MADISON- Despite calls from Democrats in the Assembly to focus the Thursday calendar on job creation, the Republican majority in the State Assembly instead dedicated hours of debate to pass restrictions on birth control access and abortion. In the end, the Republican majority voted to pass AB 216, AB 217 and SB 206 and rejected 13 amendments including proposals to exempt victims of rape and women who need an abortion to save their life from the mandated ultrasound and state required detailed ultrasound description. These bills have been fast tracked through the legislative process in the midst of the budget debate to undermine public awareness and input on these cruel and harmful policies. SB 206 mandates an unprecedented level of government intrusion between a woman and her doctor and will shut down one of Wisconsin last remaining abortion facilities. All of these restrictions are being considered to distract the public from the fact that Governor Walker turned away federal funds to enhance health coverage for hardworking Wisconsinites and his budget proposal that takes BadgerCare away from nearly 100,000 women and families who need the security of quality health coverage without facing huge medical bills.

In response Dr. King from Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin issued the following statement:  ”As a physician, I trust my patients to know what is best for them, and I believe in their ability to make this decision without unwanted intrusion from lawmakers.

“It is absolutely unacceptable for legislators to mandate the way a physician should practice medicine, and this law would jeopardize the doctor-patient relationship. Consider my patient, Jessica, who at 13 years old became pregnant as the result of a brutal gang rape. Forcing her to view the ultrasound and to hear a detailed description of the fetal development would have been cruel, unnecessary and irrelevant to the course of her needed care.”

Even though politicians are playing doctor in the state Capitol mandating medical procedures for women, we know that real doctors put patients first and trust women to make their own health care decisions. Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin and our doctors, nurses and caring staff will continue to work even harder everyday to ensure women have access to vital health care. Planned Parenthood will continue to be here for the 1 in 5 women who rely on us.

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Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin is a nonprofit health care provider caring for 70,000 patients annually at 23 health centers. 98 percent of Planned Parenthood’s care are preventive health services, including well woman exams, breast and cervical cancer screenings, birth control, HIV screening and STD treatment.

Planned Parenthood press release -June 14, 2013