Health Care & Reproductive Rights

Lawsuit also challenges Secretary Kennedy’s appointments to key federal vaccine panel

OAKLAND — In partnership with Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced co-leading a multistate lawsuit against the Trump Administration over unprecedented changes that were recently made to the childhood immunization schedule, which will make people sicker and strain state resources. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Acting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Jay Bhattacharya, and the CDC and HHS are named as defendants. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the complaint challenges a January 5, 2026 "Decision Memo" by the CDC that stripped seven childhood vaccines — those protecting against rotavirus, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) — of their universally recommended status. The lawsuit also challenges Secretary Kennedy's unlawful replacement of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the expert federal panel that has guided U.S. vaccine policy for decades. The coalition of 14 attorneys general and the Governor of Pennsylvania is asking the court to declare the new vaccine schedule and the new ACIP appointments unlawful, and to enjoin, vacate, and set aside both the new immunization schedule and the ACIP appointments.

“The Trump Administration’s attacks on science are irresponsible and dangerous. Undermining confidence in vaccines will lead to lower vaccination rates and more infectious disease. It will also drive-up costs for states, including increased Medicaid spending and new expenses to combat misinformation and revise public health guidance,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Public health decisions must remain grounded in truth and facts. That’s why, for the 59th time, I’m taking the Trump Administration to court. My fellow attorneys general and I cannot sit on the sidelines while lives are put at risk and our laws are broken.”

“California is going back to court because the Trump Administration is violating federal law and pushing a reckless, unscientific childhood vaccine schedule that puts kids’ lives at risk. These changes ignore decades of medical evidence and will lead to outbreaks of diseases we’ve already beaten,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “We will not stand by while politics overrides science and endangers our children. Just as we’ve done before, we’re standing up — alongside 14 other states — to defend the law, protect public health, and keep our kids safe.”

Among children born in the U.S. between 1994 and 2023, researchers have estimated that routine childhood vaccinations prevented approximately 508 million cases of illness, 32 million hospitalizations, and over 1.1 million deaths, generating $2.7 trillion in societal savings. This remarkable achievement has been made possible in large part by leading medical scholars and public health experts who have served on the ACIP and established the science-based childhood vaccination schedule that federal agencies, states, and parents have confidently relied on for decades.

Secretary Kennedy is among the most prominent anti-vaccine activists in the country and has significantly contributed to eroding trust in safe and effective vaccines. During Secretary Kennedy’s confirmation process, he made numerous promises in an apparent effort to address concerns about his longstanding anti-vaccine views. One of those promises was that he would not alter the ACIP. The ACIP is a 17-member federal advisory board to the CDC that, under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), must be “fairly balanced in terms of the points of view represented and the functions to be performed,” and not be “inappropriately influenced by the appointing authority or by any special interest[.]” The ACIP develops recommendations for routine immunization of both pediatric and adult populations, which become official CDC policy upon approval by the CDC Director. Once adopted into the CDC immunization schedule, the ACIP’s recommendations determine which vaccines are covered under several federal supported immunization programs.

In a Wall Street Journal opinion column published on June 9, 2025, and ironically titled “HHS Moves to Restore Public Trust in Vaccines,” Secretary Kennedy abruptly announced that he was dismissing all 17 ACIP members. He subsequently appointed new ACIP members. At least nine of the 13 current ACIP members lack the expertise or professional qualifications required for the role, and a majority have publicly expressed views aligned with Secretary Kennedy's well-documented opposition to vaccines. Among other things, Secretary Kennedy failed to issue the required Federal Register notice, to follow FACA’s “fairly balanced” requirement, and to appoint individuals with scientific qualifications as required by ACIP's own charter. 

On December 5, 2025, the ACIP members unlawfully appointed by Secretary Kennedy then voted 8 to 3 to reverse nearly 30 years of CDC policy recommending that the hepatitis B vaccine be universally administered at birth as part of a three-dose series. The hepatitis B vaccine is up to 90 percent effective in preventing perinatal infection when administered within 24 hours of birth. However, the Trump Administration’s reliance on even the unlawfully reconstituted ACIP was temporary. Last month, then-Acting CDC Director Jim O’Neill — who has no medical or scientific background — signed off on a “Decision Memo” that demoted seven vaccines from the universally recommended childhood vaccination schedule to a lesser status that invites confusion and uncertainty. The Decision Memo was not based on any new scientific evidence, any recommendation by a lawfully constituted ACIP, or any systematic review of the available data. Instead, it relied primarily on superficial comparisons to purported "peer countries" — particularly Denmark, which has universal healthcare and a small, homogenous population — while ignoring the fundamental differences between those nations and the United States, as well as the overwhelming evidence supporting the effectiveness of the CDC’s pre-Kennedy childhood immunization schedule.

In response to the lack of science-based leadership from the federal government, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the creation of the West Coast Health Alliance to create and promulgate communications to the public and to healthcare providers regarding the West Coast Health Alliance’s shared, collective recommendations.

Joining Attorneys General Bonta and Mayes in filing today’s lawsuit are the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and the Governor of Pennsylvania.  

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued an updated information bulletin to all California District Attorneys, Chiefs of Police, Sheriffs, and State Law Enforcement Agencies reminding them of California’s laws that prohibit law enforcement cooperation with other states’ investigations and prosecutions of abortions that are legal in California. The updated bulletin comes in response to Louisiana’s recent indictment of a California physician for allegedly helping to provide a medication abortion in violation of Louisiana law. Medication abortion is legal under California law, and law enforcement is prohibited from arresting or cooperating with investigations or prosecutions of individuals seeking, providing, or assisting with access to reproductive healthcare that is legal in California.

“California remains firmly committed to serving as a safe haven for reproductive rights. We will not allow anti-abortion extremists from outside our state to reach in and undermine the protections guaranteed under California law,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Whether the attacks are coming from the Trump Administration or another state, I am reminding our law enforcement agencies that they cannot assist in prosecuting individuals who seek or provide reproductive healthcare that is lawful in California.” 

In today’s information bulletin, Attorney General Bonta outlines the following steps for law enforcement who are asked to arrest or otherwise assist with the prosecution of individuals providing or accessing reproductive healthcare in California:

• Law enforcement agencies should be careful, when sharing any information or otherwise cooperating with law enforcement from other states or federal agencies, to prevent information sharing about abortions that are legal under California law.
• Law enforcement agencies should closely examine any out-of-state arrest warrant prior to taking any person into custody. Law enforcement is prohibited from cooperating where the arrest relates to abortions that are legal under California law, even if the warrant may not clearly state that the offense is related to abortion.
• Law enforcement agencies should be aware that an out-of-state warrant does not require arrest or the initiation of extradition proceedings.
• Law enforcement should be careful when applying for authorization from a magistrate to intercept electronic communications or wires, to install trap and trace devices, or for warrants on behalf of other states to ensure the other states are not seeking information relating to abortions that are legal under California law. 
• Law enforcement agencies should immediately contact the California Attorney General’s Office if they have any questions regarding an out-of-state warrant. 

Attorney General Bonta has been a strong defender of reproductive rights. In December, he opposed a push by Congressional Republicans to condition the extension of Affordable Care Act enhanced subsidies on additional abortion restrictions. He has also pressed forward with his lawsuit against Providence St. Joseph Hospital, which alleges that the hospital violated multiple California laws due to its refusal to provide emergency abortion care to people experiencing obstetric emergencies. In addition, Attorney General Bonta played a leading role in opposing the Trump Administration’s efforts to eliminate veterans’ and their families’ access to abortion care, and launched a statewide survey to assess how hospital emergency departments are complying with reproductive healthcare laws, particularly when abortion care is the medically necessary emergency treatment.

Californians who believe their right to reproductive healthcare, including accessing abortion, has been violated should immediately file a complaint at ‪https://oag.ca.gov/report.

Funding freeze by HHS was imposed immediately and exclusively on five Democratic-led states — California, New York, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota — and all five states are part of today’s lawsuit 

Lawsuit alleges that funding freeze is unlawful and unconstitutional, pushes back on extraordinarily broad request for documents

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced a lawsuit against the Trump Administration for illegally freezing over $10 billion in federal funding for child care and family assistance programs. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the lawsuit by Attorney General Bonta — alongside New York Attorney General Letitia James, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison — is in response to the funding freeze imposed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) earlier this week. According to HHS, the funding freeze was being imposed immediately and exclusively on the five Democratic-led states because of “serious concerns about widespread fraud and misuse of taxpayer dollars.” HHS has not provided any evidence at all to support those claims. In addition, HHS is demanding that, within 14 days, the five states produce virtually all documents associated with the implementation of the three critical programs impacted by the funding freeze, as well as years of data — including personally identifiable information — concerning individuals who received benefits under those programs. In their lawsuit, the attorneys general allege that the funding freeze violates the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), the Separation of Powers, and the U.S. Constitution’s Appropriations Clause and Spending Clause. They ask the court to block the funding freeze and the extraordinarily overbroad demands for documents and data. The attorneys general are also seeking a temporary restraining order in light of the irreparable harm that their states face. 

“The American people are sick and tired of President Trump’s lawlessness, lies, and misinformation campaigns. It is especially pathetic that, once again, his Administration’s actions are inflicting harm on the most vulnerable among us. As a society, we are rightly judged by how we treat our neighbors in need, and this is a shameful way to treat them,” said Attorney General Bonta. “With each passing day, his ‘America First’ rhetoric is exposed as nothing more than smoke and mirrors. If he thinks that his attacks on Democratic-led states will cause us to bend to his will, he is sorely mistaken. For the 53rd time, the Trump Administration has broken the law, and for the 53rd time, I’m taking them to court.” 

HHS’s funding freeze impacts the following programs, which benefit millions of Californians including children, families, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities, and for which funds were appropriated by Congress: The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) program, and the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) program. Across the five targeted states, the $10 billion funding freeze includes $7.35 billion for the TANF program, $2.4 billion for the CCDF program, and $869 million for the SSBG program. Of the $10 billion, approximately $5 billion in funds are frozen in California alone.

The letters from HHS imposing the funding freeze provide no factual or legal basis for blocking access to these critical funds and target the five Democratic-led states based solely on unsupported and unfounded allegations of “fraud.” The TANF program provides block grants to states, which in turn use the funds to offer cash aid and supportive services to families in need. The CCDF program is also distributed in block grants by the federal government. The funds are primarily used to provide low-income families with funding for child care, so that their parents can work or go to school. The SSBG program supports social services, such as Child Welfare Services, Foster Care, Deaf Access, and CalWORKS, for low-income adults and children.

In the lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta and his colleagues allege that the funding freeze violates:

• (1) The APA. The attorneys general assert that the funding freeze exceeds statutory authority, is contrary to law, ultra vires, and arbitrary and capricious. 
• (2) The Separation of Powers. The attorneys general assert that the funding freeze usurps Congress’s legislative function and imposes new conditions on appropriated federal funds for which the states had no notice. 
• (3) The U.S. Constitution’s Appropriations Clause and Spending Clause. The attorneys general assert that the executive branch is infringing on Congress’s appropriations power by declining to expend appropriated funds.

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued the following statement after a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit unanimously affirmed a lower court’s decision, which permanently barred the Trump Administration from decimating funds that support cutting-edge medical and public health research at universities and research institutions across the country — including at the University of California (UC) and at the California State University (CSU). The funds at issue — known as “indirect cost” reimbursements — cover expenses to facilitate biomedical research, such as lab, faculty, infrastructure, and utility costs. As part of a coalition of 22 attorneys general, Attorney General Bonta sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on February 10, 2025 to block the attempted funding cuts from taking effect.

“The Trump Administration wanted to eviscerate funding for medical research that helps develop new cures and treatments for diseases like cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. Let that sink in: Life-saving research — proudly happening at UCs and CSUs across our state — was under attack,” said Attorney General Bonta. “My fellow attorneys general and I stepped in to stop these illegal actions. The district court sided with us, and now, the First Circuit has, too. We’re starting the new year by building on our previous successes and securing yet another important victory against the Trump Administration.”

On Friday, February 7, 2025, the NIH announced in Supplemental Guidance that it would abruptly slash indirect cost rates to an across-the-board 15% rate, which is significantly less than the cost required to perform critical medical research. The NIH purported to make this cut effective the very next business day, Monday, February 10, giving universities and institutions no time to plan for the enormous budget gaps they would be facing. Less than six hours after Attorney General Bonta filed suit against the Trump Administration on February 10, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued a temporary restraining order against NIH, barring its attempts to cut the critical research funding. The court subsequently issued a nationwide preliminary injunction, which was converted into a permanent injunction at the parties’ request. The Trump Administration appealed that ruling to the First Circuit. 

In today’s decision, the First Circuit wrote that “the public-health benefits of NIH-funded research are enormous” and concluded that:

• “[T]he district court properly exercised subject-matter jurisdiction over the plaintiffs' claims,” and
• “NIH’s attempt, through its Supplemental Guidance, to impose a 15% indirect cost reimbursement rate violates the congressionally enacted appropriations rider and HHS’s duly adopted regulations.”

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta secured a multistate settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that permanently resolves claims made in a lawsuit he co-led in April challenging the Trump Administration’s unlawful delays in reviewing National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant applications. As part of the agreement, which remains subject to court approval, HHS commits to resuming the usual process for considering NIH grant applications on a prompt, agreed-upon timeline. The aforementioned lawsuit filed by Attorney General Bonta also alleged that NIH had terminated large swaths of already-issued grants for projects that are currently underway based on the projects’ perceived connection to “diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI),” “transgender issues,” “vaccine hesitancy,” and other topics disfavored by the current Administration. Today’s agreement limits NIH from applying those directives while reviewing applications for new grants.

“I am pleased that the Trump Administration has agreed to stop delaying the review process for NIH grants. That, of course, should have never happened in the first place, and it’s why my fellow attorneys general and I took the Administration to court earlier this year,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Going forward, we remain committed to ensuring HHS fulfills its obligations under the agreement.”

NIH grant applications typically undergo several rounds of rigorous review by subject-matter experts and agency officials who assess each proposal’s scientific merit in light of funding availability and agency priorities. Earlier this year, the Administration took the unprecedented step of cancelling upcoming meetings for the agency’s review panels and delaying the scheduling of future meetings. The Administration also indefinitely withheld issuing final decisions on applications that had already received approval from the relevant review panels, leaving the plaintiff states awaiting decisions on billions of dollars in requested research funding.  

As a result of the Administration’s delays and terminations, the states alleged that their public research institutions experienced significant harm. In California, NIH funding creates over 50,000 jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity. Over the decades, this funding has brought humanity the eradication of polio, discovery of genes that cause breast and ovarian cancer, and the transformation of HIV from a fatal disease into one people can live with.

Today’s agreement complements the coalition’s victory in an earlier phase of the lawsuit, in which the plaintiff states challenged unlawful directives that targeted NIH projects based on their perceived connection to “DEI,” “transgender issues,” “vaccine hesitancy,” and other topics disfavored by the Trump Administration. The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts found for the plaintiff states and set aside the unlawful directives; a hearing on the federal government’s appeal of that decision is scheduled for January 6, 2026.

Joining Attorney General Bonta in reaching this settlement are the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaiʻi, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin.

Tobacco products not appearing on Unflavored Tobacco List are ineligible for sale in California

OAKLAND — Pursuant to Assembly Bill (AB) 3218 (Wood, 2024), California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the publication of the first-ever Unflavored Tobacco List (UTL), a list of unflavored tobacco products that are lawful for sale under California’s flavored tobacco restrictions. Any covered tobacco product not appearing on the UTL is deemed a flavored tobacco product and ineligible for sale. To be considered for the initial publication of the UTL, tobacco manufacturers and importers were required to submit completed applications by October 9, 2025. Applications submitted by October 9 were considered for today’s UTL and received a response — whether that was an approval, denial, or request for additional information. Registration of unflavored tobacco products may be completed at any time at https://utl.doj.ca.gov/user/login. Manufacturers and retailers are warned that, absent registration and inclusion on the UTL, such products are and will remain subject to seizure and penalties by enforcement agencies. Attorney General Bonta sponsored AB 3218. 

“California is continuing to lead by example. With the publication of our first-ever Unflavored Tobacco List, tobacco manufacturers, importers, state and local law enforcement agencies, and the public now have clear guidance on which unflavored tobacco products can be legally sold in our state,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Safeguarding public health, particularly for our youth, has been and will continue to be a top priority. The Unflavored Tobacco List will help further reduce tobacco use among young people and strengthen accountability for companies and individuals who break our laws.”

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has primary responsibility for enforcement of California’s flavored tobacco ban. To report a retailer suspected of selling flavored tobacco products, please call, 1-800-5-ASK-4-ID (800-527-5443) or email CDPH at OYTE@cdph.ca.gov. The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) is also charged with enforcing the flavored tobacco ban. If you suspect a retailer sells illegal flavored tobacco products or is violating licensing or tax laws, please visit CDTFA’s Report Suspected Violations webpage or call CDTFA at 1-888-334-3300.

As explained in this California Department of Justice (DOJ) Information Bulletin, state and local law enforcement agencies are authorized to enforce the state’s restrictions on flavored tobacco products and tobacco product flavor enhancers. The UTL aims to assist in providing a resource for these agencies in their enforcement operations. DOJ’s enforcement priority will continue to be focused on “obviously flavored” tobacco products and tobacco product flavor enhancers. For tobacco products that are not included in the initial publication of the UTL and are not obviously flavored (including hand-rolled leaf cigars), DOJ intends to initially focus on providing manufacturers with education on the statutory requirements and registration process, rather than taking immediate enforcement action.

In 2020, Senate Bill 793 (Hill, 2020) banned flavored tobacco products (subject to certain exceptions) and tobacco product flavor enhancers in California. AB 3218, which went into effect on January 1, 2025, amended the flavor ban by expanding the definition of flavored products, expanding enforcement power, and creating the UTL. The Attorney General’s Office issued emergency regulations to implement AB 3218, in part, by describing how tobacco manufacturers and importers of unflavored tobacco products may apply for the placement of their products on the UTL and what information those manufacturers and importers must provide. The regulations also establish fees for initial and renewed placement on the list, and describe how civil penalties against distributors, wholesalers, and delivery sellers of products not appearing on the UTL may be assessed and appealed. 

Questions regarding registration and submissions can be directed to UTLInbox@doj.ca.gov.

62 local government agencies in California will receive $28.5 million to support efforts to reduce illegal tobacco sales to underage youth

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the recipients of the California Department of Justice (DOJ)’s Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Proposition 56 Tobacco Grant Program. The grant recipients are 62 local government agencies located throughout the state, including law enforcement agencies, prosecuting agencies, public health departments, cities, and counties. In total, they will receive $28.5 million to support their efforts to reduce illegal tobacco sales to underage youth. This year’s funding prioritized retail enforcement and education as part of Attorney General Bonta’s commitment to fighting the illegal sales and marketing of tobacco products to minors. Funded activities include "flavor ban" enforcement efforts, minor decoy operations, shoulder tap operations, prosecution, tobacco retail license inspections, retailer education programs, task force coordination, training for officers on tobacco laws and ordinances, monitoring retailer compliance, and more.

“The sale of tobacco products to underage youth remains a serious problem. For almost a decade, Proposition 56 has provided much-needed funding to address that challenge,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “The grant recipients we have selected this year are committed to both holding accountable those who break the law and ensuring a healthier, safer future for the next generation. I’m proud to support and partner with these local government agencies.” 

"The Fresno County Department of Public Health looks forward to working with the California Department of Justice to further protect the health and safety of our residents," said Joe Prado, Director, Fresno County Department of Public Health.

“Receiving the Tobacco Grant is an important step in strengthening our community’s commitment to protecting youth,” said Brian Stephens, Eureka Police Chief. “The Eureka Police Department is proud to partner with the California Department of Justice to ensure local retailers follow the law and prevent access to tobacco products by minors. This collaboration reinforces our dedication to education, compliance, and the long-term health of our community’s young people.” 

“Recognizing the dangers of tobacco use by children, the El Cajon Police Department is proud to partner with the California Department of Justice in accepting this grant,” said Jeremiah Larson, El Cajon Police Department Chief of Police. “This collaboration strengthens our commitment to preventing underage tobacco access and increasing awareness throughout our community and among local businesses.” 

“The City of Sacramento Code Enforcement Division is honored to be selected, through this highly competitive process, for 2025/26 California Department of Justice’s Tobacco Grant Program,” said Peter Lemos, Code and Housing Enforcement Chief, the City of Sacramento. “We sincerely thank the CA DOJ for reviewing and selecting our application, and for recognizing the need within our community. This funding will strengthen our ability to expand our tobacco enforcement efforts and enhance public health and safety within the City of Sacramento.”

“This grant is more than funding, it’s a commitment to protecting our neighborhoods,” said Jeremy Profitt, Police Support Manager, the City of Fairfield. “Through it, we will strengthen quality of life, reduce crime, and cut down on the flow of tobacco products that target our youth and underserved communities.”

“San Joaquin County Public Health Services is fortunate to receive this grant as an opportunity both to address the need to protect the community from illegal sales of commercial tobacco and to promote collaboration among our law enforcement agencies to create a meaningful impact on community safety and public health,” said Vince Nallas, Public Health Educator/Smoking & Tobacco Prevention Program (STOPP) Project Coordinator, San Joaquin County Public Health Services.

“I am honored to accept this award on behalf of the City of South El Monte. This recognition reflects our steadfast commitment to safeguarding the health and wellbeing of our residents, especially our youth. Preventing the sale of and accessibility to tobacco products in our community has been a priority and we will continue to advance policies that promote a healthier, safe future for all families,” said Gloria Olmos, Mayor of South El Monte. “I am grateful to our community partners, city staff, and colleagues who have supported these efforts. Together, we are creating a stronger more resilient South El Monte.”

“The City of Orange Code Enforcement Division is grateful and excited to receive its first tobacco grant, which will help prevent illegal sales to minors and reduce the availability of unlawful smoking devices and tobacco products,” said Rafael Perez, Code Compliance Manager, the City of Orange. 

Earlier this year, Attorney General Bonta reminded tobacco manufacturers and importers that, pursuant to Assembly Bill (AB) 3218 (Wood, 2024), the Attorney General’s Office is required to establish a Unflavored Tobacco List (UTL), a list of unflavored tobacco products that are lawful for sale in California. To be considered for the initial publication of the UTL, tobacco manufacturers and importers were required to submit completed applications by October 9, 2025. The Attorney General will publish the UTL by December 31, 2025.

Tobacco use is the number one preventable killer in the United States. Smoking-related illness accounts for approximately 40,000 deaths annually in California. Nicotine, a key component of cigarettes and most e-cigarettes, is highly addictive and harmful to the developing brains of children and young adults.

DOJ's Tobacco Grant Program aims to reduce childhood addiction to tobacco products by, among other things, supporting local partners that:

• Enforce the statewide retail flavor ban and similar local retail flavor ordinances.
• Prosecute and penalize retailers who violate statewide and local tobacco laws, including those who sell or market tobacco products to youth under the age of 21, including over the internet.
• Conduct retail inspections to ensure compliance.

The program is funded by Proposition 56, the California Healthcare, Research and Prevention Tobacco Tax Act of 2016. With this year’s awards, the Tobacco Grant Program has made over 540 grant awards and distributed over $240 million in funding to local agencies through a competitive process.

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta and the City of New York today co-led a bipartisan coalition of 25 attorneys general in sending a letter to Shopify Inc. (Shopify), urging the company to take stronger action against merchants that use its services to sell illegal tobacco products, particularly e-cigarettes. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, Shopify describes itself as “a commerce platform that helps you sell online and in person” and explains that “[e]ntrepreneurs, retailers, and global brands use Shopify to make sales, run stores, and grow their businesses.” Shopify’s policies already prohibit merchants from using its services for unlawful activities, and Shopify has previously terminated e-cigarette sellers that were brought to the company’s attention by the California Attorney General’s Office. However, in today’s letter, the coalition argues that a more comprehensive solution is necessary because merchants continue to use Shopify’s services to sell illegal e-cigarettes. Accordingly, the coalition requests a meeting with Shopify to collaborate and exchange ideas on what a comprehensive solution could entail. 

“Right now, e-cigarettes are far too easy to purchase online. My fellow attorneys general and I have not hesitated to take action against individual sellers in the past, but we have found that many sellers are able to offer illegal e-cigarettes for purchase by using Shopify’s services. It’s unacceptable, and we’re urging Shopify to help us better tackle this public health threat,” said Attorney General Bonta. “By addressing unlawful e-cigarette sales at their point of origin, we can make progress faster and more effectively. Earlier this year, Shopify responded positively when my office reached out and asked for its cooperation in terminating its services to certain e-cigarette sellers. We hope Shopify continues to be a partner in our efforts to protect public health and enforce federal, state, and local laws.”  

In today’s letter, Attorney General Bonta and the coalition:

• Identify 29 illegal e-cigarette websites that are currently hosted on Shopify’s platform. California recently placed these websites on notice for operating in violation of federal and state laws. This list is not exhaustive.
• Enclose an exhibit identifying over 200 additional websites known to sell illegal tobacco products. This list is not exhaustive.
• Write that they would undertake some of the effort needed to further identify illegal sellers to Shopify, if Shopify and the coalition entered into a cooperative agreement. 

E-cigarettes are highly addictive and pose significant health risks, particularly to youth and are therefore subject to strict regulation. States in the coalition, as well as local governments within the states, have passed laws to mitigate the sale of e-cigarettes. For example, in California, Senate Bill 793 (Hill, 2020) banned flavored tobacco products (subject to certain exceptions) and tobacco product flavor enhancers. Assembly Bill 3218 (Wood, 2024), which went into effect on January 1, 2025, amended the flavor ban by expanding the definition of flavored products, expanding enforcement power, and creating an Unflavored Tobacco List (UTL). The UTL is a list of unflavored tobacco products that are lawful for sale in California. The Attorney General will publish the UTL by December 31, 2025. 

At the federal level, every new tobacco product, such as an e-cigarette, must receive an order from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorizing its marketing and sale in the United States. To date, the FDA has approved only 39 e-cigarette products, none in any flavor other than tobacco and menthol. E-cigarettes that have not received approval from the FDA, which constitute essentially all e-cigarettes offered by online sellers, are deemed “adulterated.” Federal law prohibits the receipt or delivery in interstate commerce of any adulterated tobacco product, and delivery or proffered delivery of adulterated tobacco products is accordingly unlawful under United States law.

Attorney General Bonta has also filed actions against individual e-cigarette sellers. Earlier this year, he announced coordinated multistate actions to hold companies accountable for unlawfully manufacturing, distributing, selling, and marketing flavored disposable e-cigarette products. He also announced a lawsuit against Flumgio Technology Inc., Berkeley Int'l Business Crew, and their founder, Mr. Zaoyu Zhu for importing and selling the popular FLUM brand e-cigarettes. In addition, in 2023, he announced lawsuits against two California online retailers of e-cigarettes, Ejuicesteals and E-juice Vapor, Inc. And Attorney General Bonta secured a $462 million multistate settlement agreement with electronic cigarette maker, JUUL, Labs, Inc. 

Joining Attorney General Bonta and the City of New York in sending today’s letter to Shopify are the attorneys general of Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a consumer alert reminding consumers, healthcare providers, and credit reporting agencies that in California it remains illegal for medical debt to appear on credit reports. Recently, the Trump Administration’s Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued an interpretive rule claiming that federal law generally preempts state medical debt laws — it does not. 

“In California, it is illegal for medical debt to appear on your credit report. Medical debt — which the law generally defines as debt owed to a provider of medical services, products, or devices — is generally unforeseen; it is not a reliable predictor of credit risk and can make it harder for people who are already struggling to secure housing, a job, or a car to get to work," said Attorney General Bonta. "California banned medical debt from appearing on credit reports because we recognized this practice as harmful to struggling consumers and not helpful in determining creditworthiness. Let me be clear: This remains the law in California. I urge consumers to understand their rights and to regularly check their credit reports to ensure medical debt does not make an appearance. The California Department of Justice is committed to protecting and enforcing all of California's laws — including this one.”

California’s Law

Senate Bill 1061 (SB 1061), authored by Senator Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara) and sponsored by Attorney General Bonta, went into effect on January 1, 2025, and protects consumers from having their credit ruined by medical debt appearing on credit reports. 

Nationally, medical debt continues to rise, creating significant barriers to employment, housing, and equitable access to healthcare. People with medical debt are more likely than those with student loans or credit card debt to report being denied a rental or mortgage, increasing their risk of homelessness or forcing them into substandard housing. Medical debt can hinder employment opportunities, as employers often rely on credit reports in hiring decisions, further complicating efforts to repay the debt. Many consumers also delay essential medical care due to financial burdens, which can result in worsening health conditions.  

Monitoring Your Credit Report 

The best way to ensure medical debt has not appeared on your credit report is by regularly checking your credit report for inaccuracies or changes. Consumers are entitled to one free credit report per year from each of the three national credit bureaus. Those bureaus are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You have the option of requesting all three reports at once or staggering them. Checking your credit reports at least once a year is a good way to discover errors, like the inclusion of medical debt or even identity theft. These errors could raise your cost of credit or cut you off from credit. The sooner these errors are discovered, the easier they are to clear up.  

You can order your free annual credit reports through a toll-free phone number (1-877-322-8228), online, at www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp, or by mailing the order form here to the following address: 

Annual Credit Report Request Service
P. O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

For more information on how to order, read, and correct your credit report, please visit here. 

If You Find Medical Debt on Your Credit Report 

If consumers find medical debt on their credit report, they should notify the medical provider’s office, debt holder, and credit agency to allow them an opportunity to quickly remove the information from their credit report. If the issue persists after providing notice to the medical provider, debt holder or credit bureau, consumers may consider consulting a private attorney or legal aid.

Consumers who find medical debt on their credit report can also file a complaint with the California Department of Justice at oag.ca.gov/report.

Joins multistate coalition opposing U.S. DOJ subpoena to access private medical records

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced joining a coalition of 15 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The brief urges the court to limit the U.S. Department of Justice’s (U.S. DOJ) subpoena targeting the release of private medical records, including patient records, related to gender-affirming care at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

“Subpoenas targeting the medical records of transgender youth are an assault on privacy,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Healthcare decisions should be between patients, families, and doctors — not in the hands of the government. That’s why I am standing with a coalition of attorneys general, urging the court to quash or limit U.S. DOJ’s subpoena of documents relating to medically necessary, gender-affirming care.”

Since taking office, the Trump Administration has attempted to end lawful medical care that it disfavors. On day one, President Trump issued an Executive Order declaring gender identity a “false” idea. A week later, the President issued another Executive Order attempting to strip federal funding from institutions that provide lifesaving gender-affirming care for young people under the age of 19, with the ultimate goal of ending all gender-affirming care for adolescents. In April, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a memo directing U.S. DOJ to investigate healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies that engage in gender-affirming care. 

On June 12, U.S. DOJ sent CHOP an administrative subpoena, seeking information and documents relating to the hospital’s provision of gender-affirming care. This subpoena demands sensitive medical records and personally identifying information about adolescent patients and their families. For example, U.S. DOJ is seeking patient names, dates of birth, home addresses, and social security numbers. 

In their brief, the attorneys general urge the court to limit U.S. DOJ’s subpoena. They argue that:

• The federal government is clearly seeking to intimidate medical providers from offering critical and medically necessary care to transgender youth, even in states like California where such care is legal and protected.
• As part of this subpoena request, U.S. DOJ is interpreting the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) as outlawing medical providers from prescribing FDA approved medications to their patients for off label use. If U.S. DOJ’s interpretation of the FDCA were accepted, entire fields of medicine could see their practitioners at risk of criminal conviction merely for offering routine, evidence-based treatments. As the amicus brief points out, some studies estimate that as much as 80% of drugs prescribed for children are prescribed for off label uses. 

The states submitting the brief have enacted their own laws, policies, and protections, for transgender residents, including transgender youth under the age of 19. California has enacted laws recognizing the right to access gender-affirming care and shielding people who access or provide gender-affirming care from civil or criminal penalties by out-of-state jurisdictions. 

Earlier this month, Attorney General Bonta filed an amicus brief opposing U.S. DOJ’s subpoena for patient records related to gender affirming care at Boston Children’s Hospital. California continues its efforts to stand firmly in support of healthcare policies that respect the dignity and rights of all people.

Joining Attorney General Bonta in submitting the amicus brief are the attorneys general of Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. 

A copy of the amicus brief can be found here.