The preamble, filed with Secretary of State William Galvin's office, prevents any suspension of the law over the next two years, according to a spokesperson for the governor's office. The measure had been scheduled to take effect Sunday, Nov. 9, the House clerk's office said.

In her written declaration, Healey said that "any further delay in implementing the Act would prolong uncertainty for patients, families, physicians and health care institutions, and risk further harm to the health and safety of women in Massachusetts."

The law, known as the Prioritizing Patient Access to Care Act, removes four criteria from state statute that had allowed abortions at or beyond 24 weeks only in life-threatening situations for the patient or fetus. Under the new framework, providers' medical judgment governs whether to perform an abortion later in pregnancy. The legislation was based on bills that moved quickly through the Legislature before the end of scheduled formal sessions in July and was signed in August.

Galvin's office is now processing petitions from the Compassionate Care Coalition, a group led by Massachusetts Citizens for Life and Massachusetts Family Action, which is seeking to place a repeal question before voters in 2028. Coalition chair Sam Miele said the group submitted 113,477 signatures certified by local clerks on Friday — well above the 37,289 needed to qualify for the 2028 ballot and the 49,719 required to suspend the law in the interim.

The emergency preamble forecloses that interim suspension. Supporters of the law say the delay had real consequences. Kathleen Melendy, Reproductive Equity Now's Massachusetts state director, said that since the law was signed in August, at least nine Massachusetts patients facing devastating pregnancy complications have been denied compassionate abortion care while waiting for it to take effect.

"Today, Governor Healey took decisive action to address this public health emergency, removing unnecessary delays and ensuring patients can access the care they need when they need it," Melendy said.

Miele sharply criticized the governor's move. "The prior abortion law in Massachusetts allowed abortions after 24 weeks if the mother's life was in danger," Miele said. "The only thing this new law does is allow babies who pose no threat to the life of the mother to be killed at will in the womb at nine months. Governor Healey, you must explain to the voters why that is an emergency."

Dr. Rebecca Brendel, president of the Massachusetts Medical Society, applauded the decision. "The MMS remains firmly committed to protecting clinical autonomy and access to comprehensive, equitable reproductive health care," Brendel said in a statement. "Physicians bear the responsibility to make complex, individualized clinical treatment recommendations based on scientific evidence, established standards of care, and circumstances unique to our patients. Decisions regarding abortion care later in pregnancy should be no different."

The repeal campaign's signature total still must be verified by Galvin's office before the question can advance toward the 2028 ballot. For now, the law is in force, and patients and providers across the Commonwealth can access and deliver later-pregnancy care under the new standard without the threat of a near-term suspension.