California · 2025-2026 Regular Session

AB50 Pharmacists: furnishing contraceptives.

Direction

Abortion medication abortionAI label

Expands abortion access model confidence 80%

Authorizes pharmacists to furnish over-the-counter contraceptives (including those used for birth control) without standardized protocols or self-screening, and allows dispensing up to a 12-month supply at once, increasing ease of access to contraceptive medications.

Notwithstanding any other law, a pharmacist may furnish over-the-counter contraceptives without the standardized procedures or protocols that subdivision (a) requires for prescription-only self-administered hormonal contraceptives.

✓ Quote verified word for word in the bill text

Abortion funding insuranceAI label

No change to abortion access model confidence 90%

The bill does not change rules on public funding, insurance coverage mandates, or reimbursement requirements for contraceptives.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a health care service plan, health insurer, workers’ compensation insurance plan, pharmacy benefits manager, or any other person or entity, including, but not limited to, a state program or state employer, to provide coverage for a dangerous drug in a manner inconsistent with a beneficiary’s plan benefit.

✓ Quote verified word for word in the bill text

Filed (completed)
Committee (completed)
Passed one chamber (completed)
Passed both (completed)
Governor (completed)
Law

Stage: Law · step 6 of 6

Last action: 2025-09-26: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 135, Statutes of 2025.
Filed: 2024-12-02
Sponsor: Mia Bonta D

Read official text (Chaptered)Legislature page LegiScan

Why the model tagged it this way: The bill expands pharmacist authority to furnish over-the-counter contraceptives (a form of medication abortion/contraception access) by removing protocol requirements and enabling 12-month supplies, directly addressing abortion/medication-abortion in an expanding direction. It explicitly avoids imposing new coverage or funding obligations, resulting in neutral on funding-insurance. No other listed topics are substantively addressed.

Related bills

AB2066 Triggering event: pregnancy.Expands abortion access Expands abortion access Vetoed
AB2540 Public health: public postsecondary education: student health centers: abortion by medication techniques.Expands abortion access No change to abortion access Law
AB2531 Public health: abortion services.Expands abortion access Expands abortion access Law
AB54 Access to Safe Abortion Care Act.Expands abortion access Passed one chamber

Hearings and calendar

2025-04-01 09:30 · Hearing · Assembly Business And Professions Hearing 1021 O Street, Room 1100
2025-04-08 13:30 · Hearing · Assembly Health Hearing 1021 O Street, Room 1100
2025-04-23 09:00 · Hearing · Assembly Appropriations Hearing 1021 O Street, Room 1100
2025-06-09 10:00 · Hearing · Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Hearing 1021 O Street, Room 2100
2025-06-23 10:00 · Hearing · Senate Appropriations Hearing 1021 O Street, Room 2200

Votes

Date	Chamber	Motion	Yea-Nay
2025-04-01	A	Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Health]	17-0	Passed
2025-04-23	A	Do pass	15-0	Passed
2025-04-28	A	AB 50 Bonta Third Reading Urgency	73-0	Passed
2025-06-09	S	Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]	7-0	Passed
2025-09-08	S	Assembly 3rd Reading AB50 Bonta By Ashby Urgency Clause	39-0	Passed

Text versions

Introduced 2024-12-02
Amended 2025-04-02
Enrolled 2025-09-10
Chaptered 2025-09-26

History (20 actions)

Date	Chamber	Action
2025-09-26		Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 135, Statutes of 2025.
2025-09-26		Approved by the Governor.
2025-09-15		Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4:30 p.m.
2025-09-08	A	In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.
2025-09-08	S	Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2579.).
2025-06-24	S	Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-06-23	S	From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.
2025-06-09	S	From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 9). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-05-07	S	Referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.
2025-04-29	S	In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-04-28	A	Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 73. Noes 0. Page 1316.).
2025-04-24	A	Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-04-23	A	From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (April 23).
2025-04-07	A	Re-referred to Com. on APPR. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.
2025-04-03	A	Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2025-04-02	A	Read second time and amended.
2025-04-01	A	From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (April 1).
2025-02-18	A	Referred to Coms. on B. & P. and HEALTH.
2024-12-03	A	From printer. May be heard in committee January 2.
2024-12-02	A	Read first time. To print.