Governor Maura Healey enacts emergency preamble for abortion law

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has signed an emergency preamble to ensure a new abortion law takes effect immediately, blocking attempts to suspend the statute via citizen petition. The move prevents the law from being halted while opponents work toward a 2028 ballot referendum.

The legislation, Chapter 188 of the Acts of 2026, removes previous restrictions that limited abortions at or after 24 weeks to specific life-threatening situations for the patient or fetus. Under the new law, the decision to perform an abortion at any stage of pregnancy is deferred to the professional medical judgment of the physician.

Opponents, including Massachusetts Citizens for Life and the Compassionate Care Coalition, had submitted 113,477 signatures to the Secretary of State to suspend the law. Governor Healey stated that delaying implementation would prolong uncertainty for patients and healthcare providers, noting that several patients have already been denied care since the bill was signed in August.