Massachusetts Expands Abortion Access Under New Law
Applause filled the room as Democratic Governor Maura Healey signed a new abortion law in Massachusetts, positioning the state as the tenth in the U.S. to permit the procedure up until birth.
The Patient Access to Care First Act gives healthcare providers broader discretion regarding late-term abortions, moving away from the state’s previous restrictions which imposed legal penalties.
Healey emphasized that the intention behind the law is to support families facing medical challenges late in pregnancy, allowing them to make decisions within Massachusetts rather than seeking care out of state.
Such medical issues might involve serious maternal health concerns or non-viable fetal diagnoses.
While signing the bill, Healey committed to upholding abortion as safe, legal, and accessible throughout her time in office.
“It’s crucial that health care choices are made by women, their families, and their doctors—not politicians,” she stated, reiterating that abortion rights would remain protected in the state.
The law is anticipated to take effect within the next 90 days. Previously, Massachusetts law restricted abortions after 24 weeks, allowing for only a few exceptions.
With this new legislation, Massachusetts joins states like Alaska, Colorado, and New Jersey in abolishing gestational limits on abortions, in addition to the District of Columbia.
Healey described this law as an essential step in advocating for women’s rights, indicating that those against it are not genuinely supportive of women’s health.
“For the people of Massachusetts, the priority should be clear if we genuinely care about women’s health and access to necessary healthcare,” she remarked. “I stand with women; my opponents do not.”
She also framed the new law as a protective barrier against national threats to abortion rights, referring to actions by former President Trump and Republican efforts following the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade.
“States need to take the initiative,” Healey stated.
In response to the law’s passage, Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA Pro-Life America, criticized it as a “terrible” decision, arguing that late-term abortions can lead to extreme fetal harm.
“The reality that tens of thousands of unborn children face brutal treatment each year should be alarming,” she asserted, predicting that the numbers would rise with this new law.
Dannenfelser also pointed out that the U.S. is one of the few nations permitting such late-term procedures, claiming that without national guidelines, the country remains part of a troubling group of only eight countries allowing abortions at any stage of pregnancy.
Other nations with similar laws include Canada, Australia, and Mexico, according to findings from the SBA.
