Massachusetts House Votes 119-33 to Remove Post-24-Week Abortion Exceptions

LEGISLATURE -- July 22, 2026, Massachusetts House votes 119-33 to scrap the state's post-24-week abortion exceptions framework. The House passed H. 5595, an act prioritizing patient access to care, on July 22 after floor debate anchored by Representative Michael S. Day of Stoughton, who called the bill the legislature's fourth attempt in 16 years to align the law with clinical practice. The bill replaces four specific medical exceptions, including fatal fetal anomaly and conditions incompatible with sustained life, with a single standard based on a treating physician's professional judgment. Representative Christine P. Barber of Somerville and Representative Lindsay N. Sabadosa of Northampton co-filed the legislation; Representative Marjorie C. Decker, chair of the Joint Committee on Public Health, detailed the case of a Massachusetts patient who paid $10,000 out of pocket and drove 500 miles to Maryland for care. The lone floor opponent, Representative Michael S. Chaisson of Bellingham, argued the bill strips health oversight safeguards, though Sabadosa said DPH reporting requirements remain in statute under Section 12Q.