The New York Times: Justices Back Pregnancy Centers That Oppose Abortion, In Free Speech Case
Ruling for opponents of abortion on free speech grounds, the Supreme Court said on Tuesday that the State of California may not require religiously oriented “crisis pregnancy centers” to supply women with information about how to end their pregnancies. The case was a clash between state efforts to provide women with facts about their medical options and First Amendment rulings that place limits on the government’s ability to compel people to say things at odds with their beliefs. (Liptak, 6/26) (Liptak, 6/26)

Reuters: Supreme Court Blocks California Law On Anti-Abortion Centers
The justices reversed a 2016 ruling by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that refused to block the law because it likely did not violate free speech rights. California's Reproductive FACT Act, passed by a Democratic-led legislature and signed by Democratic Governor Jerry Brown in 2015, required centers licensed by the state as family planning facilities to post or distribute notices that the state has programs offering free or low-cost birth control, prenatal care and abortion services. The law also mandated unlicensed centers that may have no medical provider on staff to disclose that fact. (Chung, 6/26)

The Washington Post: Supreme Court Says Crisis Pregnancy Centers Do Not Have To Provide Women Abortion Information
[Thomas] said that the “government-drafted script” specifically mentions abortion — “the very practice that petitioners are devoted to opposing.” “By requiring petitioners to inform women how they can obtain state-subsidized abortions, at the same time petitioners try to dissuade women from choosing that option.. . . plainly alters the content of petitioners’speech,” Thomas wrote. (Barnes, 6/26)

Los Angeles Times: Supreme Court Rules For Faith-Based Pregnancy Centers, Blocks California Disclosure Law
In a concurring opinion, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy said the history of the California law shows the faith-based centers were “targeted because of their beliefs.… Governments must not be allowed to force persons to express a message contrary to their deepest convictions.” (Savage, 6/26)

The Wall Street Journal: Supreme Court Casts Doubt On California Disclosure Law On Abortion Availability
Liberals, in a dissent by Justice Stephen Breyer, accused the majority of a double standard, in light of the court’s rulings upholding laws in other states that require abortion clinics to advise pregnant women of alternatives to the procedure, including adoption services and programs to assist with childbirth costs. Justice Thomas rejected that argument. States can impose such requirements because abortion is a medical procedure subject to a patient’s “informed consent,” while the notice California required “is not tied to a procedure at all,” he wrote, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Anthony Kennedy, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch. (Bravin and Kendall, 6/26)

The Associated Press: Pregnancy Center Ruling A Blow For Abortion-Rights Advocates
Despite the court's 5-4 decision Tuesday, abortion-rights advocates pledged to keep fighting what they call "fake health centers," but their next steps weren't immediately clear. Some saw potential to use the ruling to push back against laws in conservative states such as Wisconsin and Texas that require abortion providers to share information about adoption or to combat the federal push to ban U.S.-funded family planning clinics from referring women for abortions. (6/27)

The Washington Post: Supreme Court Decision On Crisis Pregnancy Centers Draws Strong Reaction From All Sides
“Today's decision will harm women, full stop. The Supreme Court's ruling will allow fake health clinics to continue peddling anti-choice propaganda and misinformation. It will let them lie to vulnerable women, pretend to ​offer licensed ​medical providers and withhold potentially lifesaving medical care, ” said Stephanie Schriock, president, Emily's List. (Cha, 6/26)

San Francisco Chronicle: Supreme Court Rules CA Can’t Force Antiabortion Clinics To Disclose Options
California violates the freedom of speech of antiabortion clinics called “crisis pregnancy centers” by requiring them to notify their patients that the state makes abortions available at little or no cost, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Tuesday. In striking down a 2016 state law, Justice Clarence Thomas said the regulations force the clinics to provide a “government-drafted script” about state-sponsored services that includes the availability of “abortion — the very practice that (the clinics) are devoted to opposing.” (Egelko, 6/26)

The Hill: Supreme Court Ruling May Pave Way For More Faith-Based Pregnancy Centers
The Supreme Court’s ruling Tuesday in favor of anti-abortion clinics in California will make it easier for similar facilities in other states to dissuade women from getting abortions. (Wheeler and Hellmann, 6/26)

San Jose Mercury News: Two Doors Apart, Planned Parenthood, Pro-Life Pregnancy Center React To Supreme Court Ruling
In what activists saw as a setback to California’s efforts to ensure a woman’s right to choose, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled the Golden State cannot force pro-life pregnancy clinics to inform women about low-cost abortion options available elsewhere. ​Abortion opponents celebrated the 5-4 ruling supported by the court’s conservative majority. (Prodis Sulek, 6/26)

The San Diego Union-Tribune: How Crisis Pregnancy Centers Fought California On Free Speech Grounds, And Won 
The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled in a 5-4 decision against California in a case challenging a state law that requires crisis pregnancy centers to provide all clients with information about health care options available, including free or low-cost abortion. Unlike previous major abortion cases that the Supreme Court has weighed, at question in this case was whether notice requirements violate the First Amendment. Pro-life advocates argued that the state’s Reproductive FACT Act violated the First Amendment rights of faith-based crisis pregnancy centers because it required them to provide information about abortion as a health care option. They also argue that such notice requirements as forcing them to engage in speech contrary to their moral beliefs. (Gomez, 6/26)

The Associated Press: Brown Takes Victory Lap As He Signs California Budget
Gov. Jerry Brown will take a victory lap Wednesday when he signs a $139 billion California budget that marks a stark turnaround from the financial crisis he inherited seven years ago. Nearing the end of his final term as governor, Brown has celebrated the state’s financial strength and thriving economy, even as President Donald Trump and his allies paint the nation’s most populous state as a place in decline. ... The budget boosts funding for higher education, staving off tuition increases, and increasing welfare grants that have been slow to return to their pre-recession levels. It creates more slots for subsidized child care and gives a raise to doctors and dentists who see low-income patients on the state Medicaid program, Medi-Cal, which covers one in three Californians. (Cooper, 6/27)

Sacramento Bee: California Budget Includes $176 Million For Hepatitis C Treatment For Medi-Cal Recipients, Inmates
Nowadays, the treatment period for hepatitis C programs is typically eight to 12 weeks and existing drugs have a 95 to 98 percent success rate in curing the infection, according to several Sacramento-area medical professionals. However, access to treatment is limited for low-income patients covered by Medi-Cal and for state prison inmates. (Holzer, 6/27)

In other news from Sacramento —

San Francisco Chronicle: California Bill Aimed At Lowering Health Care Costs Gets Shelved
A bill aimed at banning a hospital contracting practice that patient advocates say leads to higher health care prices for consumers has been withdrawn by its author, state Sen. Bill Monning, D-Carmel. The proposed legislation, SB538, sought to end so-called “all or nothing” contracting — a practice used by large health systems to require health insurers to contract with all their hospitals and affiliates, or none at all. (Ho, 6/26)

The Associated Press: California Lead Paint Liability Initiative Heads To Ballot
California voters will likely see an initiative on the November ballot that limits the liability of lead paint companies by authorizing bond funding to clean up the paint and other health hazards in buildings in the state. The California Secretary of State announced Tuesday that backers of the measure collected enough signatures to make the ballot. (6/26)

Capital Public Radio: Initiatives Backed By Children's Hospitals, Paint Industry Set For California's November Ballot 
[Another] initiative would raise $1.5 billion through a taxpayer-funded bond measure for construction, expansion, renovation and equipment projects at hospitals that provide children’s health care. It was written by the California Children’s Hospital Association, and nine of its members have contributed more than $6 million combined. (Adler, 6/26)

Los Angeles Times: L.A. County Supervisors Call For Review Of Child Protection System In Wake Of Anthony Avalos' Death
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday ordered officials in charge of child protection to examine shortcomings in the system in the wake of a 10-year-old boy’s death last week. Anthony Avalos was found unresponsive at his family’s home in Lancaster on June 20 with severe head injuries and cigarette burns covering his body. He died Thursday. The Times reported Sunday that at least 16 calls had been made to the county’s child abuse hotline and to police before Anthony died. Callers alleged that he or his six siblings had been denied food and water, beaten, sexually abused, dangled upside-down from a staircase, forced to crouch for hours, locked in small spaces with no access to the bathroom, and forced to eat from the trash. (Agrawal, 6/26)

In other news from across the state —

East Bay Times: Man Drives Car Into San Leandro Residential Care Facility
A man suffering from an apparent mental health crisis drove a car into a residential care facility late Tuesday night, hitting but not injuring a person inside, police said. The episode started about 9:45 p.m. when Alameda County sheriff’s deputies tried to stop a man who was allegedly driving unsafely in the area of E. 14th and Elgin streets. The man did not pull over and a slow-speed pursuit ensued, said Sgt. Ray Kelly. On the 1100 block of Elgin Street, the man steered his Dodge Magnum toward the residential care facility and drove though an exterior wall, Kelly said. Deputies arrested him in his vehicle. (Green, 6/27)

The San Diego Union-Tribune: Scripps Medical Building Approved For Vista Way In Oceanside
A three-story medical office building to serve Scripps Health patients in North County has been approved for the vacant site of a former auto dealership at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Vista Way, just north of state Route 78 in Oceanside. The city’s Planning Commissioners voted unanimously for the project Monday and several Oceanside residents said it would be a welcome addition to the neighborhood. (Diehl, 6/26)

The Bakersfield Californian: Kern County Supervisors Maintain Medical Marijuana Dispensary Ban
The current ban on medicinal marijuana dispensaries will remain in place in Kern County for the time being after the Kern County Board of Supervisors took no action on a proposal that could have led to the establishment of seven legal medicinal dispensaries throughout the county at a meeting Tuesday. Citing the changing nature of the medicinal marijuana industry in the county, all supervisors – excluding Leticia Perez, who was absent – said they did not support the seven-dispensary plan, brought to the board by the Health and Social Services Subcommittee, which is comprised of Chairman Mike Maggard and Supervisor Mick Gleason as well as employees from the County Administrative Office. The lack of action at Tuesday’s meeting could result in the closure of 31 Kern County medicinal dispensaries that are currently grandfathered into the law. (Morgen, 6/26)

Capital Public Radio: Yolo County Takes Steps Toward Recreational Marijuana Cultivation, Manufacturing
The Yolo County Board of Supervisors has approved several motions that allow the County to move toward legalization of recreational marijuana cultivation, manufacturing and sales. Oscar Villegas, chairman of the board, says the legalization of cannabis at the state level requires a new look at the county level. (Moffitt, 6/26)

The San Diego Union-Tribune: Rady Again 10-For-10 In U.S. News Report, But Top Rankings Slip A Bit
Rady Children’s Hospital is again highly listed among its peers in a widely-watched national report, though last year’s top-five performance in orthopedics and neonatoloty slipped a bit this time around. Published Monday evening, the “Best Children’s Hospitals Rankings” from U.S. News and World Report names Rady within the top 50 nationwide in all 10 medical specialties is scrutinizes, slotting it among just 23 facilities nationwide to go 10-for-10 this year. It was the second year in a row that Rady pulled off the feat, though the region’s only pediatric medical center still has not cracked the U.S. News honor roll, which is reserved for the 10 houses of healing that the publication deems the best in the nation.(Sisson, 6/26)

The Wall Street Journal: HHS Secretary Seeks To Reassure Lawmakers On Family Separation Policy
Hundreds of children separated from their parents under the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy have been reunited with relatives and every parent has access to information on where their children are, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Tuesday. Mr. Azar sought to reassure lawmakers about the reunification process at a drug-pricing hearing before the Senate Finance Committee. He said his agency has received more than 2,300 children separated from family members along the border with about 2,047 now under the agency’s care. (Armour, 6/26)

The Hill: Top Official Says Government Can't Reunite Migrant Families Under Current Law 
Under questioning from Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee, HHS Secretary Alex Azar indicated it's the responsibility of Congress or the courts to reunite the 2,047 migrant children still in the agency's custody. “We are working to get all these kids ready to be placed back with their parents as soon as Congress passes a change, or if those parents complete their immigration proceedings,” Azar said. “We do not want any children separated from their parents any longer than necessary under the law.” (Weixel, 6/26)

Reuters: States Sue Trump Over Immigrant Families As Congress Quarrels
More than a dozen states sued the Trump administration on Tuesday over its separation of migrant children and parents at the U.S.-Mexico border, saying President Donald Trump's order last week ending the breakups was illusory. In a complaint filed with U.S. District Court in Seattle, 17 states and the District of Columbia argued the administration's policy was unconstitutional in part because it was "motivated by animus and a desire to harm" immigrants arriving from Latin America. (Cowan and Stempel, 6/26)

The Hill: HHS Sued For Documents Related To Child Separation Policy 
A government watchdog on Tuesday sued the Trump administration for documents related to migrant children being separated from their families at the U.S. border. Equity Forward, which describes itself as a reproductive health watchdog group, filed a lawsuit after the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) failed to respond to four Freedom of Information Act requests, the first being filed in January. (Hellmann, 6/26)

The New York Times: Federal Judge In California Halts Splitting Of Migrant Families At Border
A federal judge in California issued a nationwide injunction late Tuesday temporarily stopping the Trump administration from separating children from their parents at the border and ordered that all families already separated be reunited within 30 days. Judge Dana M. Sabraw of the Federal District Court in San Diego said children under 5 must be reunited with their parents within 14 days, and he ordered that all children must be allowed to talk to their parents within 10 days. (Shear, Hirschfeld Davis, Kaplan and Pear, 6/26)

The Wall Street Journal: Judge Orders Migrant Families Separated At Border To Be Reunited Within 30 Days
The nationwide preliminary injunction by U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw late Tuesday comes in a class action brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of parents who had been separated from children after crossing the border and detained in immigration custody. The order requires the federal government to reunite all children within 30 days and those younger than 5 within two weeks. Judge Sabraw said that for now, parents can no longer be detained or deported without their children unless the minors are found to be in danger or the parents have consented. (Randazzo, 6/27)

Los Angeles Times: California Federal Judge Orders Separated Children Reunited With Parents Within 30 Days
In a strongly worded opinion, U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw wrote “the facts set forth before the court portray reactive governance — responses to address a chaotic circumstance of the government’s own making. They belie measured and ordered governance, which is central to the concept of due process enshrined in our Constitution. ”Under the order, children younger than 5 years old must be reunited with their parents within 14 days, while older children must be reunited with their parents within 30 days. Within 10 days, federal authorities must allow parents to call their children if they're not already in contact with them. (Tchekmedyian and Davis, 6/27)

The Associated Press: Unclear Math: HHS Has 2,047 Children; Full US Count Lacking
The number of migrant children in custody after being separated from their parents barely dropped since last week, even as Trump administration said it's doing everything possible to expedite family reunification. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told senators at a hearing Tuesday that his agency currently has 2,047 migrant children — or six fewer than the total HHS count last week. (6/26)

Politico: Doctors Say Migrant Children Separated From Their Parents Will Face Lasting Ills
Lawyers challenging the Trump administration’s family separation policies are getting strong backing from the medical community. In several recent lawsuits, legal advocates are using statements signed by hundreds of physicians and medical experts warning that migrant children separated from their parents will face years of mental and physical illnesses. (Rayasam, 6/26)

The Washington Post: Robert Wilkie, Trump’s VA Nominee, Built A Career Working With Polarizing Figures In American Politics
Robert Wilkie, President Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, is a conservative Washington insider who would bring three decades of military policymaking and a deep list of Capitol Hill connections to a Cabinet post responsible for serving one of the administration’s most crucial constituencies. But when he appears Wednesday for his Senate confirmation hearing, Wilkie will also draw on a career spent working shoulder to shoulder with polarizing figures in American politics and often defending their most divisive views. (Sonne and Rein, 6/26)

The Associated Press: Low-Key Washington Insider Makes A Bid To Fix Struggling VA
Wilkie wasn't Trump's first choice to replace Shulkin; his nomination of White House doctor Ronny Jackson withered in the face of late-surfacing allegations of workplace misconduct. All the while, Wilkie was quietly working at the VA, signing a major $10 billion deal to overhaul veterans' electronic medical records. He was taken aback when Trump made an impromptu offer of the permanent job at a public event in mid-May. (6/26)