The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts views the leaked Supreme Court opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, if it holds, as an attack on a fundamental right to health care and to the right of pregnant people to make their own decisions about what is best for them. In light of the probable overturning of Roe v. Wade, the League expresses its gratitude to the Massachusetts state legislature for passing, in 2020, the ROE Act, legislation that codified the right to an abortion in Massachusetts regardless of any U.S. Supreme Court decision. We salute our partners in reproductive health advocacy for their work in anticipating the need for this legislation.
We now urge the legislature to continue this work protecting the right to make one’s own health care decisions by passing without delay two additional bills:
- H.1196/S.673 An Act ensuring access to full spectrum pregnancy care. This bill would provide financial assistance for a full-range of pregnancy-related care. See our testimony.
- H.2399/S.1470 An Act to require public universities to provide medication abortion. See our testimony.
The national League of Women Voters continues to advocate for these rights on the federal level. Read their statement here.