News organizations covered Gov. Jerry Brown's Saturday visit to a Planned Parenthood center, where he signed several bills allowing nurses to dispense birth control and perform some abortions.
Los Angeles Times: Gov. Brown Signs Legislation Easing Birth-Control Access
In a victory for birth-control advocates, Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Saturday that allows registered nurses to give out hormonal contraceptives to women under a standardized procedure. The law "also allows RNs to dispense drugs and devices upon an order by a certified nurse-midwife, a nurse practitioner, or a physician assistant while functioning within specified clinic settings," according to a news release from Brown's office (Bloomekatz, 9/22).
The Associated Press/KCBS: Brown Signs Bill Allowing Nurses To Prescribe Birth Control
During debate last month in Sacramento, Democratic Sen. Kevin De Leon said the bill would reduce delays for women because the state is facing a physician shortage. Republican Sen. Joel Anderson opposed it, saying nurses should have trained to become physicians if they wanted to dispense medications (9/22).