BSide: Mass. has a new Abortion Legal Hotline ☎️

By Emily Schario
Story Originally Appeared in B-Side

Massachusetts officially launched an Abortion Legal Hotline. Here’s what you need to know:

☎️ What is it? The hotline, which went live Monday morning, provides free and confidential legal advice to patients and providers seeking abortion care in the commonwealth.

☎️ Who’s behind it? The hotline was created in a collaboration between the Reproductive Equity Now Foundation, the Attorney General’s Office, the Women’s Bar Foundation, the ACLU of Massachusetts, and five law firms that will offer pro bono services.

☎️ Why create it? The overturning of Roe v. Wade obliterated abortion access in states across the country. But Mass. lawmakers have been working to increase abortion access for women both in- and out-of-state, especially as some have tried to make crossing state lines for an abortion illegal.

Last summer, Mass. passed a law protecting providers and people seeking abortions from legal action taken by states with more restrictive laws. This hotline is meant to build off that legislation, offering those seeking or providing an abortion with a clear understanding of how they are protected under the law.

☎️ Who can use it? Anyone. You don’t have to be a Mass. resident.

☎️ How do you use it? Just call or message the hotline at (833) 309-6301 and leave specific call-back instructions. They recommend using an encrypted communications platform like Signal, if you can. Someone will contact you within two to three business days to gather your legal questions and info and pass it along to their pro bono attorneys.

Note: The people answering the hotline can’t immediately provide legal (or medical) advice. They’re just in charge of gathering your questions and information.