Senate Republicans Block Bill Protecting Abortion Access

An attempt by Sen. Kelda Roys (D-Madison) to force a vote on a bill that would protect abortion rights in Wisconsin failed on the floor of the Senate Tuesday.

Last February, Roys and other Democrats introduced a bill that would eliminate certain provisions in state law that state “any person who intentionally destroys the life of an unborn child” is guilty of a felony. This part of state law is currently unenforceable because of the protections provided by the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision.

The bill was introduced because Roe v. Wade’s future is uncertain as it faces legal challenges in front of a Supreme Court that is friendly to anti-abortion activists.

After nearly a year since its introduction, the Democratic bill has not yet received a hearing in the Republican-controlled committee on Human Services, Children and Families. In the Senate’s floor session Tuesday, Roys made a motion to suspend the body’s rules and withdraw the bill from committee to be taken up and voted upon.

“If they take away Roe vs. Wade, it will be on every member of this body that votes today to keep the criminal abortion ban in place and not pass the Abortion Rights Preservation Act,” Roys said. “You will be on record as saying that you believe abortion should be a crime, that we should go back to a time when doctors and nurses, concerned parents and friends can be charged with felonies, sent to prison, fined thousands of dollars and you’re OK with that. That’s what’s at stake here. So I would ask everyone to vote in favor of taking up the Abortion Rights Preservation Act now.”

Roys’ motion to take up the bill failed on a 21-12 party line vote.

Senate Republicans kill Democratic effort to protect abortion in Wisconsin was originally published by Wisconsin Examiner.