Four States Join Attorney General Becerra’s Lawsuit Challenging Trump Administration Over Contraceptive Regulations

Thursday, November 2, 2017
Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

New federal rules would allow employers to discriminate against female employees

Delaware, Maryland, New York and Virginia Join Federal Lawsuit  

SACRAMENTO – Four states today joined California Attorney General Xavier Becerra’s lawsuit in federal court against the Trump-Pence Administration’s new rules that will deny access to contraceptives for millions of women and their families by allowing employers to interfere with healthcare. Attorneys General from Delaware, Maryland, New York and Virginia were added to the lawsuit. The rules jeopardize the Affordable Care Act requirement that employers provide coverage of birth control for employees and their covered dependents with no out-of-pocket costs. To date, 62 million women across the country have benefited from these reproductive health services.

“Donald Trump wants businesses and corporations to control family planning decisions rather than a woman in consultation with her doctor. These anti-women's health regulations prove once again that the Trump Administration is willing to trample on people’s rights,” said Attorney General Becerra. “What group of Americans will they target next? Will they allow businesses to deny you cancer treatment? Will they exclude you from insurance coverage because of a pre-existing health condition? The California Department of Justice will fight to protect every woman’s right to healthcare, including reproductive healthcare. We'll see the Trump Administration in court.”

In early October, the lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. 

A copy of the amended complaint, as well as a fact sheet on the complaint, are attached to the electronic version of this release at oag.ca.gov.

# # #