Gov. Charlie Baker signed a invoice defending girls’s entry to abortion in Massachusetts into legislation Friday, as states throughout the nation proceed to ban the observe within the wake of final month’s Supreme Court choice to overturn Roe v. Wade.
The new legislation protects sufferers and suppliers from authorized interference when they’re accessing or offering reproductive and gender-affirming well being care companies which are legally protected in Massachusetts.
“Massachusetts remains steadfast in its commitment to protect access to reproductive health care services, especially in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade,” Baker mentioned.
“The Court’s decision has major consequences for women across the country who live in states with limited access to these services, and our administration took quick action in the hours following that decision by issuing an executive order to protect access here in the commonwealth.”
The legislation codifies a number of of the provisions put into place by the chief order Baker issued after the Supreme Court dominated that there was no constitutional proper to abortion, and adopts a number of new or expanded measures included within the Legislature’s invoice that was handed on Tuesday.
Under the brand new legislation, the commonwealth is prohibited from aiding with different states’ investigations or authorized proceedings concerning reproductive and gender-affirming companies that could be restricted in different states.
It additionally requires the state’s Medicaid program, known as MassHealth, to cowl abortions, allows any pharmacist to supply emergency contraception, and permits that contraception to be offered in merchandising machines.
State legislation now permits abortions to be carried out after 24 weeks when it’s essential to protect the affected person’s life or bodily or psychological well being, in circumstances of deadly fetal anomaly, or when a analysis signifies the fetus can’t survive exterior the uterus.
“Pregnant people, trans people, and all people must be allowed to make their own health care decisions in consultation with their physician without fear,” Senate President Karen Spilka mentioned.
House Speaker Ron Mariano mentioned the laws ensures Massachusetts will proceed to behave as a secure haven for ladies searching for abortion, “as states across the country move to restrict access to abortion,” following the Supreme Court choice.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”