Beacon Hill Roundup: agreement reach on abortion legislation; some legislators called out for suspending rules

"WITH THE CLOCK ticking down on the Legislature’s two-year session, House and Senate leaders announced on Monday that negotiators have reached agreement between the two branches on a bill to strengthen abortion rights in Massachusetts. The push for enhanced abortion protections came in the wake of last month’s Supreme Court ruling overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade decision that had established a constitutional basis for the right to obtain an abortion. 

The sticking point that held up passage of the new measure centered on when women would retain the right to abortion after 24 weeks of gestation. The House passed legislation in late June that would extend current protections, which allow such later-term abortions in the case of a fatal birth defect, to also permit abortion in cases of a “severe” fetal anomaly. The Senate balked at including that language in its bill and raised concerns that it could draw a gubernatorial veto. Disability advocates also spoke out against the House language."

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/health-care/lawmakers-reach-agreement-on-abortion-legislation/

Boston Globe coverage of the conference committee agreement (subscription may be required)  https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/07/25/metro/mass-house-senate-say-theyve-reached-compromise-abortion-legislation/

"A CONSERVATIVE advocacy group on Monday called out a handful of Democratic lawmakers who in early 2021 voted for more time to study bills coming out of conference committees but last week voted to suspend the Legislature’s existing rules to take up climate change legislation immediately.

The joint rules of the Massachusetts House and Senate require conference committees to file their compromise bills with the clerk’s office by 8 p.m. in order to bring the legislation up for a vote the following day at 1 p.m."

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/politics/handful-of-democrats-called-out-for-voting-to-suspend-rules/

Note the "Conservative advocacy group" is Mass Fiscal Alliance, also noted for defying the Office of Campaign and Political Finance for not disclosing its dark money contributors. There is more than a little irony in this group calling out some legislators for lack of transparency. You can read all about this group at   https://www.masspoliticsprofs.org/2021/05/20/your-massachusetts-fiscal-alliance-reader/

Beacon Hill Roundup: agreement reach on abortion legislation; some legislators called out for suspending rules