SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom rejected a bill on Sunday that would have made free condoms available to all public high school students, citing the state’s budget deficit of over $30 billion as a reason for the rejection.
Last year, California had approximately 1.9 million high school students enrolled in over 4,000 schools, according to the California Department of Education.
In a message explaining his veto, Newsom stated, “This bill would create an unfunded mandate to public schools that should be considered in the annual budget process.” The bill in question is Senate Bill 541.
The proposed legislation would have required all public high schools to provide free condoms to their students in grades nine through 12. Schools with grades seven through 12 would have been required to make condoms available as part of educational or public health programs.
Furthermore, the bill would have made it illegal for retailers to refuse to sell condoms to youth.
State Sen. Caroline Menjivar, a Democrat from Los Angeles and the author of the bill, argued that it would have helped sexually active youth protect themselves and their partners from sexually transmitted infections. She also mentioned that it would remove potential barriers and reduce unsafe sexual practices.
Newsom acknowledged the importance of programs that increase access to condoms for improved adolescent sexual health. However, he emphasized that when combined with other measures passed this year, the cost of implementing the bill would add $19 billion to the state budget.
“With our state facing continuing economic risk and revenue uncertainty, it is important to remain disciplined when considering bills with significant fiscal implications, such as this measure,” Newsom stated.
