Wisconsin Republicans could reintroduce legislation banning abortions after 14 weeks of pregnancy if the state supreme court upholds current state law allowing abortion up until 20 weeks of pregnancy, Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, told UpFront Sunday.
"It could be a 14 week [ban] if they make abortion legal full term or if they keep it at 20 weeks, we could try to do 14 weeks," LeMahieu said. "At that point, we'll try to build consensus and see where our caucus is at, see where the Assembly's at."
The Democratic Party of Wisconsin Communications Director Joe Oslund said in a press release Monday LeMahieu and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, should focus on lowering child care costs and extending postpartum care as a part of Medicaid coverage for working families instead of “attacking” abortion access.
“Devin LeMahieu and his fellow Republicans are eager to force through a statewide abortion ban, and they’re counting on extreme politician Brad Schimel to give it his rubber stamp on the Supreme Court,” Oslund said.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court is expected to hand down a key ruling on the state’s abortion law this year.
In addition to talks of a 14-week abortion ban, LeMahieu also spoke of a potential pathway to legalize medical marijuana but said the proposal could not include state-run dispensaries. Republicans proposed a bill with the same stipulation during the last legislative session.
"I think there are members of our caucus who are supportive of medical marijuana," LeMahieu said Sunday on UpFront. "The challenge with the bill in the Assembly introduced last time was state-run dispensaries. I think from our caucus standpoint, my standpoint, is just having a certain number of dispensaries run, growing the size of government doesn't seem to be the best way to do it."
Gov. Tony Evers said last January that he would be open to backing the restricted medical marijuana bill but expressed hopes that marijuana would be legalized for recreational use down the line.
Anna Kleiber is the state news editor for The Daily Cardinal. She previously served as the arts editor. Anna has written in-depth on elections, legislative maps and campus news. She has interned with WisPolitics and Madison Magazine. Follow her on Twitter at @annakleiber03.
