Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to override a veto of a bill that expands state abortion access.

Highlights:

• Defines “nurse-midwife” as a nurse who is designated as a certified nurse midwife by the board of registration in nursing, and “nurse practitioner” as a nurse who is designated as a certified nurse practitioner by the board of registration in nursing (Sec. 12K).

• Defines “physician” as an individual registered with the board of registration in medicine to practice medicine within the commonwealth, and “physician assistant” as an individual who is a graduate of an approved program for the training of physician assistants and who is supervised by a physician (Sec. 12K).

• Prohibits the state from interfering with an individual’s personal decision to prevent, commence, terminate, or continue their own pregnancy, or restrict the use of medically appropriate methods of abortion (Sec. 12L).

• Authorizes a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or nurse-midwife to perform an abortion consistent with the scope of their practice and license if, in their best medical judgment, the pregnancy has existed for less than 24 weeks after getting written consent from the pregnant individual (Sec. 12M).

• Prohibits an abortion from being performed by a physician if the pregnancy has lasted for longer than 24 weeks, unless, after getting informed written consent, it is medically necessary to preserve the patient’s physical or mental health, or because of a lethal fetal anomaly (Sec. 12N).

• Requires the commissioner of public health to collect aggregate data on abortions performed by physicians, physician assistants, certified nurse practitioner, or nurse-midwife that shall include, but not be limited to (Sec. 12Q):

• The date and place of the abortion performed;

• The ages of the pregnant patients;

• The method used to perform the abortion; and

• The gestational age when the abortions were performed.

• Requires parental written consent for an abortion to be performed for a pregnant individual who is less than 16 years old and not married (Sec. 12R).

• Specifies that an unmarried pregnant individual less than 16 years old who is unable to attain parental written consent, or if the pregnancy was a result of incest, may petition a court and have a judge rule that they are mature and capable of giving informed consent for an aboriton (Sec. 12R).

• Authorizes a pregnant individual over the age of 16 to be able to give informed consent when seeking an abortion procedure (Sec. 12R).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to override a veto of a bill that expands state abortion access.

Highlights:

• Defines “nurse-midwife” as a nurse who is designated as a certified nurse midwife by the board of registration in nursing, and “nurse practitioner” as a nurse who is designated as a certified nurse practitioner by the board of registration in nursing (Sec. 12K).

• Defines “physician” as an individual registered with the board of registration in medicine to practice medicine within the commonwealth, and “physician assistant” as an individual who is a graduate of an approved program for the training of physician assistants and who is supervised by a physician (Sec. 12K).

• Prohibits the state from interfering with an individual’s personal decision to prevent, commence, terminate, or continue their own pregnancy, or restrict the use of medically appropriate methods of abortion (Sec. 12L).

• Authorizes a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or nurse-midwife to perform an abortion consistent with the scope of their practice and license if, in their best medical judgment, the pregnancy has existed for less than 24 weeks after getting written consent from the pregnant individual (Sec. 12M).

• Prohibits an abortion from being performed by a physician if the pregnancy has lasted for longer than 24 weeks, unless, after getting informed written consent, it is medically necessary to preserve the patient’s physical or mental health, or because of a lethal fetal anomaly (Sec. 12N).

• Requires the commissioner of public health to collect aggregate data on abortions performed by physicians, physician assistants, certified nurse practitioner, or nurse-midwife that shall include, but not be limited to (Sec. 12Q):

• The date and place of the abortion performed;

• The ages of the pregnant patients;

• The method used to perform the abortion; and

• The gestational age when the abortions were performed.

• Requires parental written consent for an abortion to be performed for a pregnant individual who is less than 16 years old and not married (Sec. 12R).

• Specifies that an unmarried pregnant individual less than 16 years old who is unable to attain parental written consent, or if the pregnancy was a result of incest, may petition a court and have a judge rule that they are mature and capable of giving informed consent for an aboriton (Sec. 12R).

• Authorizes a pregnant individual over the age of 16 to be able to give informed consent when seeking an abortion procedure (Sec. 12R).

Full Bill Text

Vetoed by Governor Charlie Baker