Student health centers on college campuses in California provide a wide range of services.
But medication-assisted abortion is not one of them.
A bill, SB 320, that would require student health clinics at public colleges and universities to offer medication-assisted abortion passed the Senate Education committee by a 4-2 vote last week.
Doctors say it is an option for women who are less than 10 weeks pregnant.
It consists of two different pills: mifepristone and misoprostol. Mifespristone is usually administered at a clinic. The second medication, misoprostol, is typically taken at home 6-48 hours later.
College students who currently want to take advantage of the service have to go to an off-campus clinic.
Critics say by allowing the drugs at campus health centers, the measure would lower health and safety standards for students. But State Sen. Connie Layva (D-Chino), who wrote the bill, said that is just not true.
“Medicated-abortion is as safe as Tylenol and as safe as Viagra, and we don’t worry about people taking either of those two medications," she said.
Under Layva’s measure, the costs of providing on-campus medication-assisted abortions would be covered by private groups.
The bill now moves onto the Senate Appropriations committee.
