Press Release
NARAL Pro-Choice California Launches Reproductive Freedom Scorecard for 2021 Legislative Session
For Immediate Release: Thursday, February 18, 2021
Contact: [email protected]
California — Today, NARAL Pro-Choice California launched the Reproductive Freedom Legislative Scorecard, beginning with the 2021 session. The Scorecard will hold California legislators to account and highlight the state legislators who are stepping up to lead on issues of reproductive freedom. The first scorecard will be released in September 2021.
“With a majority on the Supreme Court hostile to Roe v. Wade, and the erosion of access to reproductive healthcare in states across the country, there is no doubt that reproductive freedom is in peril,” said NARAL Pro-Choice California Director Shannon Olivieri Hovis. “That’s why California’s role as the gold standard for reproductive freedom and as a safe haven for all who seek care within our borders is ever more important. NARAL looks forward to working closely with champions for reproductive freedom up and down the state as California continues to push the envelope in safeguarding the right to decide if, when, and how to raise a family.”
NARAL Pro-Choice California’s Reproductive Freedom Legislative Scorecard will score key Assembly and Senate committee and floor votes on reproductive freedom legislation, and will also factor in lead authorship and co-authorship of bills advancing reproductive freedom. Votes and authorships will be weighted based on alignment with organizational priorities. With the scorecard, NARAL also aims to differentiate between lawmakers who support reproductive freedom and those who are willing to go above and beyond to stand with the 84% of Californians who believe abortion should be legal.
The Reproductive Freedom Legislative Scorecard will score bills in the areas of reproductive health, rights, and freedom. While the full list of bills for the 2021 scorecard is evolving, among the bills to be scored will include NARAL Pro-Choice California co-sponsored legislation:
- Abortion Accessibility Act (SB 245, Gonzalez) to remove cost-sharing for abortion, so that no one is unable to access abortion due to the cost of the care.
- Equitable and Inclusive UC Healthcare Act (SB 379, Wiener), to ensure all University of California doctors and students practicing in non-UC facilities are able to provide the full range of healthcare services, including reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare.
- Contraceptive Equity Act of 2021 (SB 523, Leyva), to ensure greater contraceptive equity statewide, regardless of an individual’s gender or insurance coverage status.
In addition to the legislation co-sponsored by NARAL, the Scorecard will grade bills related to access to sexual and reproductive health education, information, and counseling; equitable access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services; and access to pregnancy and postpartum services and support including improving maternal health outcomes, fighting pregnancy discrimination, expanding paid family leave, and more.
The Reproductive Freedom Scorecard will reflect annual and not aggregated scores. NARAL Pro-Choice California PrivacyPAC will take this scorecard into consideration when making decisions about which candidates to endorse. The full methodology can be found here.
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For over 50 years, NARAL Pro-Choice America and its network of state affiliates and chapters have fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom—including access to abortion, contraception, and paid family leave—for every body. NARAL is powered by its more than 2.5 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, representing the 7 in 10 Americans who believe every person should have the freedom to make the best decision for themselves about if, when, and how to raise a family.