On the Issues
Reproductive justice and comprehensive sex education intersects with all aspects of a healthy and equitable society. Now more than ever Massachusetts needs elected officials who will protect and defend reproductive rights, as well as broaden the conversation around reproductive justice and access to critical healthcare services.
Andrea’s commitment to reproductive justice has deep roots. As a Boston City Councilor, Andrea was a steadfast advocate at the state level calling on the Legislature and the Governor to protect and enforce the provisions of the ROE Act to make abortion care and family planning services accessible and make reproductive healthcare, including contraceptive care, affordable and equitable for all Boston residents.
As Attorney General, Andrea will ensure Massachusetts continues to take the lead and fight for reproductive justice.
Andrea will:
- Protect and enforce legal abortion in Massachusetts, including the provisions of the ROE Act.
- Expand the conversation around reproductive justice to include and uplift disparities in maternal health, especially around Black and brown communities. This would include working to ensure that all eligible women and people who menstruate have continuous MassHealth coverage to include the entire 21-month period from the beginning of pregnancy to a year after delivery. That coverage includes doula services for prenatal care, labor and delivery, and postpartum care; in-home postpartum visits with newborn care services; postpartum depression screening and treatment; infant feeding support; and, screening and support for preventable high-risk pregnancies, and more.
- Close the gap on abortion deserts across western and southeastern parts of the state, including for college students. While abortion care is legal in Massachusetts, it is not accessible for many residents and especially college students. These barriers very much still exist, the biggest one being insurance coverage and MassHealth. That is inexcusable if we want Massachusetts to lead the way on reproductive justice.
- Expose Crisis Pregnancy Centers that intentionally provide medically inaccurate and dangerous information to those experiencing pregnancy.
- Protect our providers of essential health care like abortion and gender affirming care, fighting for access to these services for our most vulnerable communities, and ensuring that Massachusetts remains a beacon in the fight for reproductive justice.
- Create a cross-bureau reproductive justice unit within the Attorney General’s Office, including the Office’s civil rights division, health care division, criminal bureau and government bureau to protect abortion providers and funds from out of state consequences, enforce data privacy laws, develop new ways to hold crisis pregnancy centers accountable, and defend our laws from legal challenges that may originate in and out of state.
- Support the state’s Common Start Bill (H.605/S.362) and partner with the legislature to ensure this critical bill that recognizes childcare as a societal good is passed into law. Andrea believes we cannot stop advocating for reproductive and maternal health once a child is born. Childcare that is accessible, affordable and high-quality significantly impacts the mental and physical health of all women.
- Partner with community organizations and neighborhood health centers to ensure the needs of those in underserved communities are identified and addressed.
- Advocate for expanding access to telehealth for more medical services including insurance coverage.
- Work with community organizations, law firms, legal advocates, leveraging public/private partnerships, to ensure patients and providers have access to legal advice.