Calif. announces emergency stockpile of abortion medication

Governor Newsom announced Monday that California has secured an emergency stockpile of up to 2 million pills of Misoprostol, a safe and effective medication abortion drug, in the wake of U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk’s ruling seeking to block Mifepristone, a critical abortion pill.

California shared the negotiated terms of its Misoprostol purchase agreement to assist other states in securing Misoprostol, at low cost.

“In response to this extremist ban on a medication abortion drug, our state has secured a stockpile of an alternative medication abortion drug to ensure that Californians continue to have access to safe reproductive health treatments. We will not cave to extremists who are trying to outlaw these critical abortion services. Medication abortion remains legal in California,” said Governor Newsom.

California officials still believe Mifepristone is central to the preferred regimen for medication abortion, the State negotiated and purchased an emergency stockpile of Misoprostol in anticipation of Friday’s ruling by far-right federal judge Kacsmaryk to ensure that California remains a safe haven for safe, affordable, and accessible reproductive care.

More than 250,000 pills have already arrived in California, and the State has negotiated the ability to purchase up to 2 million Misoprostol pills as needed through CalRx. To support other states in securing Misoprostol at a low cost, California has shared the negotiated terms of the purchase agreement with all states in the Reproductive Freedom Alliance.

For decades, medication abortion has been a reliable, affordable, and accessible way for people to get abortion care. Mifepristone, which the FDA first approved in 2000, is taken in combination with Misoprostol. This regimen has been used in more than half of abortions nationwide and is widely considered the standard of care.

California announced that it has taken the following actions:

• Purchasing Misoprostol, through CalRx, to ensure Cal- ifornia providers can continue to provide medication abortions without disruption. Pharmacies facing shortages can go to Abortion.CA.GOV to find out how to access the stockpile.

• Informing Medi-Cal providers about continued reimbursement for medication abortion using a Misoprostol-only treatment regimen.

• Reminding health plans of California statute that requires the coverage of all other types of abortion and abortion-related services with no cost-sharing or utilization management, including misoprostol.

• Updating Abortion.CA.GOV, California’s abortion resource website, to address questions regarding the Texas court decision and its potential impact on their access to medication abortion.

• Proactively working with other states through the Reproductive Freedom Alliance to protect access in advance of Friday’s decision.

In reaction, state Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis said in a statement: “Today’s announcement reaffirms California’s commitment to lead the fight against extremist attempts to take away the fundamental right to reproductive care. I applaud Governor Newsom’s swift action to ensure that Californians and those who seek care here can continue to access safe abortions.”

Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon stated: “I applaud this effort by Governor Newsom to ensure that critical abortion medication is available for every woman in need, even while other states fight to strip away that right to bodily autonomy. With the legal future of mifepristone uncertain, taking early action to make sure we are well-supplied with misoprostol will mean continued access to reproductive healthcare for Californians across the state.”

In September 2022, Newsom signed into law a budget and legislative package that invested more than $200 million in new funds to protect and expand access to sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion care. Of this, $40 million is to cover provider costs for people who cannot afford care (known as uncompensated care), and $20 million is for an “Abortion Practical Support Fund” to help cover the costs associated with abortion care, including travel and lodging both for people in California and people forced to come to California due to restrictions in their home state. These investments will make it easier for people experiencing barriers to care to access critical health care services.

Newsom recently led 21 governors in creating the Reproductive Freedom Alliance – a first-of-its-kind nonpartisan coalition to protect and expand access to reproductive health care, including abortion. The Alliance facilitates proactive and swift coordination across reproductive freedom states so that they can put up effective firewalls to protect and expand access to reproductive care.

Brody Levesque

Padilla, Alcaraz headed to run-off for council seat

The top two candidates in the field of seven candidates in the special election held April 4 to fill the Los Angeles City Council seat vacated by Nury Martinez appear to be headed to a run-off.

Martinez had resigned in disgrace after the leak of an audio recording last October on which she and fellow council members Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo were heard making racist and homophobic comments.

According to updated election results released Friday by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s Office, showed that Imelda Padilla, had a total of 3,421 votes, or 25.69%, of the ballots counted in the District 6 race. Marissa Alcaraz was second with 2,812 votes, or 21.12%.

Marco Santana was third with 2,515 votes, or 18.89%. Rose Grigoryan was fourth, with 1,980 votes, or 14.87%. The Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s Office noted that there are only 99 vote-by-mail ballots left to be tallied from the special election, along with any additional mail ballots that are received by next Tuesday.

With no candidate scoring a majority of votes, the top two,

Padilla and Alcaraz will advance to a June 27 runoff.

Constituents in District 6 are being provided services by a non-voting caretaker, the city of LA’s chief legislative analyst, Sharon Tso. A non-voting caretaker does not hold a seat on the council, but oversees the council office to make sure the district provides constituent services and other basic functions. BRODY