Assembly Judiciary Committee advances array of bills on abortion access, child-safety online, school safety and privacy

The California Assembly Judiciary Committee on an oversight day heard extended testimony and advanced multiple bills to the Appropriations Committee, moving measures on reproductive health access, online child-safety and content reporting, protections for school communities from immigration enforcement, and new privacy and consumer-protection initiatives.

Assemblymember Krell opened the hearing on AB 54, a bill she described as intended to "ensure continued access to medication abortion and shield providers and manufacturers from liability for transporting and administering such medication." Tiffany Brokaw of the California Department of Justice testified the bill "affirms that doing so is legal in California and shields providers, manufacturers, distributors, pharmacists, and individuals from civil and criminal liability and professional discipline." Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California also testified as a co-sponsor in support.

The committee advanced AB 54 to appropriations after testimony from supporters and opponents. Cynthia Laurie's California Family Council urged rejection, calling the medication-abortion process unsafe and citing an external study; committee members pressed sponsors and medical advocates to respond to safety claims during the hearing.

On AB 1137, which would broaden who can report child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on social media and require third‑party audits of platform reporting mechanisms, witnesses included a parent whose child's abuse images were repeatedly redistributed and representatives from the Children's Advocacy Institute. Supporters said the bill would "allow anyone to report these images" and require human review when automated hash matching fails. Industry witnesses including TechNet and other trade groups expressed concern about mandatory third‑party public audits, saying detailed public reports could be…