Local & State
Healey Faces Excommunication Calls and Democratic Defections Over Massachusetts Abortion Law
PN Team • 2 months ago
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is facing calls from Catholic advocacy groups to be excommunicated after signing the "Prioritizing Patient Access to Care Act" (H. 5595) on Aug. 10. The law removes the state's previous 24-week limit on abortion, allowing the procedure throughout pregnancy at a physician's discretion. Massachusetts joins Alaska, Vermont, Oregon, New Mexico, Colorado, Minnesota, Michigan, Maryland, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C., in permitting abortion until birth. State data show 99 abortions at 24 weeks or later in 2024, up from 84 in 2023.
Healey, who identifies as Catholic, drew backlash after publicly celebrating the signing. LifeSite's petition urging Boston Archbishop Richard Henning to excommunicate her has surpassed 25,000 signatures, and CatholicVote's Kelsey Reinhardt sent bishops a formal letter demanding accountability. The Archdiocese has called the law "gravely immoral" but has not announced any canonical action. Nine House Democrats, including Rep. Jeffrey Turco, broke ranks to oppose the bill, calling it "extremist" and "barbaric," while Healey's office defended her as "a governor for all people of all faiths."
Sources:
Sentiment
- Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party faces internal division as nine House Democrats broke ranks to oppose the bill, highlighting discord within the party.
- Massachusetts Massachusetts is central to the controversy as the site of the contentious new abortion law causing political and religious backlash.
- Alaska Alaska is mentioned only as one of the states permitting abortion until birth, a neutral factual reference.
- Colorado Colorado is listed neutrally among states permitting abortion until birth.
- Maryland Maryland is listed neutrally among states permitting abortion until birth.
- Michigan Michigan is listed neutrally among states permitting abortion until birth.
- Minnesota Minnesota is listed neutrally among states permitting abortion until birth.
- New Jersey New Jersey is listed neutrally among states permitting abortion until birth.
- New Mexico New Mexico is listed neutrally among states permitting abortion until birth.
- Oregon Oregon is listed neutrally among states permitting abortion until birth.
- Vermont Vermont is listed neutrally among states permitting abortion until birth.
- Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. is listed neutrally among jurisdictions permitting abortion until birth.