Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin Calls on Wisconsin Legislators to Repeal Unconstitutional Abortion Restriction and Prioritize Women’s Health

MADISON – In response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin (PPAWI) joined with representatives in the medical community and women’s health champions in the state Legislature to call for a repeal of Wisconsin’s unconstitutional admitting privileges law (Act 37) and a return to policies that enhance women’s health. Act 37 has threatened women’s access to safe, legal abortion since passing in 2013 and has been declared an unconstitutional barrier to safe and legal abortion.

“We call on Wisconsin legislators to repeal our unconstitutional admitting privileges law that compromises women’s health and safety. We ask our elected leaders to rededicate themselves to enhance women’s health and end these dangerous and costly efforts to block women’s health care access, said Tanya Atkinson, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin. “It is time to reverse the damage done to women’s health care access and restore the ability for women, in consultation with their doctors, to determine their own personal health decisions – without intrusion by politicians.”

After striking down the Texas restrictions last week, the Supreme Court declined to review Wisconsin’s admitting privileges law, permanently blocking the unconstitutional restriction from going into effect.

“As the Supreme Court ruled last week, our legislators went too far with this unconstitutional law designed to make it more difficult for women to access safe, legal abortion care,” said Atkinson. “Wisconsin’s law should reflect the full freedoms and personal liberties of the Constitution.”

Both medical and legal experts have been clear that Wisconsin’s admitting privileges law does not enhance patient safety. Instead, it creates barriers for women seeking access to abortion and allows politicians to insert themselves between women and their doctors.

“We will continue to fight to make sure the people in our state have access to the health care they deserve – including safe and legal abortion – no matter what,” said Atkinson. “We call on our elected leaders to join with us in our effort to enhance women’s health and safety by supporting health care access and trusting women to make their own health care decisions.”

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin is the advocacy arm of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. PPAWI engages in legislative and educational activity and works to elect candidates to office that support these goals.

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.