CALIFORNIA: California Governor Gavin Newsom has rejected a bill that proposed providing free condoms to high school students. The governor cited concerns about the significant financial burden estimated at over 30 billion dollar that would be imposed. With more than 4,000 high schools and over 1.9 million students in the state, such a move would strain the annual budget leaving fewer resources for other educational needs.

The bill which aimed to distribute free condoms to students in grades nine through 12 in California public schools had been approved by the Democratic-dominated state legislature. Its primary goal was to safeguard students against sexually transmitted diseases. However, the governor's decision to veto the bill rested on the argument that it would create an unsustainable financial liability.

State Senator Carolyn Menjiver of Los Angeles, the bill's sponsor argued that it would have protected young people and their partners from sexually transmitted infections while eliminating barriers. She also contended that the bill would have promoted safe sex among teenagers and deterred the sale of illegal condoms.

In other legislative actions, Governor Newsom signed bills related to the Department of Education. One such bill mandates the transition of all school buses in the state to electric technology aligning with the goal of achieving zero pollution. Among the 15,800 school buses serving California schools, 10,800 currently operate on diesel fuel.