Vice President Kamala Harris making visit to Massachusetts

Colin A. Young

Vice President Kamala Harris will meet Thursday with Massachusetts state legislators and local leaders in Boston to discuss reproductive rights and Democrats’ efforts to protect them in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade.

The White House announced late Wednesday afternoon that Harris will travel to Boston on Thursday for the meeting, but did not immediately provide details. On Friday, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra will hold a similar event in Dorchester.

Last week, Gov. Charlie Baker signed legislation that creates new legal shields for reproductive health providers, who could face lawsuits originating in other states where Republican-led legislatures are cracking down on access to abortions. The new law also requires insurers to cover abortions without shifting costs to patients, orders the Department of Public Health to issue a standing order allowing any licensed pharmacist in Massachusetts to dispense emergency contraceptives, and clarifies state laws governing late-term abortions in an effort to ensure that procedure is accessible in Massachusetts.

After the roundtable with unspecified state lawmakers, Harris is expected to travel to Martha’s Vineyard for two Democratic National Committee finance events, the White House said.