In Advance of Anniversary of Landmark Roe v. Wade Court Decision, Abortion Rights Preservation Act Introduced in Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. — No matter our race, religion, or economic status – we all deserve the freedom to make personal health and medical decisions ourselves.

Due to the actions of certain Republican leaders, that freedom is now in jeopardy. The U.S. Supreme Court is currently considering a case that could result in the majority right-leaning justices overturning or seriously gutting the Roe v. Wade decision, the only thing protecting several states, including Wisconsin, from a criminal abortion ban.

With a decision expected as early as this summer, it is likely that without the protection of Roe v. Wade, Wisconsin would immediately revert back to a criminal abortion ban enacted in the 1800’s and never repealed.

The ban makes abortion illegal, even in cases of rape or incest, and would also threaten doctors who provide or facilitate abortions in Wisconsin with felonies. It could also force local clinics, that are vital to communities across Wisconsin, to close their doors for good, barring thousands of citizens from access to essential medical care.

Today, in advance of the 49th Anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, leaders in Wisconsin introduced the Abortion Rights Preservation Act, which would repeal Wisconsin’s archaic criminal abortion ban to protect and support our friends and family members’ ability to decide if or when they become a parent and protect abortion access in Wisconsin.

A Better Wisconsin Together Executive Director Chris Walloch released the following statements:

“We stand behind progressive leaders like Governor Tony Evers, who today, just shy of the January 22 anniversary of Roe v. Wade, introduced the Abortion Rights Preservation Act reaffirmed their support for our friends and family members’ ability to decide if or when they become a parent and to protect abortion access in Wisconsin.

“Gov. Evers also promised to continue to protect Wisconsinite reproductive freedom and veto any anti-choice bills that come across his desk.”

“The effort by a handful of right-winger politicians to gut Roe v. Wade is a frenzied attempt to restrict the freedom to choose, and continues a long running war on healthcare.

“By punishing not only those who are in critical need of reproductive healthcare, but also the medical professionals giving them a safe choice, the leaders and politicians against Roe v. Wade are telling Wisconsinites one thing: your body, their choice. We can respond today by telling Wisconsin lawmakers to pass the Abortion Rights Preservation Act.”