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Massachusetts Question 4, Allow Physicians to Provide Contraceptives to Married Women for Health Reasons Initiative (1948)
| Massachusetts Question 4 | |
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| Topic Family-related policy and Healthcare governance |
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| Status |
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| Type Indirect initiated state statute |
Origin |
Massachusetts Question 4 was on the ballot as an indirect initiated state statute in Massachusetts on November 2, 1948. It was defeated.
A “yes” vote supported exempting registered physicians from criminal penalties when providing contraceptive treatment or prescriptions to married women for the protection of life or health. |
A “no” vote opposed exempting registered physicians from criminal penalties when providing contraceptive treatment or prescriptions to married women for the protection of life or health. |
Election results
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Massachusetts Question 4 |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Yes | 806,829 | 42.64% | ||
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1,085,350 | 57.36% | ||
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- Results are officially certified.
- Source
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title for Question 4 was as follows:
| “ | Do you approve of a law summarized below which was disapproved in the House of Representatives by a vote of 84 in the affirmative and 130 in the negative and in the Senate by a vote of 15 in the affirmative and 22 in the negative? | ” |
Ballot summary
The ballot summary for this measure was:
| “ | This measure by amending General Laws (Ter. Ed.), Chapter 272, Section 21 provides that the provisions of Sections 20 and 21 and said Chapter 272 which make it an offense to advertise or give information as to the procurement of means for the prevention of pregnancy or conception shall not apply to treatment or prescription given to married women by registered physicians for protection of life or health. | ” |
Path to the ballot
Before 1952, citizen-initiated ballot measures in Massachusetts required a fixed number of signatures. In 1950, voters approved a constitutional amendment changing this to a percentage-based system, tying the number of required signatures to ballots cast in the most recent gubernatorial election. Before 1952, the signature requirement for indirect initiated state statutes was 20,000, with an additional 5,000 if the Legislature rejected the proposal and proponents wanted it placed on the ballot.
See also
External links
- William Francis Galvin Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Massachusetts Statewide Ballot Measures: 1919-Present"
- Athol Daily News, "LEGAL NOTICE," October 25, 1948
Footnotes
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State of Massachusetts Boston (capital) |
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