Anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers: Coming soon to a California school near you?

Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!

SHOULD CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTERS BE A PART OF K-12 SEX-ED?

California law requires K-12 students to receive comprehensive sexual health and HIV-prevention education. Should that education include information about anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers?

Some California schools already do so — California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced earlier this month that his office sent a letter to one such center, Modesto Pregnancy Center which provides sex ed curriculum materials to Modesto City Schools District, demanding that it provide proof that the center provides medically accurate and unbiased sexual health education to public school students.

A California Republican lawmaker has introduced a bill to implement that policy statewide.

SB 1368, by Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, R-Yucaipa, was heard Wednesday morning by a mostly empty Senate Education Committee.

“We have a looming primary care provider shortage in California,” Ochoa Bogh said, adding that licensed crisis pregnancy centers are filling in the gap, “particularly in rural areas, low-income areas and for people of color.”

As reported in 2012 by the Guttmacher Institute — a research and policy organization “committed to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights,” according to its website — the women who visit crisis pregnancy centers “to obtain free pregnancy tests or seek abortions are in need of accurate medical information and prompt medical attention.

“However, the centers often provide inaccurate information that may delay or interfere with women’s access to abortion and contraceptive services, improperly influence women’s reproductive health decisions and potentially increase the number of unintended births,” the report said.

Ochoa Bogh argued Wednesday that while many women in California know where to get an abortion, such as at Planned Parenthood clinics, “most women don’t know that free resources from pregnancy centers exist.”

Ochoa Bogh said that her bill “simply brings into parity the resources offered to students, giving them information on both Planned Parenthood and licensed pregnancy centers ... because with diverse options, we create informed futures.”

Committee Chair Josh Newman, D-Fullerton, expressed some confusion over the bill at Wednesday’s hearing, and whether it applied to licensed crisis pregnancy centers or all crisis pregnancy centers. He said that the deadline for making such amendments had already passed.

Ochoa Bogh said it was her intention was that the bill only apply to licensed centers and that the bill could be amended in the future.

The bill faces an uphill battle in the Democratic supermajority-controlled Legislature.

CALIFORNIA LOSES TRAILBLAZING POLITICIAN

Delaine Eastin, the first and only woman to serve as California Superintendent of Public Instruction and only the fifth woman ever to be elected to statewide constitutional office, has died. The Davis woman was 76.

“With heavy hearts, we are saddened to report that the Honorable Delaine Eastin died peacefully this evening surrounded by loved ones,” her Facebook page announced Wednesday morning.

Eastin became superintendent in 1995. She served in the California Assembly from 1986 to 1994.

“As the beloved daughter of Hank and Dottie – who emphasized the value of education above all – Delaine will be remembered for her boundless intellect, infinitely compassionate spirit, sharp sense of humor, and courageous leadership in local, state, national, and international realms. Her love of education, children, animals, gardens, and the arts shined through everything that she did,” the Facebook post read.

A public celebration of life will be held this summer, according to the Facebook post.

“In lieu of flowers, please consider holding gifts until arrangements can be made,” the post read.

California Federation of Teachers President Jeff Freitas issued a statement saying he was saddened to learn of the news.

“As the only woman to ever serve as our state’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, Eastin was a trailblazer who prioritized increased academic standards and smaller class sizes. Her mark on California’s public education system leaves a lasting legacy in our state.” Freitas said.

Tony Thurmond, California’s current superintendent of public instruction, announced at the hearing of the Senate Education Committee that schools will be flying their flags at half staff in her honor.

NOEM WILL KEYNOTE CAGOP CONVENTION

South Dakota Gov. (and rumored Donald Trump vice presidential shortlister and 2028 Republican presidential contender) Kristi Noem is set to keynote California Republican Party 2024 Convention on May 18.

The CAGOP previously announced that Republican National Committee Co-Chair Lara Trump — daughter-in-law to the former president — will be speaking at the convention.

Noem has waded into America’s culture wars, including championing bans on transgender women and girls from female sports, promoting prayer in schools, banning the teaching of what she describes as “critical race theory” and more, according to Business Insider.

“As her state’s top executive, Governor Noem is a shining example of what red state leadership can accomplish, as she fights every day to better the lives of South Dakotans using common sense, conservative policies. I look forward to hearing from a Republican leader and South Dakota’s first female governor next month,” said CAGOP Chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson in a statement.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“The law effectively grants the president permanent authority to ban widely used speech platforms with only weak connections to foreign entities. This is a dangerous power for the president to hold over websites and apps that Americans use to exercise their First Amendment rights.”

- Carolyn Iodice, legislative and policy director for the free speech group FIRE, in a statement responding to President Joe Biden signing a bill into law requiring TikTok’s Chinese owner to sell the company within nine months or shut down operations.

Best of The Bee:

• Looming TikTok ban now law unless China-based parent company sells. What it means for California, via Gillian Brassil and Andrew Sheeler.

• 16 million Californians use TikTok. Soon, it could go away. What would that mean? Via Andrew Sheeler.

• Is California really a high-tax state? New findings question that claim, via David Lightman.

• California lawmakers kill measure meant to keep politics out of customer utility bills, via Ari Plachta.

• California’s Latino lawmakers choose priority bills for 2024. Here are their top issues, via Mathew Miranda.