California universities offer abortion pills in health centers by next year

EUREKA, Calif. — A new California law going into effect Jan 1, 2023, will require all public universities in the state to provide abortion pills at their respective health centers.

The various California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC) campuses are each in their own stages of implementation. Still, according to Cal Poly Humboldt Communication Officer, Grant Scott-Goforth, Cal Poly Humboldt will start offering the service at the start of 2023, and the health center is currently working out the details.

This service is brand new to Cal Poly Humboldt's Health Center, as none of the CSU campuses have previously offered this service. According to Cal Matters, an estimated 512 college students get abortions every month, or 6,228 a year. The new law will allow up to 6,228 abortions per year, according to Cal Matters. The goal is to free up space in existing abortion clinics by providing California students with an easy and accessible option.

The law passed in 2019, but it is even more relevant now since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June. While Governor Gavin Newsom has stated his intention to preserve reproductive healthcare in the state, this new law may help make abortions more accessible in some counties that currently have fewer resources.