Reproductive Equity Now President Rebecca Hart Holder released the following statement today after the Muratore for State Senate campaign released an email that incorrectly states that State Representative Mathew Muratore voted to codify the right to abortion in Massachusetts state law. Murratore voted against the ROE Act in 2020, which codified abortion rights in the Commonwealth. 

Two years since the Dobbs decision decimated the national right to abortion access, one month after the Massachusetts Legislature advanced groundbreaking legislation to address the state’s worsening maternal health crisis, and on the precipice of one of the most important election cycles in history, Reproductive Equity Now has announced its second slate of endorsed candidates for the Massachusetts legislature. These candidates will continue the groundbreaking progress that the Massachusetts legislature has made to meet the post-Dobbs crisis and work to advance a reproductive equity agenda for all Bay Staters. 

Rebecca Hart Holder, President, Reproductive Equity Now:

“We are so proud that the commonwealth is taking decisive and bold action to address the maternal health crisis, eliminate racial inequities in birthing outcomes, and integrate midwives into our maternal health care infrastructure. With Governor Healey’s signature today, Massachusetts is making its values clear: we will continue to stand up for reproductive equity, center birthing people, and ensure that every person has the ability to start or grow their family with autonomy and dignity. We’re grateful to Governor Healey for signing this critical bill into law, and we look forward to turning the corner in the fight for maternal health equity in Massachusetts.”

With the 2023-24 Massachusetts legislative session now closed, Reproductive Equity Now President Rebecca Hart Holder today celebrated the legislature’s major progress to advance reproductive equity in the Bay State. The legislature passed several bills this session that take steps to improve maternal health outcomes, expand access to reproductive health care, and invest in the state’s child care infrastructure, all pieces of Reproductive Equity Now’s 2023-24 legislative priorities.

Members of the Bay State Birth Coalition released the following statements after a comprehensive legislative package to address the worsening maternal health crisis passed out of the Massachusetts legislature in an informal session. The bill now heads to Governor Maura Healey’s desk. 

Rebecca Hart Holder, President of Reproductive Equity Now, released the following statement after a comprehensive legislative package to address the worsening maternal health crisis passed out of the Massachusetts legislature in an informal session. The bill now heads to Governor Maura Healey’s desk. 

Reproductive Equity Now President Rebecca Hart Holder released the following statement today after Massachusetts House and Senate negotiators reached an agreement on An Act promoting access to midwifery care and out-of-hospital birth options. The omnibus bill, which was passed unanimously by the House and Senate this year, includes several of Reproductive Equity Now’s legislative priorities, including provisions to create a pathway to licensure for Certified Professional Midwives and to instruct the Department of Public Health (DPH) to update and revise the regulations that govern freestanding birth centers in the state.

“We are thrilled that Governor Maura Healey is today signing the Massachusetts Parentage Act into law to ensure all children across our state have equal access to the security of a legal parent-child relationship. Reproductive equity is not a reality in Massachusetts until every individual — and every LGBTQ+ family — is able to make decisions about whether and when to parent, and to parent with dignity. This law will protect family formation in a post-Dobbs world, ensure that LGBTQ+ parents have the protections they need to start or build their families, and support children’s development and well-being over a lifetime.”

Members of the Bay State Birth Coalition, a coalition of more than 20 partner organizations, released the following joint statement today after the Massachusetts Senate passed a comprehensive maternal health package to address the worsening maternal health crisis in the state. The legislation includes provisions to create a pathway to licensure for Certified Professional Midwives, reimburse Certified Nurse Midwives equitably, and to instruct the Department of Public Health to update and revise the regulations that govern freestanding birth centers in the state.

“The stakes have never been higher for abortion access and reproductive equity, and these candidates are prepared to meet the post-Dobbs moment,” said Rebecca Hart Holder, President of Reproductive Equity Now. “The right to abortion, contraception, IVF, and all forms of reproductive health care are facing existential threats on the national stage. State legislatures have the opportunity to act as a firewall, protecting the reproductive freedom of their constituents through comprehensive, proactive legislation and budgeting. Not only can our leaders on Beacon Hill ensure that Bay Staters retain their right to reproductive health care, but what our leaders do in Massachusetts has a ripple effect on the abortion landscape nationwide. Reproductive Equity Now is proud to endorse this impressive slate of candidates who are ready to fight for reproductive equity and ensure that Massachusetts remains a beacon for abortion access in our post-Roe world.”

Rebecca Hart Holder, President of Reproductive Equity Now: “The Massachusetts Legislature has continually recognized the evolving threat to abortion patients and providers and has aggressively expanded access and protected care since the fall of Roe. In the two years post-Dobbs, hostile actors have targeted the location data of patients and providers in all 50 states, and now, we are increasingly concerned that this data will be weaponized against those seeking and providing care in Massachusetts.

Rebecca Hart Holder, President, Reproductive Equity Now:  “Two years after Dobbs, anti-abortion extremists have not slowed their crusade to put politicians in exam rooms, stand in the way of emergency medical care, and ban abortion in any and all circumstances, no matter the consequences to patients’ health. The anti-abortion movement is putting their cruelty on full display. But here in Massachusetts, we’re not going to let it stand.

“We are thrilled that the Massachusetts Legislature is acting boldly to address the worsening maternal health crisis in the state, and we are grateful to Speaker Mariano, and Chairs Decker and Lawn for their work to advance this critically important package today. With an abortion-related case before the Supreme Court that could have devastating consequences for maternal health nationwide, the state is once again taking proactive action to improve birthing outcomes and advance reproductive equity in the state,” said Rebecca Hart Holder, President of Reproductive Equity Now.