Press Release

Senator Dave Min’s Domestic Violence Bill Clears Assembly Floor

Senator Dave Min’s Domestic Violence Bill Clears Assembly Floor

SB 374 would make California the first state to recognize “reproductive coercion” as a form of domestic violence 

SACRAMENTO, CA — Senator Dave Min (D-Irvine) announced his Senate Bill (SB) 374, which adds “reproductive coercion” to the definition of domestic violence, passed the Assembly Floor today. Reproductive coercion is defined by this bill as excessively pressuring the other party to become pregnant, deliberately interfering with access to reproductive health information or using coercive tactics to control pregnancy outcomes.

“I’m proud that my bill, which adds ‘reproductive coercion’ to the definition of domestic violence, passed the Assembly floor today,” Min said. “Across the nation, women’s reproductive rights are under attack, and we must be a beacon of hope in California. This bill creates first-in-the-nation protections for survivors of reproductive coercion, making it easier to obtain a domestic violence restraining order. Many thanks to my Assembly colleagues for supporting this important issue.”

If signed into law, SB 374 would allow survivors of reproductive coercion to seek legal protections under the Domestic Violence Prevention Act. Min’s wife, Jane Stoever, a Clinical Professor of Law at the UC Irvine School of Law, along with help from Amy Abshier, Amelia Haselkorn, Emily Phillips and Courtney West, students in the Domestic Violence Clinic she teaches, provided the research and advocacy that inspired the bill. 

Numerous statewide advocacy groups supported this measure.

“There is no reproductive freedom without freedom from reproductive coercion, abuse, and oppression. For this reason, NARAL Pro-Choice California is proud to support SB 374," Director of NARAL Pro-Choice California Shannon Olivieri Hovis said. "Thank you to Senator Min for his unwavering support of women, pregnant people, and survivors of domestic violence — and for ensuring California is constantly striving to become a more equitable, free, and safe place to decide when and how to start, grow and raise a family.”

“This bill will empower domestic violence survivors to identify reproductive coercion as a form of abuse they’ve experienced to obtain a Domestic Violence Restraining Order,” Christine Smith, Public Policy Coordinator of California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, said. “This type of abuse is pervasive in intimate partner violence relationships, as a form of maintaining long-term control. In naming reproductive coercion, we are recognizing this problematic issue in law, and providing survivors additional opportunities to move forward in seeking safety and justice.”

“Planned Parenthood stands with domestic violence survivors in supporting SB 374. Passing SB 374 is an important step toward ensuring survivors have the ability to protect themselves, and find justice, from the harmful and dangerous consequences of reproductive coercion,” President/CEO Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California Jodi Hicks said. “Every person deserves the right to be able to live with full bodily autonomy and make decisions about their life and future free from abuse and coercion. With this bill, California will continue to prove to survivors they are not alone, and it sets an example for the rest of the country on how to go further in protecting domestic violence survivors.” 

SB 374 heads to the Governor’s office next.