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Evers Promises To Veto GOP-Backed Abortion Bill

Bill Would Send Doctors To Prison If They Fail To Provide Care To Babies Born Alive After Failed Abortion

By
Doctor's office
Morgan (CC-BY)

Gov. Tony Evers says he will veto a Republican-authored bill that could send doctors to prison for life if they fail to give medical care to babies born alive after a failed abortion attempt.

The Democratic Evers told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in a story published Tuesday he won’t sign the bill because of existing protections and criminal penalties in state law.

The bill is co-authored and sponsored by Republican leaders in both the Senate and Assembly. Evers says introducing the bill was designed “to create division.”

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Bill co-author Republican Senate President Roger Roth said Evers’ decision not to sign the measure before a public hearing shows “he has gone farther to the extreme than I imagined.”

Some abortion-rights advocates and doctors say the proposal leaves a false impression that the extremely rare scenario is common. Anti-abortion advocates say one time is too many.

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