By Bob Katzen

Back in August, the Legislature approved and Gov. Maura Healey signed into law a bill that would loosen restrictions on abortions that can be performed after 24 weeks of gestation by removing 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.

The Compassionate Care Coalition, led by Massachusetts Citizens for Life and Massachusetts Family Action, opposes the law and is working hard to repeal it. The group recently announced that it dropped off 113,477 signatures, certified by local city and towns clerks, to Secretary of State Bill Galvin’s office. Those numbers surpass the 37,289 signatures needed to get the question on the 2028 ballot for voters to decide and the 49,719 signatures needed to suspend the law in the interim. While local city and town officials have certified the signatures, the Secretary of State’s office still has to certify the signatures in order for the question to go on the 2028 ballot. If the signatures are certified by Galvin, the question will not only go on the 2028 ballot, but under current state law, instead of taking effect immediately, it would be suspended until voters decide its fate in 2028.

However, last week Gov. Healey foiled that plan and attached to the law an emergency preamble that forces the law to take effect immediately and prevents it from being suspended. Upon attaching the emergency preamble, Healey wrote that “any further delay in implementing the Act would prolong uncertainty for patients, families, physicians and health care institutions, and risk further harm to the health and safety of women in Massachusetts.”

“Gov. Healey’s preamble reflects an utter disregard for the men and women she was elected to represent,” said Myrna Maloney Flynn, president of Massachusetts Citizens for Life and vice chair of the Compassionate Care Coalition. “In a matter of a few weeks, more than 113,000 of her constituents went out of their way to oppose a highly controversial, deeply consequential, law that blindsided legislators and voters alike. Healey ignored their questions and concerns on August 10, and she has once again prevented any dialogue.”