Sun Prairie – Today Andrew Hysell, candidate for the 46th Assembly District, pledged to submit an amendment to create a right to privacy in the state of Wisconsin. This amendment would establish an individual right to privacy, protecting individual choice about the use of contraceptives, abortion, and same sex marriage, at a minimum.
“As my first official action in office, I’ll submit a constitutional amendment to create a right to privacy at the state level,” said Hysell. “This right will ensure that, if the Supreme Court continues to roll back rights federally, they will remain protected here in Wisconsin.”
Hysell continued, “I will work with my colleagues to draft the amendment so that it specifically includes the right for a woman to choose, the right to marry who we love, and the right to use contraception.”
On June 24 th in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, the United States Supreme Court overturned long standing precedent and ruled that the right of a woman to choose an abortion was not protected. After the Court’s ruling, a 19 th Century Wisconsin law banning abortion is now the law of the land. This is despite the fact that a strong majority of Wisconsin voters support abortion rights.
Hysell said, “In Dobbs, the United States Supreme Court rolled back civil rights under a theory that puts marriage equality and contraception also at risk, said Hysell. “Let’s not wait for the SCOTUS to rule again before we set the process in motion necessary to make change happen.”
He added, “I am calling on all other candidates running and current legislators to commit to this being their top priority. We cannot continue to sit idly by and hope that things will turnout for the best.”
Significantly, Article 13, Section 13 of the Wisconsin Constitution prohibits gay marriage and would also go into effect if the Supreme Court again overturned precedent.
Just as protecting women’s reproductive rights enjoys broad support in Wisconsin, so does same sex marriage. According to recent polling, 70% of Wisconsinites believe that same sex couples should have the right to marry. Over 200,000 people in the state are a part of the LGBTQ community and 29% are currently raising children. If the Supreme Court overrules precedent protecting the right to marry, as suggested by Justice Thomas, the Wisconsin ban would instantly remove legal recognition of those unions, putting both couples and their children at risk.
“Now that it is clear that the United States Supreme Court is willing to disregard well- established precedent, we must fight harder, and smarter, here in Wisconsin to protect the civil rights of our citizens.”
Andrew Hysell is a lawyer with a background in constitutional law and a resident of Sun Prairie running to fill the 46 th Assembly District seat after Gary Hebl announced his retirement.
