The Massachusetts House has passed 108-49 a budget amendment that expands abortion rights in the state past 24 weeks.The amendment also lowers the age of consent for an abortion to 16 and does not require parental or adult guidance.
The amendment sparked contentious debate for about 90 minutes before the vote.Republican Leader Brad Jones among those speaking against the amendment.
"It raises the question whether agreements and understandings really mean anything. I don't deny the underlying issue is important, critically important to members and to the public. But to be being done as part of the budget process is wrong," said the North Reading Republican, who voted against the amendment.
After the House voted on the amendment, the House Speaker Bob Deleo said,
"In the wake of the threat to reproductive rights for women on the national level, I’m proud of the House vote to remove barriers to reproductive health options and protect the concepts enshrined in Roe v. Wade," he said.
It is unclear whether the State Senate will deal with that issue as part of the budget process---although they had signaled they would deal with the issue at some point.
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