Abortion Debate Forum - Two Major Right to Life Victories Yesterday In State Legisla

Wi right to life: two major right to life victories yesterday in state legislature
6/15/2005

conscience protection act gets overwhelming assembly approval

unborn child pain awareness act clears senate health committee

two major pieces of pro-life legislation advanced in the legislative process yesterday. Both are strongly supported by wisconsin right to life.

After five hours of debate and twenty amendments later, the state assembly handily approved, by a vote of 60 to 33, the conscience protection act (ab 207), authored by rep. Jean hundertmark (r-clintonville). Senator carol roessler (r-oshkosh) is the senate leader on the measure.

“this important legislation protects health care professionals, medical students, medical schools and medical facilities from being forced to participate in activities that deliberately destroy human life,” said susan armacost, legislative director of wisconsin right to life. “the particular activities the bill would provide conscience protections for are abortion, assisted suicide, euthanasia, the destruction of human embryos for research and the use of the body parts of aborted babies.”

“the bill does not provide conscience protections for contraceptives and, in fact, specifically exempts contraceptives,” continued armacost. “in spite of this, the opponents of ab 207 tried to have a debate on contraceptives in an attempt to avoid addressing the actual bill. But the vast majority of assembly members saw through this ruse and overwhelming voted to pass this important legislation.”

“the overwhelming vote in support of ab 207 is a testimony to representative jean hundertmark’s extraordinary leadership on this issue,” said armacost.

Earlier in the day, the senate health, children, families, aging and long term care committee voted to approve the unborn child pain awareness act (sb138) authored by sen. Glenn grothman (r-west bend) and rep. Ann nischke (r-waukesha). The bill would require that women, who are 20 weeks or more pregnant, and who are considering having an abortion, be told the scientific facts that unborn children at 20 weeks and beyond in gestation can experience pain and that the abortion methods commonly used at 20 weeks and beyond can cause the unborn child excruciating pain.

“women have a right to know all of the pertinent facts when they are considering the irreversible, life-altering decision whether to have an abortion or give birth to their babies,” said armacost. “we are appreciative to sen. Carol roessler, chair of the committee, for permitting a vote on this measure in such a timely manner.”

voting to approve the unborn child pain awareness act were sen. Roessler (r-oshkosh) and sens. Alberta darling (r-river hills) and ron brown (r-eau claire). Voting against the measure were senators tim carpenter (d-milwaukee) and jon erpenbach (d-middleton).

“wisconsin right to life is deeply appreciative to all of those legislators who voted for these two important measures, to sen. Carol roessler for scheduling a vote on sb 138, to the assembly leadership who gave ab 207 a place on yesterday’s assembly schedule, and to rep. Jean hundertmark for her extraordinary leadership on the assembly floor last night.”