SACRAMENTO – The California State Senate today unanimously passed Senate Bill 1023 by Senator John Laird, legislation to expand access to long-acting injectable HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a highly effective medication used to prevent HIV infection. The bill now heads to the Assembly for consideration.

Long-acting injectable HIV PrEP (administered every two or six months) has emerged as a superior clinical tool for patients facing barriers related to stigma and housing instability. SB 1023 will require health plans that already cover injectable PrEP to also reimburse it through their outpatient prescription drug benefit, reducing financial and administrative barriers faced by community clinics and HIV prevention providers.

“SB 1023 will make it easier for community clinics and other small health care providers to expand access to PrEP, a crucial HIV prevention medication, at a time when global health and civil rights are under active threat,” said Laird.

The bill is a California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus priority bill.