SB 1375

Expanding Reproductive Care Services
Empowering Nurse Practitioners
 

NEW: Governor Newsom Signs Senate Leader Atkins’ Critical Reproductive Access Legislation 

“With an increasing shortage of providers, far too many Californians are struggling to get the care they need, when they need it,” said Pro Tem Atkins. “Patients—especially pregnant people considering abortion—don’t have time to waste. That’s why it is so important that highly skilled, qualified nurse practitioners have the opportunity to practice independently, including the ability to provide reproductive care and first term abortions.”

• SB 1375 would increase access to affordable, quality abortion and reproductive care in California by expanding on AB 154 (Atkins, 2013), which gave trained and qualified nurse practitioners the ability to perform first trimester abortions under doctor supervision, by authorizing them to provide reproductive care and first trimester abortions within the scope of their clinical and professional education and training without doctor supervision. Additionally, SB 1375 will modernize and remove barriers to accessing abortion training for nurses practitioners and certified nurse midwives.

• California has a shortage of primary care clinicians—especially in Latino, Black, Native American, and rural communities—a problem that is expected to get even more dire over the next 10 years. Over 40 percent of counties in California don’t have clinics that provide abortions.

• By giving more trained and qualified nurse practitioners the ability to provide abortions without the supervision of a doctor, SB 1375 is a proactive step to further increase access to affordable, quality abortion and reproductive care in California.

• At it’s core, this law is about broadening the quality care patients can receive. It’s about getting more women and families the care they need, and helping to alleviate a heavy workload carried by physicians and a provider shortage that is increasingly detrimental to patients.

• Thirteen states currently allow nurse practitioners to perform aspiration abortions in the first trimester, which includes California. Of those, nine allow nurse practitioners to perform abortions without physician supervision.
  • Includes: Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Vermont, Washington

• States that have granted nurse practitioners authority to practice independently have seen an increase in the number of nurse practitioners who care for underserved populations.

• For more information, you can find the bill language here.