Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley on Saturday entered the debate on legislative efforts to expand access to abortion in Massachusetts, writing that proposals being considered by state lawmakers should be opposed even by supporters of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.
In a statement, O’Malley, archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, said the legislative proposals “seek to extend current Massachusetts law in unnecessary and unjustified ways.”
The bills were filed in January as part of efforts to boost state protections for abortion access because of concerns that the now-conservative Supreme Court could overturn the landmark Roe ruling that made abortion legal.
O’Malley said he opposes provisions that would loosen restrictions on abortions after 24 weeks and allow abortions for teenagers under age 18 without the consent of their parents or a judge.
He said he also objects to stripping state law of provisions mandating that late-term abortions be performed in hospitals and requiring efforts to save babies who survive the procedure. Backers of the bill say the legislation wouldn’t give medical providers permission to withhold care if an abortion fails.
“I do not address the proposed legislation from a religious perspective but as an issue of human rights, in this case the right to life, as I also speak to other human rights issues such as welcoming immigrants to our country, supporting a strong social safety net for the poor and the call for racial justice,” O’Malley wrote. “I do not seek to impose the Catholic Church’s teachings on a diverse society but wish to help build a society which protects human life from its inception to natural death.”
Massachusetts Citizens for Life, a pro-life group, calls the legislative proposals “extreme.” The organization is planning a rally next Saturday on Boston Common, according to its website.
O’Malley said he does not seek “to judge or blame individuals,” especially those experiencing difficult pregnancies. He said he believes the bill removes all restrictions on abortion in the third trimester.
“The legislation is being advocated on the basis of complex and emotionally wrenching medical cases, but the implications of these laws without limits can lead far beyond the hard cases,” he said.
The proposals were introduced in the Senate by state Senator Harriette L. Chandler, who has the backing of 51 lawmakers.
The House bill was offered by state Representatives Patricia A. Haddad and Jay D. Livingstone, both Democrats who have 100 legislators signed onto their plan.
If enacted, the proposals would permit abortions after 24 weeks in cases of lethal fetal anomalies and eliminate the consent requirement for teenagers. The law on the books now only permits an abortion after 24 weeks if a woman’s health is in danger.
“As a politician, I don’t think it’s my job to get between a doctor and a patient,” Livingstone said.
Chandler, a Worcester Democrat, said in a statement that current law prevents some women from getting an abortion in Massachusetts.
“And if Roe v. Wade is overturned, the right to make the decision to get an abortion is threatened for ALL women. This legislation protects women from these threats,” she said.
NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts and the Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts issued statements Saturday supporting the bills.
“It’s simple: All this bill does is protect a woman’s right to choose at a time when abortion is being banned in states across the country,” said Rebecca Hart Holder, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts.
A survey of nearly 2,000 Massachusetts voters last fall found 75 percent of Roman Catholics support extending abortion access after 24 weeks in cases where a woman’s health is at risk or there’s a “grave fetal anomaly.” MassINC Polling Group conducted the survey, which was publicized by reproductive rights advocacy groups.
No hearings have been scheduled on the bills.
Laura Crimaldi can be reached at laura.crimaldi@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @lauracrimaldi.