions may end up in place, and women who will feel like they have nowhere to turn but a state that is open to them.”

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