Massachusetts 1st to repeal long-dormant ban on abortion
BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts on Friday became the first state since President Donald Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court to abolish from its books an abortion ban that predates the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling.
Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican who supports abortion rights, signed a bill Friday that repeals the unenforced ban with roots dating to 1845, along with other archaic statutes that prohibited unmarried women from using contraceptives, and made adultery and fornication criminal offenses.
Baker called the laws "antiquated, inappropriate," and in some cases, harmful.
"Here in Massachusetts, we will not compromise on a woman's right to her own decisions," he said.