Democratic Gov. Maura Healey was met with applause and smiles as she signed away Massachusetts' gestational limits on abortion, making the deep-blue state the 10th to permit the procedure up to birth.
Under the Prioritizing Patient Access to Care Act, health care workers will have greater discretion in determining whether to perform an abortion later in pregnancy, without facing legal penalties under the state's previous restrictions.
Healey said the law is intended to ensure families facing medical complications late in pregnancy can abort their babies in Massachusetts rather than having to travel out of state. Those complications can include maternal health complications and fatal diagnoses.
During the bill signing, Healey pledged to keep abortion safe, legal and accessible in Massachusetts for as long as she remains governor.
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"We believe that health care decisions should be made between women and families and their doctors, not politicians," Healey said. "Abortion will remain safe. It will remain legal, and it will remain accessible here in Massachusetts. That's my commitment to you."
The bill is scheduled to take effect in 90 days. Previously, state law generally prohibited abortions after 24 weeks, with limited exceptions.
Massachusetts now joins Alaska, Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon and Vermont in removing gestational age limits on abortion, along with the District of Columbia.
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Healey said Monday's signing was intended to "stand with women," arguing that those who oppose the legislation do not support women's health.
"The bottom line for people in Massachusetts, if you care about women's health, if you care about making sure that women are able to access the health care that they need in consultation with their doctors, should be clear," she said. "I stand with women. My opponents do not."
Healey also framed the legislation as a "shield" against national efforts under President Donald Trump and Republicans to roll back abortion protections following the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade.
"It is up to the states to lead," Healey said. "And as governor, I promise that no matter what Donald Trump or Republicans in Congress or the Supreme Court does, we're going to continue to make sure that women and families have access to the health care that they need, right here in Massachusetts."
