Republican politicians vote to gag public workers and ban speech about abortion

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MADISON — Today, the Republicans on the Senate Committee on Licensing, Constitution and Federalism voted to approve a bill to gag public employees from sharing accurate information about abortion, and barring the use of public property for activities related to abortion care. This bill will certainly be vetoed by Gov. Tony Evers. 

In the last month alone, Republican politicians across the country are prosecuting women for having miscarriages, suing for the right to deny emergency care to pregnant women, and now, with SB 300, banning free speech on public property and gagging public employees.

In response, Sen. Kelda Roys (D-Madison), an abortion rights expert, issued the following statement: 

“Wisconsinites want policies to make our state more welcoming for people — like paid family leave, childcare, and Medicaid expansion. Instead, Wisconsin Republicans keep pushing unpopular, unAmerican culture wars: banning abortion, attacking libraries, targeting LGBTQ kids, and this bill, SB 300, which gags free speech by public health nurses, professors, politicians, and even everyday Wisconsinites, by criminalizing the sharing of accurate information about abortion and turning all public property into a ‘no free speech’ zone.

“This is a terrifying assault on free speech and further demonstrates that ultra-MAGA Republicans will not stop trying to impose their narrow worldview upon the rest of us.”

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