MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin heartbeat bill, authored by Senator Julian Bradley, R–Franklin, and Representatives Donna Rozar, R–Marshfield, and Calvin Callahan, R–Tomahawk, passed the Senate Committee on Government Operations, Legal Review and Consumer Protection on Friday with a 3-2 vote.
“We’re doing everything we can to protect the beating hearts of the unborn in Wisconsin with this vital bill,” Senator Bradley said. “Once a baby’s heart starts beating, an abortionist definitely shouldn’t be allowed to stop it. Because of a similar law in Texas, more than 10,000 lives have been saved. We must start that good work here in Wisconsin as soon as possible.”
Senate Bill 923 requires an abortion provider to test for a fetal heartbeat, and if a baby’s heartbeat is detected, it would prevent the physician from killing that child. Like a new Texas law, this bill creates a new enforcement method to protect unborn babies. Under the bill, citizens would be able to hold abortionists accountable through private lawsuits, a way of enforcement that the courts have upheld as legal within the current framework of Roe v. Wade.
The bill now goes to the full Senate for consideration.
