Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed legislation eliminating all gestational limits on abortion, making the state the tenth in the nation to permit the procedure up to birth. The law removes the previous 24-week restriction and shields doctors from legal penalties when performing late-term procedures.

What the New Law Changes

The Prioritizing Patient Access to Care Act grants healthcare workers greater discretion in determining whether to perform abortions later in pregnancy without facing legal consequences under previous state restrictions. The bill takes effect in 90 days, fundamentally altering Massachusetts abortion policy that previously prohibited the procedure after 24 weeks except in limited circumstances. Health providers will now make these decisions without the threat of prosecution under former gestational age requirements.

Healey defended the legislation at the signing ceremony, stating healthcare decisions should remain between women, families, and doctors rather than politicians. She pledged to keep abortion safe, legal, and accessible throughout her tenure as governor. The Democrat framed the measure as protection against national Republican efforts to restrict abortion access following the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade.

National Context and Criticism

Massachusetts joins nine other states and the District of Columbia with no gestational limits: Alaska, Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, and Vermont. Pro-life advocates sharply criticized the move. Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser called the practice barbaric, stating tens of thousands of unborn children are dismembered annually and this number will increase under the new law.

Dannenfelser argued that Republicans must abandon their current position of leaving abortion decisions to individual states, which she said permits extreme late-term abortion laws. She noted the United States joins only seven other countries worldwide that allow abortion at any point in pregnancy: Australia, Canada, China, Guinea-Bissau, Mexico, South Korea, and Vietnam.

Political Implications

Healey positioned the legislation as supporting women’s health, declaring that opponents of the bill do not support women. She characterized the measure as a shield against Trump administration policies. The governor stated the law ensures families facing medical complications late in pregnancy, including maternal health issues and fatal diagnoses, can access abortion services in Massachusetts rather than traveling out of state. The signing ceremony drew applause from supporters who celebrated the removal of gestational restrictions.