Halle Berry Joins Rep. Robyn Vining and Sen. Dianne Hesselbein to Advocate for Bipartisan Perimenopause & Menopause Education Bill

MADISON– Halle Berry joined Rep. Robyn Vining and Sen. Dianne Hesselbein for a press conference about the Menopause and Perimenopause Education Bill (Senate Bill 356). The bill was then heard in the Senate Committee on Health where Representative Vining and Senator Hesselbein provided testimony, and shared the video testimony from Halle Berry. Rep. Robyn Vining released the following statement:

“I am proud to co-author 2025 Senate Bill 356, the bipartisan Perimenopause and Menopause Education Bill. Women’s health matters, and Wisconsin women deserve to be educated and prepared for perimenopause and menopause.

“Half the population–for half their lives–will go through perimenopause and menopause, yet it is often under-talked about, and under-studied. This bill seeks to change that by requiring the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to partner with healthcare providers–including obstetricians and gynecologists, community health centers, and hospitals–to educate women on the symptoms, processes, and other issues surrounding perimenopause and menopause.

“Senate Bill 356 also requires that DHS create informational materials, both in digital and physical forms, to be distributed to or accessed by women who are determined by their healthcare provider to be experiencing or soon to be experiencing perimenopause and menopause.

“All of this matters because Wisconsin women deserve to know what’s happening to their bodies. Wisconsin women deserve access to information that can help explain symptoms like increased anxiety and depression, brain fog, frozen shoulder, concerns about increases in cholesterol and decreases in bone density, sleeplessness, night sweats, increased sensitivity and pain in joints, vertigo, changes in periods, gut issues, loss of libido, unusual exhaustion, confusing dryness, hot flashes, and more. Many women say, “I don’t feel like myself”, and they deserve to know why that is, and what they can do about it. Our bill seeks to educate Wisconsinites, and help them reclaim their health.

“It is my hope that we can pass this bill so we can get Wisconsin women the help they deserve, and in the process of doing so, destigmatize honest and forthright discussions about menopause and perimenopause. We have a chance to change Wisconsin women’s lives and set them on a healthier path, and so let’s get this done so we can move Wisconsin forward, together.”

Rep. Robyn Vining also shared the following support for SB 356 from Dr. Kristin Lyerly, OB/Gyn & Menopause Society Certified Practitioner:

“As a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist and certified menopause practitioner, I strongly support this straightforward legislation that addresses a fundamental gap in women’s healthcare. Every day in my practice, I see women who have suffered needlessly through perimenopause and menopause symptoms simply because they lacked basic information about what to expect and when to seek care. This bill is elegant in its simplicity—it requires minimal resources while establishing essential partnerships and educational materials that will empower women to navigate this universal life transition with knowledge and confidence. By ensuring that women receive foundational education about menopause, we can improve health outcomes, reduce unnecessary suffering, and support women’s wellbeing during a phase of life that affects every aspect of their health, relationships, and quality of life.” –Dr. Kristin Lyerly, OB/Gyn & Menopause Society Certified Practitioner

Rep. Vining represents the 13th Assembly District, which includes Elm Grove, and parts of Wauwatosa and Brookfield. For more information visit Rep. Vining’s website here.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.