Massachusetts Legislature Passes Bill to Protect Women’s Reproductive Rights

(BOSTON) – Representative Malia (D-11th Suffolk) joined her colleagues in the Legislature to pass legislation repealing unconstitutional laws that impose criminal penalties for abortion and contraception in Massachusetts. With an uncertain future for federal action on landmark reproductive rights, Massachusetts took decisive action to protect the rights for women across the Commonwealth.

Five of the Massachusetts laws the bill repealed were previously deemed unconstitutional under several U.S. Supreme Court rulings including Eisenstadt v. Baird (1972), Roe v. Wade (1973), and Akron v. Akron Center for Reproductive Health (1983). The legislation also repeals the requirement that a person be married in order to receive contraceptives.

The Governor signed the bill into law the morning of July 27, 2018.