California’s Planned Parenthood clinics will get a $90 million boost in state funding, immediately.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation on Wednesday approving the one-time emergency funds. Planned Parenthood lost federal funding after Republicans in Congress passed H.R.1 last year, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
The $90 million will help backfill reproductive care costs for over 100 Planned Parenthood clinics statewide.
First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, who was present with the governor as he signed the state bill, criticized President Donald Trump for last year’s funding cuts.
“This man has stripped funding from clinics determining whether women can access care at all. That should alarm every single one of us. Not just women, but men who purport to care for women,” Siebel Newsom said.
Health centers have been hit hard over the loss of federal funds. The cut prevents Medicare reimbursements for Planned Parenthood clinics. Over 80% of the provider’s patients in California are on Medi-Cal. The newly approved state dollars will pay for reproductive services including contraceptive care, cancer screenings, and STI testing, but not abortion care.
Speaking at the state Capitol, Democratic lawmakers and reproductive health advocates presented California in sharp contrast to the Trump administration. They said the bill was an example of California fighting back against a GOP-led Congress.
“Without a doubt, California is hit hardest by the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans’ federal ‘defund’ of Planned Parenthood health centers,” said Jodi Hicks, CEO and President of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California. “Yet, our governor and Legislature were undeterred by their attacks and took the most bold and significant action in the nation to protect access to reproductive health care in California.”
Republicans opposed the legislation during floor debate earlier this week, but were outvoted by Democrats who sent the bill to Newsom’s desk. Some argued the fast-tracked bill hadn’t received enough debate through the legislative committee process.
Republican Assemblymember David Tangipa of Fresno implored lawmakers to give hospitals more funding instead.
“Why does Planned Parenthood get a $90 million grant, but right now over 60 hospitals in the state of California are on the verge of shutting down and they have to ask for a hospital distress loan?” Tangipa said on the Assembly floor.
The new funding goes into effect right away.
