Bill > S1563

This bill modifies existing Massachusetts abortion laws to expand physician discretion in performing abortions by removing previous specific restrictions on when an abortion could be performed. Currently, the law limited abortions to four specific circumstances: preserving the patient's life, preserving physical or mental health, addressing lethal fetal anomalies, or addressing grave fetal diagnoses indicating incompatibility with sustained life. The bill replaces these detailed conditions with a broader standard that allows abortions to be performed "when based upon the professional judgment of the physician." Additionally, the bill eliminates several existing procedural requirements, such as the requirement to independently consider each circumstance for pregnancies over 24 weeks and removes subsections that previously mandated specific determinations or reviews of abortion decisions. By emphasizing "professional judgment," the bill essentially grants physicians more comprehensive discretion in determining when an abortion is appropriate, removing many of the previous legal constraints and potential administrative barriers to abortion access.

Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S1563