Statement on House Vote to Pass Buffer Zone Bill
For Immediate Release November 1, 2007 Contact: Kelly O'Bryan
(617) 556-8800 x16
STATEMENT OF KELLY O’BRYAN,
POLITICAL DIRECTOR OF NARAL PRO-CHOICE MASSACHUSETTS,
ON HOUSE VOTE TO PASS BUFFER ZONE BILL Boston, MA - Kelly O’Bryan, Political Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts, issued the following statement in response to the Massachusetts State House vote to pass An Act Relative to Public Safety (S.1353, the Buffer Zone Bill): “Today the Massachusetts House passed the Buffer Zone Bill with overwhelming support. This is a major victory for women seeking health services and the medical staff who provide those services. No one deserves to be harassed and intimidated when seeking health care. “The Buffer Zone Bill is not a new initiative. It is a necessary fix to an unenforceable law. The current Buffer Zone Law has proven to be ineffective due to its vagueness and complexity, and harassment is still a very real problem at reproductive health clinics across the Commonwealth. By establishing a fixed 35-foot buffer zone around the entrances and driveways of all reproductive health facilities in Massachusetts, the legislature is protecting the safety and privacy of patients without sacrificing the free speech rights of protestors. “In a survey conducted by NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts in December 2006, all ten of the reproductive health facilities in Massachusetts that were surveyed expressed strong support for a fixed 35-foot buffer zone to solve the issue of unenforceability. “We are grateful to Speaker Salvatore DiMasi (D-Boston), Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael Costello (D-Newburyport), and the two lead House sponsors of the bill, Representatives Carl Sciortino (D-Medford) and Marty Walz (D-Boston) for their leadership and hard work on this important public safety issue. “We applaud the House’s leadership in passing the Buffer Zone Bill today, and look forward to Governor Patrick’s signature.” NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts is the state's leading advocate for privacy and a woman's right to choose. For more information, please visit our website at www.prochoicemass.org.
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