Senate approves Atkins' bill allowing nurse practitioners to perform abortions

SAN DIEGO - A bill by Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins, D-San Diego, to allow qualified nurse practitioners to perform first-

trimester abortions without a supervising physician was approved by the state Senate today.'

Senate Bill 1375 follows work Atkins did in 2013 on Assembly Bill 154, which allows nurse practitioners to provide first-trimester abortions under

the supervision of a doctor. In 2020, Assemblyman Jim Wood, D-Santa Rosa, authored AB 890, which created opportunities for qualifying nurse practitioners to provide patient care without doctor supervision.

SB 1375, if signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, would unite the two laws by ``allowing qualified nurse practitioners to perform first trimester abortions

within the scope of their clinical and professional education and training without the supervision of a physician,'' a statement from Atkins' office read.

``By expanding the number of nurse practitioners who can perform first trimester abortions, SB 1375 would give more people the ability to get the

timely, essential care they need from a provider they know and trust,'' Atkins said after the 31-9 vote sent SB 1375 to Newsom's desk.

San Diego County Republican Senators Pat Bates and Brian Jones voted no on the bill, while Democrat Ben Hueso voted yes.

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