Press Release
NARAL Pro-Choice California Endorses Incumbents Rob Bonta, Marc Berman, Wendy Carrillo, Laura Friedman, Lorena Gonzalez, Scott Wiener and Jim Wood for Re-election to the California State Legislature
Today, NARAL Pro-Choice California is announcing its endorsement of seven incumbent legislators to the California State Assembly and Senate – Rob Bonta (AD-18), Marc Berman (AD-24), Wendy Carrillo (AD-51), Laura Friedman (AD-43), Lorena Gonzalez (AD-80), Scott Wiener (SD-11) and Jim Wood (AD-02) – for their commitment to championing reproductive freedom for all in the state.
“We are proud to support the re-elections of reproductive freedom champions Rob Bonta, Marc Berman, Wendy Carrillo, Laura Friedman, Lorena Gonzalez, Scott Wiener, and Jim Wood to the California State Legislature,” said Shannon Hovis, Director of NARAL Pro-Choice California. “These leaders have proven their commitment to reproductive freedom, going above and beyond to stand up for the reproductive rights of all people. Their pro-choice values are exactly what our state needs to continue to expand reproductive freedom for every body in California.”
- Asm. Rob Bonta (AD-18) is the author of NARAL-supported AB 732, which will improve the quality of the healthcare and accommodations pregnant people receive in California’s jails, and which just passed off the Assembly Floor last week, and a co-author of NARAL-sponsored ACR 110 to declare that California is a reproductive freedom state for all.
- Asm. Marc Berman (AD-24) co-authored NARAL-sponsored SB 24, which guarantees that University of California and California State University students can access medication abortion on-campus, and which was signed by Governor Newsom in 2019. Asm. Berman is also a co-author of NARAL-sponsored ACR 110.
- Asm. Wendy Carrillo (AD-51) is the author of NARAL-supported AB 1764, which establishes the Forced Sterilization Compensation Fund to compensate survivors who were forcibly or involuntarily sterilized in California. Asm. Carrillo also co-authored SB 24 and is a coauthor of ACR 110.
- Asm. Laura Friedman (AD-43) co-authored NARAL-supported AB 1264, which makes it easier for Californians to access contraception through telehealth, and which was signed by Governor Newsom in 2019. Asm. Friedman also co-authored SB 24 and is a co-author of ACR 110.
- Asm. Lorena Gonzalez (AD-80) authored NARAL-supported AB 500, which would have expanded pregnancy-related leave to school employees. Asm. Gonzalez also co-authored NARAL-sponsored SB 464, which addresses bias in maternal healthcare to reduce California’s high rates of pregnancy-related deaths among Black women, and which was signed by Governor Newsom in 2019.
- Sen. Scott Wiener (SD-11) authored NARAL-supported SB 159, which reduces barriers to accessing HIV preventative medications, and which was signed by Governor Newsom in 2019. Sen. Wiener also co-authored SB 24.
- Asm. Jim Wood (AD-02) co-authored NARAL-supported SB 1023 in 2018 to expand access to sexual and reproductive health services through telehealth, and is a co-author of ACR 110.
NARAL Pro-Choice California PrivacyPAC has previously endorsed in the following open seat and challenger races: Katrina Foley (SD-37), Melissa Fox (AD-68), dual endorsment of Kris Goodfellow and Abigail Medina (SD-23), Monique Limón (SD-19), Josh Newman (SD-29), Diedre Thu-Ha Nguyen (AD-72), and Ann Ravel (SD-15).
NARAL Pro-Choice California PrivacyPAC has also already endorsed the following incumbent champions: Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (AD-16), Tasha Boerner Horvath (AD-76), David Chiu (AD-17), Lena Gonzalez (SD-33), Cottie Petrie-Norris (AD-74), and Buffy Wicks (AD-15).
A 2018 poll by NARAL Pro-Choice California showed that reproductive rights was a key issue for state voters, with eighty percent of respondents saying women’s rights and reproductive freedoms are important to how they vote.
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