Today, the Wisconsin State Assembly passed Assembly Bill 975 on a 53-46 vote, permitting abortion up to 14-weeks gestation and fast tracking the legislation onto the ballot in April 2024.

The Heal Without Harm (HWH) Coalition condemns the passage of AB 975 to introduce an abortion referendum during a time when the current state statute continues to proceed through the court system. The HWH Coalition will continue to defend Wisconsin State Statute 940.04, a law that protects life from conception and which saved over 1,500 lives since the overturning of Roe v. Wade. We ask the legislature to address s.940.04 following the court challenges.

The HWH Coalition thanks the 11 pro-life Republican State Representatives who voted against AB 975 and thereby defended s.940.04. As this legislation proceeds to the Wisconsin State Senate, the HWH Coalition urges all State Senators to oppose AB 975.

The abortion issue is not something that can be addressed in one legislative session. It will continue to be a conversation in our culture until we change hearts and minds to favor life.

We call on the Wisconsin State Assembly to focus on efforts that demonstrate that being pro-life is more than being against abortion. We urge the Wisconsin State Assembly to pass AB 114 extending postpartum care to a year after birth, AB 343 increasing the tax exemption for dependents and including preborn children, AB 344 funding for pregnancy resource centers, and AB 336 creating grants to support adoption. All four bills have already passed the State Senate.

The Heal Without Harm Coalition, comprised of Pro-Life Wisconsin, Wisconsin Catholic Conference, Wisconsin Family Action,and Wisconsin Right to Life, will continue to work to address the real-life situations of those who encounter challenges in pregnancy. We will continue to educate the people of Wisconsin about the lifesaving alternatives to abortion, and we call on the legislature to work with us on accomplishing these goals.