Massachusetts governor vetoes abortion expansion measure

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts' Republican governor vetoed legislation on Thursday that would expand access to abortion in the state.

Gov. Charlie Baker, in his veto message, said he strongly supports many provisions of the measure included in the state budget passed by the Democratic-controlled state Legislature.

That includes language enshrining the right to an abortion in the state, as well as a provision ensuring a woman can access an abortion in cases where the child will not survive after birth, he has said.

But Baker repeated his concerns about expanding the availability of later-term abortions and permitting 16- and 17-year-olds to get an abortion without the consent of a parent or guardian.

A coalition supporting the Legislature's measure said the governor's veto showed a “callous and dangerous disregard” for the health and well-being of state residents.

“With this veto, the Governor has made plain that he has no problem imposing medically unnecessary barriers that delay and deny care, and forcing families to fly across the country to get compassionate care," said the ROE Act Coalition, which includes the Massachusetts chapters of the Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund, NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts, and the American Civil Liberties Union.

The state Democratic Party also called the Christmas Eve veto cowardly.

“Hoping that we would all be too busy to notice, Charlie Baker once again caved in to the extreme right-wing of his Republican Party by vetoing critical abortion access provisions that would put our laws in line with neighboring states like Maine, New York and Connecticut,” chair Gus Bickford said in a statement.

The governor had previously amended the measure to strike provisions he objected to, but the Legislature rejected the changes and...