Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

signal status listen live donate
listen live donate signal status
listen live donate signal status
  • News
    • topics
    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • genres
    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic
    • Daily Playlist
  • Programs + Podcasts
    • news
    • Morning Edition
    • All Things Considered
    • Marketplace
    • Insight With Vicki Gonzalez
    • music
    • Acid Jazz
    • At the Opera
    • Classical Music
    • Connections
    • Excellence in Jazz
    • Hey, Listen!
    • K-ZAP on CapRadio
    • Mick Martin's Blues Party
    • Programs A-Z
    • Podcast Directory
  • Schedules
    • News
    • Music
    • ClassicalStream
    • JazzStream
    • Weekly Schedule
    • Daily Playlist
  • Community
    • Events Calendar
    • CapRadio Garden
    • CapRadio Reads
    • Ticket Giveaways
  • Support
    • Evergreen Gift
    • One-Time Gift
    • Corporate Support
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Gift
    • Legacy Gift
    • Endowment Gift
    • Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • e‑Newsletter
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
  • State Government
  • Health Care
  •  

California Sues To Block New Federal Abortion Restrictions

Monday, March 4, 2019 | Sacramento, CA
Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra delivers the Democrats' Spanish language State of the Union response from McClatchy High School in Sacramento on Feb. 5, 2019.

Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

Updated 2:02 p.m.

(AP) — California and several other Democratic-led states announced they were challenging the Trump administration's effort to set up obstacles for women seeking abortions, including barring taxpayer-funded family planning clinics from referring patients to abortion providers.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced Monday that the state filed a federal lawsuit in San Francisco that aims to block a new family planning rule from the U.S. Health and Human Services Department. The rule shifts millions of dollars from Planned Parenthood to faith-based family planning organizations.

Becerra said the new rule affects 4 million mostly low-income women nationwide and 1 million women in California.

"The Trump-Pence administration has doubled down on its attacks on women's health," he said.

California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom joined Becerra and a group of Democratic state lawmakers to announce the lawsuit Monday in Sacramento.

“President Trump has decided to attack a program that helps to ensure that every person has access to basic, preventive and reproductive health care,” Siebel Newsom said. “This gag rule is an attack on women everywhere, but especially the most marginalized and most vulnerable among us.”

Jonathan Keller, president of the California Family Council, said he supports the rule change because there needs to be a firewall between federal funds and abortion services.

“Unfortunately, I think this is just another example of Attorney General Becerra really just trying to jockey for position for higher office,” Keller said of the lawsuit.

Keller added that thousands of federally-qualified clinics that do not offer abortions are still available to meet women’s healthcare needs. 

Washington, D.C., and 19 states said they would sue separately in Oregon on Tuesday. The states are: Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Washington's Democratic attorney general also previously said the state would challenge the rule.

Trump administration officials have told abortion opponents that they expected a number of legal challenges to the new family planning rule, which also prohibits federally funded family planning clinics from being housed in the same place as abortion providers.

The changes to the federal family planning program are scheduled to go into effect in May unless blocked in court.

The lawsuit in California is the latest of dozens of legal challenges that it and other states led by Democrats have filed in a bid to block Trump administration policies.

CapRadio's Chris Nichols contributed to this report.


Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

 reproductive rights

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters

More State Government Stories

AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli

Let’s make a deal: What to know about the California budget

June 29, 2022

AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli

Deal pulls California plastic trash measure from ballot

June 30, 2022

AP Photo/Haven Daley

California’s change to concealed carry permits would reduce wide variations among counties

June 30, 2022

Most Viewed

Abortion is still legal in California. Here are answers to questions about access in the state.

Northern California wildfires: Where to find updates on air quality, evacuations, and official information

Homeless Sacramento residents could face misdemeanor for blocking sidewalks under city proposal

California coronavirus updates: COVID-19 cases are increasing globally

Composting starts soon in Sacramento County. Here’s what you need to know.

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Most Viewed

Abortion is still legal in California. Here are answers to questions about access in the state.

Northern California wildfires: Where to find updates on air quality, evacuations, and official information

Homeless Sacramento residents could face misdemeanor for blocking sidewalks under city proposal

California coronavirus updates: COVID-19 cases are increasing globally

Composting starts soon in Sacramento County. Here’s what you need to know.

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    • (916) 278-8900
    • Toll-free (877) 480-5900
    • Email Us
    • Submit a News Tip
  • Contact Us

  • About Us

    • Contact Us / Feedback
    • Coverage
    • Directions
    • Careers & Internships
    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Press
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile App
    • On Air Schedules
    • Smart Speakers
    • Playlist
    • Podcasts
    • RSS
  • Connect With Us

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2022, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.