Senator Dave Min’s Domestic Violence Survivors’ Justice Bill Signed by Governor

Senator Dave Min’s Domestic Violence Survivors’ Justice Bill Signed by Governor

First-in-nation protections for survivors of reproductive coercion now cemented

SACRAMENTO, CA — Senator Dave Min (D-Irvine) today thanked Governor Gavin Newsom for signing his domestic violence survivors’ justice bill into law. Senate Bill (SB) 374 adds “reproductive coercion” to the definition of domestic violence. 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 grateful to Governor Gavin Newsom for signing this important bill into law, giving survivors of reproductive coercion additional protections from their abusers and making it easier to obtain a domestic violence restraining order,” Min said. “Reproductive coercion is sadly a far too common form of domestic abuse, but until now, it has not been recognized as a form of domestic violence. This law will save the lives of women by providing them with access to relief. I thank our supporters for their dedication to this issue, and my colleague Senator Susan Rubio for introducing this bill with me.”

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 the bill and previously applauded the effort.

“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 marks Min’s second bill signed into law, joining SB 308, which modernizes the unclaimed property process.