SACRAMENTO, CA – Assembly Bill 1646, authored by Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen (D-Elk Grove) was approved today on a 9 - 3 vote by the California State Senate Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development.
AB 1646 aims to provide critical training for out-of-state medical residents to practice medicine and receive compensation for up to 90 days as part of their guest rotations in California. Currently, medical residents in states such as Texas, which had one of the largest ob-gyn residency programs in the country are now unable to be fully trained because Texas banned abortion in 2022.
“California is a beacon of hope and a safe haven for women’s reproductive health and access to safe abortions,” said Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen. “AB 1646 will ensure California is also a safe haven for out-of-state medical residents who are training in obstetrics and gynecology, especially for medical residents that are from states that have banned abortions.”
In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade leaving the right to abortion up to individual states. As of today, 18 states have enacted total bans or severe restrictions on abortion, and its’ anticipated more states will follow. Abortion bans are not just impacting patient access to care but also the availability for medical professionals to be properly trained in specific medical fields, specifically obstetrics and gynecology.
“AB 1646 is an important bill to support comprehensive training for physicians, as it allows medical residents to come to California for training in health care services, like abortion, that they may not be able to receive in their home program due to hostile laws in their state,” said Molly Robson, VP of Government Affairs at Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California. “By improving California’s ability and capacity to create partnerships and host medical residents from abortion-banned states, we can ensure doctors who care for pregnant people continue to be trained fully in their licensure, despite hostile laws that would otherwise inhibit them from being trained in life-saving essential health care,” added Molly Robson .
AB 1646 will be heard next by the California State Senate Committee on Appropriations.
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Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen represents the Cities of Sacramento and Elk Grove