News

Two respect life bills advance

Two respect life proposals supported by the Wisconsin Catholic Conference received recommendations from legislative committees last week.

Assembly Bill 67, which expands various conscience protections for health care workers, passed the Senate Committee on Health, Children, Families, Aging and Long Term Care.

Under current law, health care institutions and health care workers are protected from employment discrimination if they refuse to participate in abortions or sterilizations. AB-67 expands these conscience protections to include experiments or procedures involving in vitro human embryos that will not benefit the embryo, including protection for refusing to use cells or tissue obtained by destroying an in vitro human embryo, or tissue and organs derived from an aborted fetus.

In response to concerns expressed by several groups about a proposal to change the obligations of doctors to comply with a patient's advance directive, the proposed change was removed.

The bill was referred to the Senate rules committee and waits scheduling by Senate leadership.

Assembly Bill 635 approved by the Assembly Judiciary Committee, places additional restrictions on adults seeking to help a minor obtain an abortion.

Wisconsin's "parental consent" law allows a relative, such as an aunt or a grandparent, to provide consent in lieu of a parent. AB-635 restricts persons who may consent to only the parents. If a minor is unable to seek parental consent, then the current judicial waiver process may be used. AB-635 would also require parents providing consent to do so before a notary public to verify their identity.

"Unfortunately, the recent case in Milwaukee (where the mother of a girl's boyfriend posed as her aunt in order to provide consent for an abortion) highlights some of the weaknesses of the current law that this bill seeks to rectify," said Kathy Markeland, WCC associate director for Respect Life and Health Care. "We hope that in the majority of instances, families are complying with the current law, but these additional requirements will provide some greater assurance about the parties involved and reestablish our state's expectation that parents serve as the primary guardians of children's well being."

AB-635 was recommended to the Assembly Rules Committee for scheduling before the full Assembly.