Wisconsin Legislature Unanimously Approves Born Alive Legislation
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
September 27, 2003
Madison, WI (LifeNews.com) — With a unanimous 95-0 vote, the Wisconsin state assembly passed legislation that would protect babies who are born alive following a botched abortion procedure.
The Born Alive Infant Protection Act (AB 372) clarifies that every baby born after an abortion has the same legal status and legal rights under Wisconsin law as an infant born alive after a normal delivery resulting from a natural or induced labor or a cesarean section.
"What the Assembly did yesterday is to clearly spell out the legal status of babies who survive abortion so there can no longer be a blurring of the line between abortion and infanticide,” said Susan Armacost, Legislative Director of Wisconsin Right to Life. “The long accepted principle that all babies who are born alive are entitled to the full protection of the law has too often been ignored when it comes to babies born alive after abortion."
Pro-life groups say its odd that such a bill is needed, but dramatic testimony at the joint public hearing on the legislation detailed numerous atrocities inflicted on babies who had survived abortion.
Jill Stanek, a Chicago-area nurse, brought the plight of several babies at her hospital to national attention.
Following botched abortions, the babies were left by medical staff to starve and die. They were not provided with any comfort or care prior to their deaths.
The bill’s chief sponsor, Rep. Mark Gundrum (R-New Berlin), said babies who are born alive should not be left to die simply because the original intent of the abortion was to kill them.
‘‘It’s a victory,’’ said Gundrum. ‘‘We get a strong law on the books, the strongest in the country, actually, protecting babies who are born alive after an attempted abortion.’’
More than 30 states have similar pro-life laws and President George W. Bush signed a bill protecting babies on the federal level.
However, the federal version of the law deals only with federal statues and regulations, so Wisconsin and other states must pass their own versions to handle cases dealing with state regulations.
The legislation moves to the state Senate where Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin) is the lead senate author. It is expected to pass it soon.
Pro-abortion Gov. Jim Doyle (D-WI) has not indicated whether he will sign the bill.
Related web sites:
Wisconsin Right to Life – https://www.wrtl.org
