Wisconsin Senate Approves Pro-Life Health Worker Conscience Clause

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Feb 6, 2004   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Wisconsin Senate Approves Pro-Life Health Worker Conscience Clause

by Maria Gallagher
LifeNews.com Staff Writer
February 6, 2004

Madison, WI (LifeNews.com) — The Wisconsin state Senate has approved what is being described as the most comprehensive conscience clause bill in the nation.

The pro-life measure is designed to ensure that health care workers in the state will not be forced to take part in anti-life activities against their will.

"Abortion, assisted suicide, euthanasia and unethical medical experiments involving the deliberate destruction of in-vitro human embryos or the use of tissue from aborted babies are activities that many health care professionals and facilities want no part of," said Susan Armacost, Legislative Director for Wisconsin Right to Life.

"They recognize that each of these activities entails the intentional destruction of human life and participating in them would violate their most deeply held beliefs."

Armacost said the measure passed despite a "campaign of misinformation and inflammatory rhetoric by the pro-abortion lobby.”

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Jean Hundertmark (R-Clintonville) and Sen. Carol Roessler (R-Oshkosh).

According to Armacost, the pro-abortion lobby, led by Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin, has been "relentless in literally making up ridiculous and inflammatory arguments against AB 67.”

For instance, opponents of the measure tried to convince lawmakers that the bill is "an inhumane assault on pregnant women’s health and lives, and allows doctors to refuse medical care and information in the most tragic situations.”

Wisconsin Right to Life points out that the legislation does not ban abortion, assisted suicide, euthanasia, and unethical medical experiments, but simply prevents health care professionals and hospitals from being forced to perform such procedures.

"The legislation merely protects the right of those health care professionals and facilities who have a moral objection to those activities from being forced to participate in them,” Armacost said.

"The patient is free to find another health care professional who will carry out their request.”

Armacost added that Wisconsin Right to Life welcomes honest debate on public issues of the day.

"We believe that political discourse should be based on fact, not fabrications. Apparently, the opponents of AB67 don’t agree with us on that point either,” Armacost said.

Governor Jim Doyle has not taken a position on the legislation.

Related web sites:
Wisconsin Right to Life – https://www.wrtl.org