FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ana Sandoval, PPAC Communications 916.446.5247

Planned Parenthood applauds governor for signing AB 499

Press statement from Kathy Kneer, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, regarding Gov. Jerry Brown's signing of AB 499, SB 222 and AB 210.

Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California applauds Governor Jerry Brown for protecting women's health by signing AB 499, a bill which provides teens with access to medical care to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, such as the human papilloma virus (HPV). Confidential access to preventive medical services, including the HPV vaccine, will help protect both young women and men from certain strains of HPV that can cause cancer.

Current law allows teens to obtain confidential medical services for the testing and treatment of STDs. AB 499, authored by Assemblymember Toni Atkins, expands the law to include prevention.

AB 499 is sensible legislation which allows teens to protect themselves against sexually transmitted diseases. Most teens already involve their parents in their health decisions, but for those teens who can't talk to their parents, AB 499 allows them to protect themselves against STDs and cancer.

In addition to PPAC, AB 499 was supported by leading health organizations such as the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Health Officers Association of California, the California STD Controllers Association, the California Medical Association, the California Family Health Council, the California Primary Care Association and Kaiser Permanente among others.

We also want to thank Gov. Brown for signing two maternity services bills, SB 222 (Evans) and AB 210 (Hernandez), which protect women by ensuring that all insurance plans in California cover services such as prenatal, delivery and post-partum care.

This is a great day for adolescent and women's health.

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Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California (PPAC) is the state public policy office representing California’s eight separately incorporated Planned Parenthood affiliates. Through advocacy and electoral action, PPAC promotes sound public policy in areas of reproductive and preventive health care, family planning and comprehensive sex education.