Wisconsin Republicans seek to ban sale of fetal body parts
MADISON (AP) — The sale of fetal body parts would be banned in Wisconsin and Planned Parenthood could lose millions of dollars in federal funding under bills being circulated by a pair of Republican state representatives.
Reps. Andre Jacque and Joel Kleefisch circulated their proposal banning the sale and use of fetal body parts for co-sponsorship Thursday, with a deadline of Aug. 6. They say the bill is in reaction to recently released videos showing a Planned Parenthood medical director in southern California meeting with people posing as potential buyers of intact fetal specimens.
Federal law prohibits the commercial sale of fetal tissue, but allows not-for-profit donation of tissue with the consent of the woman who had an abortion. Planned Parenthood contends that the payments discussed in the videos pertain to reimbursement for the costs of procuring the tissue, which is legal.
The Wisconsin lawmakers say the bill would ban the sale, transfer and experimentation of aborted fetuses in the state. It's unclear what effect the proposed ban would have, as Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin does not offer tissue donation services, according to Nicole Safar, government relations director for the group.
"Federal law already prohibits the sale of human tissue," Safar said. "It's something Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin does not engage in. We do not offer tissue donation services, either. It's a bad bill because it's nothing but a political attack on Planned Parenthood."
Kleefisch discounted those comments: "Planned Parenthood says a lot of things. I have no reason to believe a word that comes out of their collective mouth."
The Wisconsin bill comes as lawmakers and governors in other states have called for investigations into Planned Parenthood following the release of the video from California.
The proposal also would require any doctor who performs an abortion in Wisconsin to determine the gender of the unborn child, if medically possible, and report that to the state Department of Health Services. And any aborted fetus that is at least 10 weeks old to be disposed of meeting new standards, including either burial or cremation.
There are no disposal requirements under current law, according to an analysis of the proposal by the Legislative Reference Bureau. That lack of standards allows for the fetuses to be disposed of as trash or medical waste, Jacque and Kleefisch said in their letter seeking support.
Jacque said he believed the bill would gain traction this year, after similar versions have failed to pass for years, given recent attention to the video.
He also is circulating a separate pair of bills that attempt to divert federal funding away from Planned Parenthood.
One would require the state Department of Health Services to apply for federal grant money that Planned Parenthood currently receives. Jacque said Planned Parenthood is the only recipient of the $3 million it gets each year under the Public Health Service Act. His other proposal would restrict how much Planned Parenthood can be reimbursed for prescription drugs from the federal government, a move Jacque said would reduce their subsidy $4.5 million a year.
Safar said all three measures would compromise women's access to quality affordable care.
"Instead of working to address the needs of women and families, politicians like Rep. Jacque are working to smear trusted health care providers and take essential health care away from women and families," Safar said.
There is a good chance the bills will be debated by the Assembly this fall, said Kit Beyer, spokeswoman for Assembly Speaker Robin Vos.