Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey Signs Law Removing Gestational Age Limits on Abortion
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed the Prioritizing Patient Access to Care Act on Monday, removing the state's previous 24-week general limit on abortion and granting health care workers greater discretion to perform later abortions without legal penalty. The law takes effect in 90 days and makes Massachusetts the 10th state — along with Alaska, Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, and the District of Columbia — to have no gestational age limit on abortion.
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Governor Healey signed the bill at a ceremony described by Fox News as marked by applause and smiles from attendees. The law replaces a framework that generally barred abortions after 24 weeks with limited exceptions, giving physicians broader authority to make those determinations without facing criminal or legal liability.
Healey said the law is designed to help families facing medical complications late in pregnancy — including maternal health emergencies and fatal fetal diagnoses — who previously would have needed to travel out of state to obtain care. "We believe that health care decisions should be made between women and families and their doctors, not politicians," she said at the signing. She also framed the legislation as a "shield" against federal-level efforts under President Donald Trump and Republicans to curtail abortion access following the Supreme Court's 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
Fox News was the primary outlet covering this story and led with language characterizing the bill as "allowing abortions up to birth," using terms such as "abort their babies" and noting the procedure in later pregnancy "can involve dismemberment of the fetus." The outlet gave prominent placement to opposition voices, including SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser, who described the law as "egregious" and called for Congress to establish national restrictions.