As California Goes, Let’s Hope the Nation Doesn’t Follow

By Marilyn M. Singleton, M.D., J.D.

In early April, a congressman had a nasty encounter with a rabid fox on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol. Let’s trust he is no worse for wear. But the question lingers: how did the fox know he was from California? Is this some sort of sign from above?

They—whoever they are—say “as California goes, so goes the nation.” Let’s hope not. The California state legislature has put forth some bills that boggle the mind and seek to change families and physicians, and their relationship with the government forever.

Nation’s Abortion Capital?

First, the governor and the legislature put their imprimatur on policy recommendations by the newly formed California Future of Abortion (CA FAB) Council. The “reproductive justice” advocates who make up this council seek to seal California’s legacy as a “reproductive freedom” state

CA FAB has lobbied legislators to enshrine into law their blueprint for abortion services, Recommendations to Protect, Strengthen, and Expand Abortion Services in California. The legislators are taking the bait.

The governor has already signed SB 245. This law prohibits deductibles, co-pays, or any other payments for abortion services for women covered by insurance. In other words, abortions must be free. Taking this a step further is SB 1142, which establishes the “Abortion Practical Support Fund” using taxpayer money to provide airfare, lodging, gas money, food, childcare, abortion doula support, and more for “pregnant people” coming from other states for their abortions (see related article, page 16).

To ensure no fetus is left behind, SB 1375 would expand the number of clinicians who can perform aspiration abortions by allowing nurse practitioners (NPs) to do so without an attending physician. Worse yet, SB 1375 eliminates both “minimum standards” and the completion of “board-recognized training” in abortion techniques. It also allows NPs and physician assistants (PAs) to determine the viability of the fetus and the health of the mother (potentially increasing the number of abortions after viability).

California is not satisfied with basic abortions. The ghoulish AB 2223 prohibits civil or criminal liability with regard to abortion for the mother or “a person who aids or assists” in the abortion, including perinatal death. As written, the bill essentially decriminalizes infanticide via neglect for up to one month after the baby’s birth.

Outlaw Conspiracy Theories?

Now for the tyranny imposed on those out of the womb.

California state Sen. Richard Pan, M.D., whose SB 871 proposes COVID vaccinations for all students, sponsored a trifecta. AB 2098 would charge physicians with unprofessional conduct for dissemination of yet-to-be-defined “misinformation” regarding the COVID virus, vaccine, prevention, and treatments.

A sister bill, SB 1390, would prohibit a social media platform from “amplifying” so-called  “harmful content,” subjectively defined as “[d]isinformation or misinformation, including, but not limited to, false or misleading information regarding medicine or vaccinations, false or misleading information regarding elections, and conspiracy theories.” Platforms in violation could be fined up to $100,000. SB 1464 would require law enforcement agencies to enforce public health orders and withhold state funds from those that publicly oppose or adopt a policy to oppose the orders.

State Knows Best?

Further intruding into the family unit, SB 866 would permit California children 12 and older to be injected with various vaccines without parental notification or consent.

While California legislators would treat children as adults, they would treat adults as children: AB 1993 would require proof of the COVID-19 vaccine for all employees and independent contractors beginning January 2023.

Authoritarian agendas tend to ignore the facts. COVID is waning, but the current vaccine was formulated for a virus that is no longer dominant and does not prevent infection or transmission—as evidenced so well by the outbreak among White House personnel and members of Congress, including thrice-vaccinated Speaker Pelosi.

The bill was eventually pulled by the author due to pushback from labor unions. It is too bad regular citizens don’t have that much clout.

Oddly, these soulless legislators, who claim to protect us all, failed to move out of committee SB 1042, a bill to place human trafficking within the definition of a violent felony and serious felony for the Three Strikes Law.

Judge Upholds Constitution

Finally, there is some good news: at least one judge still believes in constitutional rights.

AB 979, which was enacted into law, mandated corporate boards of directors satisfy certain racial, ethnic, and LGBT quotas. The court reasoned this was not a case where discrimination should be remedied by more discrimination and ruled the law “violates the Equal Protection Clause of the California Constitution on its face.”

I feel sorry for the congressman who was bitten and the new mama fox who had to be euthanized as a result. But my greater regret is for California’s legislators, who seem to have hearts of stone and minds of fertilizer.