This post originally appeared at https://www.prolifewi.org/blog/2021/10/5/action-alert-public-hearing-on-bill-removing-medicaid-funding-from-abortion-providers

PUBLIC HEARING ON BILL REMOVING MEDICAID FUNDING FROM ABORTION PROVIDERS

By Matt Sande, Pro-Life Wisconsin Legislative Director

In a continuing effort to end taxpayer funding of abortion in Wisconsin, State Representative Janel Brandtjen (R-Menomonee Falls) has introduced legislation, Assembly Bill (AB) 528, that would remove abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, from the state Medical Assistance (MA) program.

The Assembly Health Committee will hold a public hearing on AB 528 this Thursday, October 7, at 9:00 a.m. in Room 412 East of the State Capitol. Pro-Life Wisconsin (PLW) Legislative Director Matt Sande will testify in favor of AB 528.

During the Walker Administration, the state of Wisconsin consistently and substantially defunded abortion providers of taxpayer dollars, including Title V and Title X family planning monies. Title XIX (Medical Assistance/“Medicaid”) is the last and largest public funding stream propping up Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, our state’s largest abortion provider.Pro-Life Wisconsin has championed these efforts, and we thank Representative Brandtjen for working to remove Medicaid funding from abortion providers.

Decertifying abortion providers in the Medicaid program respects the consciences of Wisconsin taxpayers who oppose the use of public funds to subsidize abortion directly or indirectly. All money is fungible. Family planning funds undeniably free up resources within receiving organizations, like Planned Parenthood, to engage in the surgical/medical abortion business. Government must not force us to participate in the killing of our preborn brothers and sisters with our federal and state tax dollars.

NOTE: There is a competing bill, Assembly Bill (AB) 493, authored by Representative Barbara Dittrich (R-Oconomowoc), that also removes Medicaid funding from abortion providers. Regrettably, AB 493 explicitly exempts private entities that perform abortions in the cases of sexual assault, incest, and life and health of the mother.It is a denial of equal protection to defund the killing of most preborn babies, but specifically fund it for some. This fundamental difference is why we are supporting AB 528 and opposing AB 493. PLW Legislative Director Matt Sande will testify in opposition to AB 493 in the hope of amending out the exceptions so that we can support this otherwise excellent legislation.

*There are several other bills that will be heard by the Assembly Health Committee this Thursday, some PLW supports and others we oppose.

PLW will testify IN FAVOR of:

Assembly Bill (AB) 262

• AB 262, authored by Rep. Chuck Wichgers (R-Muskego), would improve Wisconsin’s annual induced abortion report by requiring more comprehensive and scientifically accurate information about abortions in our state. AB 262 adds to the report the sex of the aborted preborn child, whether the preborn child had a fetal anomaly, the nature of the fetal anomaly, the type of contraceptive used by the woman prior to the pregnancy, and the method of disposal of the remains following the induced abortion, among other detailed information. It also removes the anonymity of the facility in which the abortion was performed.

Assembly Bill (AB) 594

• AB 594, authored by Rep. Barbara Dittrich (R-Oconomowoc), would require physicians who administer prenatal or postnatal tests for congenital conditions to provide parents, upon a positive test result, with informative and supportive educational resources made available by the Department of Health Services (DHS). DHS would be required to provide current, evidence-based information about their child’s congenital condition that has been reviewed by medical experts and organizations specializing in that condition along with information on support programs and relevant resource centers.

PLW will testify IN OPPOSITION to:

Assembly Bill (AB) 6

• AB 6, authored by Rep. Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna), aims, through its requirements and penalties, to enhance current law protections for babies born alive following failed abortions. However, Section 2 of the bill completely exempts from prosecution the mother of a child born alive after an abortion if she intentionally kills or conspires to kill her born alive child. An anti-infanticide bill inadvertently allows infanticide. This must be corrected! We hope to amend out the exemption for the mother in Section 2 so that we can support this otherwise excellent legislation.

Assembly Bill (AB) 36

• AB 36, authored by Rep. Joel Kitchens (R-Sturgeon Bay), would permit pharmacists to prescribe and dispense hormonal contraceptive patches (the Patch) and self-administered oral hormonal contraceptives (the Pill) to persons who are at least 18 years of age. Most, if not all, hormonal contraceptives have a chemically abortifacient effect. And studies demonstrate that attempting to lower unplanned pregnancies by making contraceptives more easily accessible simply does not work. PLW opposes legislation in whatever form that makes hormonal contraceptives more widely available.

ACT NOW!
Please ATTEND the public hearing and testify or register,

• IN FAVOR of AB 528, AB 262, and AB 594

• IN OPPOSITION to AB 36

• IN OPPOSITION to (WITH THE HOPE OF AMENDING) AB 493 and AB 6

If you are unable to attend the public hearing, please CALL or EMAIL your state representative TODAY and urge him/her to:

• PASS AB 528. Tell him/her to “End taxpayer funding of abortion in Wisconsin. Abortion is NOT healthcare.”

• PASS AB 262. Tell him/her to “Require more comprehensive and scientifically accurate information about abortions in our state.”

• PASS AB 594. Tell him/her to “Provide informative and supportive educational resources for parents of children with pre- and post-natal congenital conditions.”

• OPPOSE AB 36. Tell him/her that “Hormonal contraceptives can kill embryonic children, are dangerous to women’s health, and do not reduce unplanned pregnancies.”

• AMEND AB 6. Tell him/her to “Amend out (remove) the immunity clause for the mother in Section 2 of AB 6.”

• AMEND AB 493. Tell him/her to “Amend out (remove) the exceptions in the bill for sexual assault, incest, life and health of the mother

Don’t know your State Representative? Go to legis.wisconsin.gov and type in your home address under “Who Are My Legislators” or call the Legislative Hotline: 1-800-362-9472.

Thank you for making your pro-life voice heard! Please PRAY for this effort!