Bakersfield Crisis Pregnancy Center v. (SB 245)
Summary
We sued California Attorney General Rob Bonta and several state agencies to block a law that forces insurance companies to pay for abortions without any copays or deductibles. The law discriminates against women who choose to carry their babies to term and effectively subsidizes abortionists. California does not prohibit out-of-pocket expenses for any other surgery or drug regimen.
We filed our lawsuit on behalf of pro-life pregnancy care centers because the law favors abortion over childbirth, which is explicitly forbidden by the California Constitution according to long-established case law. Life Legal’s lawsuit emphasizes the harmful effect SB 245 will have on poorer women. By requiring insurance companies to finance abortion – the law exercises coercion on mothers who do not want to abort but who may not be able to afford out-of-pocket expenses for prenatal care and childbirth.
Life Legal’s challenge to SB 245 is the first lawsuit against any of the radical new pro-abortion laws passed in California relating to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.
Legal Documents
May 5, 2023: Judge allows case to move forward
Click to access SB-245-Ruling-05082023.pdf
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Legal Representation
Catherine W Short
Corrina Konczal