I am alarmed at the news that came out recently regarding a draft decision by the Supreme Court that would roll back rights that have been enshrined for decades. Sadly, though I was shocked and disheartened to read Alito's draft, I was not surprised. We have known that generational attacks on reproductive rights were gaining momentum and that Courts, and State Administrations, and the Elected Officials that empower each were aiming to take away these basic human rights.

Our response, as people who value the rights of people to make decisions about their own healthcare and their own bodies, free of obstruction both statutorily and economically, must aggressively organize to codify rights in our own Commonwealth.

I have proudly and unequivocally supported legislation before us in the Massachusetts Senate to strengthen the Commonwealth's laws related to abortion and was a proud co-sponsor of the ROE act that we passed in the previous session. I have also conversed with my colleagues in a meaningful way since the SCOTUS draft was publicized, to strategize about legislative vehicles that we may use to ensure stronger laws that protect women, families, physicians, caregivers, providers and organizations in the event that ROE is overturned by the Supreme Court. To that end, I co-sponsored an amendment to our FY23 budget filed by a colleague and will make the passage of this and similar language a priority in my service as a State Senator.

I understand that this is never an easy issue for people to talk about and passions are high these days, but we cannot let the rights of people be stricken down by an extremist court. It is often the people that are most vulnerable that are the ones most adversely affected. I am committed to ensuring safe and legal access to family planning, reproductive healthcare, abortions, fertility treatments, and basic human rights."