BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Massachusetts Senate unanimously passed a reproductive rights bill Wednesday.
The Senate's 40-0 vote follows the House of Representatives passing their own reproductive rights bill in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade in June.
The bill as passed by the Senate would put up new legal protections for reproductive and gender affirming care, ban insurers from shifting abortion costs to patients, and expand access to emergency contraceptives.
However, the Senate bill does not permit abortions after 24 weeks of pregnancy in cases of "severe" fetal anomalies, as the House bill does.
Lawmakers in both the Senate and House can now get to work on a final version of the bill that will be sent to Governor Charlie Baker's desk.
Many provisions of the Senate bill were already included in an executive order issued by Baker after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
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