By Bob Katzen
House 119-33, approved and sent to the Senate legislation that would loosen restrictions on abortions that can be performed after 24 weeks of gestation. The bill removes existing requirements that limit abortions at 24 weeks of pregnancy or later to four specific medical circumstances, and instead allows licensed physicians and providers to rely on their best medical judgment when caring for patients.
Supporters said that under current law, the four specific categories do not account for the full spectrum of medical conditions encountered by women and their doctors: protecting the patient’s life or physical or mental health, or cases involving a lethal fetal anomaly or a grave fetal diagnosis.
“Throughout relentless attacks on reproductive rights, the Massachusetts House has prioritized the fundamental rights and health care of its residents,” said sponsor Rep. Christine Barber (D-Somerville). “This bill continues that work. It ensures access to care by empowering physicians to use their professional judgment to make decisions in the best interest of their patients. Pregnancy is complex, and this bill eliminates barriers and guarantees medical expertise as the standard of care. It comes down to a simple, but powerful conviction: decisions about abortion care must remain between a patient and their provider. No one else.”
“The goal of passing this legislation is simple. Medical decisions should be made by a patient and their doctor,” said sponsor Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa (D-Northampton). “Massachusetts has one of the best health care systems in the country, and patients should be able to rely on their providers to deliver medically appropriate care without restrictions that can fail to account for the complexity of individual medical circumstances. By removing those barriers, we can ensure that no one has to leave Massachusetts to receive the care they need.”
The Massachusetts Family Institute said in a press release that despite clear public outcry, the Massachusetts House passed what the group called the “Radical Abortion Expansion Bill.” They said that the bill removes virtually all remaining restrictions on abortion in Massachusetts. It allows abortions past 24 weeks with no requirement of medical justification, meaning abortions could be performed at full term, just days before natural birth, for any reason or no reason at all. While abortion proponents argue that late-term abortions are rare, expanding this barbaric practice does serious damage to our society’s moral foundation.
“The good intentions of this bill’s sponsors are gravely misplaced,” said Myrna Maloney Flynn, the president of Massachusetts Citizens for Life “As written, their abortion-up-to-birth bill permits one provider — not even a physician — to subjectively decide that any unborn infant can be killed, even babies capable of surviving outside the womb and feeling pain within it. Just as concerning is the fact that the bill endangers women, since late-term abortions are far more complex and carry greater risk. Yet legislators want to allow these abortions outside of hospitals. Women experiencing unimaginable, heart wrenching pregnancy complications absolutely deserve all the support they need, but that support is not what this bill provides. Instead, this bill increases risks to women’s safety, allows gruesome violence against unborn children and grows abortion industry profits via taxpayer-funded late-term procedures.”
Rep. Kelly Pease (R-Westfield) said he was blindsided by the legislation and called abortion a “terrible thing.” “I think most of our caucus was [blindsided]. It’s like, where did this come from? I don’t see how I’m going to be in favor of a bill that allows babies over six months to be terminated when they’re probably viable outside the womb, unless there’s extenuating circumstances, and this kind of just takes away some of the safeguards that were in place before.”
A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it.)
Rep. Christine Barber Yes Rep. Mike Connolly Yes Rep. Paul Donato Yes Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven Yes