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Reform Judaism Group Endorses ROE Act Abortion Expansion Bill

November 13, 2020

Earlier this week more than 300 Christian pastors came out against the ROE Act but in one branch of a different Abrahamic faith, there has been a different push.

The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism came out in favor of the abortion expansion bill on Thursday.

“In this hostile environment, the state of Massachusetts has the opportunity to lead by passing proactive legislation that would break down burdensome barriers to accessing abortion,” the group said in a written statement. “To this end, Reform Jewish advocates in Massachusetts have spent the last year advocating for the passage of the ROE Act, proactive legislation to protect and expand abortion access.”

The original bill would expand abortions after 24 weeks, allow abortions after 24 weeks to take place in an abortion clinic instead of at a hospital, remove parental consent for girls 17 and younger, expand public funding for abortion, and remove a requirement that a doctor try to save the live of a baby born after an attempted abortion.

A new state budget amendment in the Massachusetts House of Representatives pares down these measures, but would still expand abortions after 24 weeks. It would also lower the age when a girl has to get consent from a parent or a judge from 17 (as now) to 15. Abortions after 24 weeks would have to take place in a room with life-saving equipment for a baby born after an attempted abortion, but the current language in the amendment does not require the doctor to use the equipment to actually try to save the life of the baby.


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