Abortion access is protected in Massachusetts despite overturning of Roe v. Wade
BOSTON -- State lawmakers can now determine access to abortion after the Supreme Court's historic decision to overturn Roe v. Wade Friday.
In response to the decision, Gov. Charlie Baker signed an executive order to protect access to reproductive health care services in Massachusetts.
"I am deeply disappointed in today's decision by the Supreme Court which will have major consequences for women across the country who live in states with limited access to reproductive health care services. The Commonwealth has long been a leader in protecting a woman's right to choose and access to reproductive health services, while other states have criminalized or otherwise restricted access," the governor said.
"This executive order will further preserve that right and protect reproductive health care providers who serve out of state residents. In light of the Supreme Court's ruling overturning Roe v Wade, it is especially important to ensure that Massachusetts providers can continue to provide reproductive health care services without concern that the laws of other states may be used to interfere with those services or sanction them for providing services that are lawful in the Commonwealth."
Under the executive order, Massachusetts will not help other states investigate a person who received or delivered an abortion that is legal in the state. It also said the state will not cooperate with extradition requests from other states pursuing criminal charges for those who received or performed reproductive health services that are legal in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts lawmakers took action to protect reproduction rights at the end of 2020, when Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, appointed by former President Donald Trump, took the seat of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The Legislature passed the "ROE Act," codifying abortion rights into state law.
The law makes abortions more accessible to 16- and 17-year-olds without parental consent and also allows the procedure to be done beyond 24 weeks into pregnancy in some cases.
Massachusetts is one of 16 states with laws in place to protect abortion rights.
There are 13 states that have passed "trigger laws" to ban or greatly restrict abortion automatically upon Roe's termination.