Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey Signs Law Removing Gestational Limits on Abortion

Massachusetts Democratic Gov. Maura Healey has signed legislation eliminating the state’s gestational age limit on abortion, making Massachusetts one of a small group of states without a specific gestational cutoff written into its abortion law.

The Prioritizing Patient Access to Care Act removes the state’s previous general restriction on abortions after 24 weeks of pregnancy. Under the new law, health care providers will have greater discretion when determining whether an abortion later in pregnancy is medically appropriate.

Healey celebrated the legislation during a signing ceremony Monday, arguing that decisions involving pregnancy should remain between women, their families and their doctors rather than politicians. She pledged that abortion would remain legal and accessible in Massachusetts while she is governor.

Supporters say the change is particularly important for women who encounter severe medical complications or devastating fetal diagnoses late in pregnancy. Healey argued that Massachusetts families facing those circumstances should not be forced to leave the state to obtain medical care.

The legislation is scheduled to take effect 90 days after being signed. Massachusetts previously generally prohibited abortions after 24 weeks, although state law contained exceptions allowing later procedures under certain circumstances.

With the change, Massachusetts joins a group of states that do not impose a specific gestational age limit on abortion. The policy puts the deep-blue state among the most permissive in the country when it comes to the point during pregnancy at which state law establishes a fixed abortion cutoff.

Healey also directly tied the legislation to the national abortion battle following the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade. She portrayed Massachusetts as a state-level firewall against potential abortion restrictions pursued by President Trump, congressional Republicans or future Supreme Court rulings.

The governor went further by accusing opponents of the legislation of failing to stand with women. Healey argued that supporters of women’s health should favor allowing patients and doctors greater authority over decisions involving complicated pregnancies.

Pro-life organizations fiercely condemned the legislation. SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser called the law “egregious” and renewed demands for Republicans in Washington to establish nationwide protections for unborn children rather than leaving abortion policy entirely to individual states.

The new Massachusetts law ensures the abortion debate will remain a major dividing line between Democratic-led states pursuing broader abortion access and Republicans pushing for additional protections for unborn children. With Healey’s signature, Massachusetts has now eliminated its previous 24-week gestational limit and significantly expanded the discretion given to providers in later stages of pregnancy.