The Supreme Court’s decision last year to effectively block relief in Whole Woman’s Health v. Jackson, followed by the release of Alito’s draft opinion, serves as a clarion call to Massachusetts legislators, advocates, and residents of all backgrounds: in Massachusetts and around the country, the constitutional right to bodily autonomy is in peril. The Court is adopting an activist role on matters involving abortion, and is poised to eliminate the constitutional basis underlying other privacy rights, including the right to use contraception.

Massachusetts needs to act swiftly to fortify the right to choose in our Commonwealth. The best litigating position will be based on principles of federalism, i.e., states’ rights. By strengthening both the legal and practical ability for people to obtain abortions and contraception in Massachusetts, we can make it more difficult for the Court or Congress to take rights away in the years to come. I discussed this view and other related concepts in a 2021 podcast interview on Boston Red Cloaks radio.

There is strong proposed legislation currently pending that will advance these efforts. As a State Representative, I would prioritize measures that include:

• prohibiting the extradition by other states of anyone in Massachusetts who had, sought, or aided an abortion;
• preventing out-of-state parties from reaching into Massachusetts to enforce the civil laws of other jurisdictions;
• enacting H.1196, An Act Ensuring Access to Pregnancy Care, which would reduce out-of-pocket costs for reproductive health care;
• requiring Massachusetts insurance providers to cover the cost of abortions;
• simplifying access to emergency contraception;
• enacting H.2399, An Act to Require Public Universities to Provide Medication Abortion, has heightened importance in an era when many out-of-state students will not be able to obtain abortions in their home states.