State Republican lawmakers reintroduced a bill this week that would ban the sale, circulation and research of fetal tissue, which could affect ongoing research at UW-Madison starting in 2018.
The bill would allow the attorney general to prosecute the sale of fetal tissues in Wisconsin—which is currently not allowed—and forbid fetal tissue research from a for-profit entity, abortion clinic or entity that exists to collect fetal tissue to sell.
If signed into law, those who violate the ban would face a $50,000 fine and potentially nine months in prison.
Three women lawmakers, Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, Cindi Duchow, R-Town of Delafield, and Amy Loudenbeck, R-Clinton, sent out a memo about the bill Tuesday in hopes of gaining co-sponsors.
UW System spokeswoman Stephanie Marquis said in an email to the Associated Press that the system was reviewing the bill and “will work with all of our research institution to determine how this may affect the critical research occurring on their campuses.”
A coalition against the ban, comprised of Medical College of Wisconsin, UW Health, UW-Madison and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, warn that this ban could restrict future progress in research. They also said that Wisconsin’s current laws are sufficient in regulation of fetal tissue research.
Fervent anti-abortionists also took issue with the bill, citing that it does not go far enough to prohibit use of fetal tissue for research in clinics, health centers and universities and leaves too much opportunity for loopholes.
Anti-abortionists formed their own coalition to convince legislators not to sign the bill. The Wisconsin Catholic Conference, Wisconsin Family Action, Pro-Life Wisconsin and Wisconsin Right to Life were among those that think the bill doesn’t go far enough and is too similar to the current law.
Whether the bill can receive co-sponsors and pass through both chambers of the legislature remains to be seen. A similar bill failed to do so in 2015.
“It’s not going to be easy to come up with a compromise. I’m still optimistic we can come up with something that makes sense,” Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald told reporters Thursday.
