Peter Breen, vice president and senior counsel for the Thomas More Society, said he doesn’t anticipate any major legislative proposals in Wisconsin until the Republican-led Legislature returns for session early next year, but he said key items on the conservative law firm’s agenda include measures to allow individuals to sue those who help residents terminate a pregnancy in another state and those seeking bans to clamp down on the use of abortion pills.
While the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down its landmark Roe v. Wade decision may leave Wisconsin’s 173-year-old abortion ban the law of the land, efforts are already underway exploring additional restrictions in the state, including potential legislation to prevent residents from seeking an abortion in neighboring states where the procedure remains legal.
“We are in a unique period where no one’s quite sure where things are going to go. The laws from 50-plus years ago have not had the benefit of the many decades of legal thinking and analysis that have occurred since,” Breen said. “So even in a state like Wisconsin, which has a law prohibiting abortion that has now gone back into effect, I would expect to see further legislation to address new situations.”
A key to any potential new law is the November gubernatorial election, in which Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who has vowed to veto any proposed abortion restrictions, will face one of several anti-abortion Republican candidates, including business owner Tim Michels and former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch. Read More