Current Legislation - State
Legislative Information Center
Welcome to the Wisconsin Right to Life Legislative Information Center. Here you can stay on top of the latest legislative action and find your legislators.
Keep track of federal right-to-life legislative issues by visiting National Right to Life.
Have questions about legislation? Send us an email.
The 2009 - 2010 session of the Wisconsin State Legislature commenced
in January, 2009. As the legislative session proceeds, information regarding issues affecting right-to-life concerns will be continually updated and published below. Pertinent issues pending in the United States Congress are also listed.
Current Issues and Legislation
1. Repeal of Wisconsin's Law Protecting Unborn Children
2. Prohibiting Late-Term Abortions at Madison Surgery Center
3. Legalization of Assisted Suicide in Wisconsin
4. "Healthcare Reform" - Abortion and the Rationing of Healthcare
5. Human Growth and Development Curriculum Changes (AB 458/SB 324)
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7.
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We Oppose This Legislation
Repeal of Wisconsin's Law Protecting Unborn Children
Overview: Pro-abortion legislators have announced that they plan to introduce legislation that would repeal Wisconsin's historic law (sec. 940.04) that protects unborn children from abortion. Wisconsin is one of only four states that still has its pre-Roe v. Wade abortion ban on the books. If Roe is reversed, sec. 940.04 would immediately come back into effect, unborn babies would once again be protected from abortion, and Wisconsin's abortion clinics would close.
Abortion advocates are fully aware that sec. 940.04 would come back into effect if Roe is overturned. In their zeal to repeal the law, they have resorted to arguing that if sec. 940.04 is not repealed, a woman who has had an abortion would be imprisoned. That is not true. Although sec. 940.04 contains provisions providing penalties for a woman who obtains an abortion, these provisions were superceded by a later law, sec..940.13, which clearly states that a woman cannot be prosecuted, fined, or imprisoned for obtaining an abortion. Wisconsin Right to Life strongly supported and worked for the passage of sec. 940.13. It is highly disingenuous on the part of abortion advocates to ignore the fact that the penalty language in sec. 940.04 was superceded by the state legislature with language that insures that no woman who obtains an abortion in Wisconsin will face any penalty whatsoever.
Current Status: A bill to repeal sec. 940.04 has not yet been introduced.
Wisconsin Right to Life Legislative Analysis: Read Wisconsin Right to Life's Legislative. Analysis of this issue
Wisconsin Right to Life Public Testimony / Public Statements: There have been no public hearings yet on legislation to repeal Wisconsin's law protecting unborn children (sec. 940.04). Thus, there is no public testimony
Click here to see Wisconsin Right to Life's news release in reaction to the announcement by pro-abortion legislators that they will introduce legislation to repeal sec. 940.04
What You Can Do: Contact your Assembly Representative and your State Senator and urge them to oppose any proposal that would repeal or amend sec. 940.04. If you do not know who your legislators are or if you do not know how to contact them, click on "Find Your Legislator" below.
Link to actual text of legislation: The legislation has not yet been introduced.
How they voted on this legislation: When the legislature votes on this issue, a complete list of state legislators with their votes will be posted here.
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We Support This Legislation
Prohibiting Late-Term Abortions at Madison Surgery Center
Overview: Legislation has not been introduced
Current Status: There is no current status information
Wisconsin Right to Life Legislative Analysis: There
is no analysis information
Wisconsin Right to Life Public Testimony /
Public Statements:
There is no public testimony or public statements
What You Can Do: There is
no information on "what you can do"
Link to actual text of legislation: There
are no link to legislation text
How they voted on this legislation: This information
is not available
Find Your Legislator
Back to the Top
We Oppose This Legislation
Legalization of Assisted Suicide in Wisconsin
Overview: Legislation to legalize assisted suicide has not been introduced
Current Status: There is no current status information
Wisconsin Right to Life Legislative Analysis: There
is no analysis information
Wisconsin Right to Life Public Testimony / Public
Statements:
There is no public testimony or public statements
What You Can Do: There is no
information on "what you can do"
Link to actual text of legislation: There
are no link to legislation text
How they voted on this legislation: This information
is not available
Find Your Legislator
Back to the Top
We Oppose This Legislation
"Healthcare Reform" - Abortion and the Rationing of Healthcare
Overview: Currently, the U. S. Congress is considering
Current Status:
Wisconsin Right to Life Public Testimony /
Public Statements:
There is no public testimony or public statements
There is
no information on "what you can do"
What You Can Do:
Link to actual text of legislation: There
are no link to legislation text
How they voted on this legislation: This information
is not available
We Oppose This Legislation
Changes in Human Growth and Development Curriculum (AB 458/SB324)
Overview: Currently, if a school district opts to offer classes in Human Growth and Development, that school district may offer an "abstinence only" approach if they wish. Under AB 458,school districts may no longer offer an "abstinence only" approach. They would be able toteach about abstinence but they would be mandated to also teach about "the health benefits, side effects, and proper use of contraceptives and barrier methods approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases." Unfortunately, this mandated information could result in a growing number of teen pregnancies and abortions and could endanger the health of young people. Wisconsin Right to Life believes this legislation is not in the best interest of the youth of our state and should be rejected by the legislature.
Current Status: The State Assembly passed AB 458 on November 3, 2009. The State Senate Education Committee held a public hearing on SB 324 on October 29, 2009. The Committee has not yet voted on the measure. It is expected that the Senate Education Committee will vote on SB 324 in January, 2010. If the measure passes at the committee level, it will be scheduled for a vote by the full State Senate.
Wisconsin Right to Life Public Testimony /
Public Statements:
November 2, 2009 memo to state legislators in opposition to AB 458 here
What You Can Do: Contact your state senator immediately. Urge your senator to oppose
SB 324 because it will no longer permit school districts to offer an "abstinence only" curriculum. By doing so, the state is putting the health of young people in jeopardy and increased teen pregnancies and abortions could result.
Link to actual text of legislation: Text of AB 458 here Text of SB 324 here
How they voted on this legislation: To find out how your Assembly Representive voted on AB 458, click here
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We Oppose This Legislation
There is no legislation to view
Overview: There is no overview available
Current Status: There is no current status information
Wisconsin Right to Life Legislative Analysis: There
is no analysis information
Wisconsin Right to Life Public Testimony /
Public Statements:
There is no public testimony or public statements
What You Can Do: There is
no information on "what you can do"
Link to actual text of legislation: There
are no link to legislation text
How they voted on this legislation: This information
is not available
Find Your Legislator
Back to the Top
We Oppose This Legislation
There is no legislation to view
Overview: There is no overview available
Current Status: There is no current status information
Wisconsin Right to Life Legislative Analysis: There
is no analysis information
Wisconsin Right to Life Public Testimony
/ Public Statements:
There is no public testimony or public statements
What You Can Do: There
is no information on "what you can do"
Link to actual text of legislation: There
are no link to legislation text
How they voted on this legislation: This information
is not available
Find Your Legislator
Back to the Top
We Oppose This Legislation
There is no legislation to view
Overview: There is no overview available
Current Status: There is no current status information
Wisconsin Right to Life Legislative Analysis: There
is no analysis information
Wisconsin Right to Life Public Testimony /
Public Statements:
There is no public testimony or public statements
What You Can Do: There is
no information on "what you can do"
Link to actual text of legislation: There
are no link to legislation text
How they voted on this legislation: This information
is not available
Find Your Legislator
Back to the Top
We Oppose This Legislation
There is no legislation to view
Overview: There is no overview available
Current Status: There is no current status information
Wisconsin Right to Life Legislative Analysis: There
is no analysis information
Wisconsin Right to Life Public Testimony /
Public Statements:
There is no public testimony or public statements
What You Can Do: There is
no information on "what you can do"
Link to actual text of legislation: There
are no link to legislation text
How they voted on this legislation: This information
is not available
Find Your Legislator
Back to the Top
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