STATEMENT FROM SENATOR JASON LEWIS ON SCOTUS DECISION OVERTURNING ROE v WADE

Today is a dark day for America. The Supreme Court’s radical decision to completely overturn Roe v Wade will take our country back to the days before 1972 when many people had no safe access to reproductive healthcare and abortion. It is shocking that a constitutional right that has been enshrined for fifty years has now been taken away from Americans.

Access to safe and legal abortion, however, remains fully protected in Massachusetts. In 2020, anticipating that Roe v Wade could be threatened, our state legislature passed the ROE Act. I was proud to help champion the passage of this important legislation. It ensures that reproductive rights are guaranteed in this state.

But now we need to do more to secure and expand these rights in Massachusetts. We must protect our healthcare providers from any liability that other states with abortion bans may pursue. We must make it easier for patients who reside in Massachusetts or travel here from other states to get the care they need. That is why, for example, I filed legislation along with Representative Lindsay Sabadosa to ensure that students at Massachusetts colleges and universities have access to medication abortion services. Currently, many students face significant barriers to accessing convenient reproductive healthcare. 

I enthusiastically support the Beyond ROE Agenda for abortion access and reproductive equity, which you can read more about here: https://massbeyondroe.com/

My office stands ready to be a resource for any constituents who may need assistance locating or receiving reproductive healthcare services.