Governor Walker signs ‘ultrasound before abortion’ legislation in Wisconsin

On Friday, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker took a stand for life. According to Wisconsin Right to Life, Governor Walker signed Sonya’s Law, known as Senate Bill 206, into law. The law, which has already brought threats of lawsuits from Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin and Affiliated Medical Services, requires that women seeking an abortion be given the option to see an ultrasound of their unborn children. After all options are explained, the woman has the opportunity to choose which type of ultrasound she prefers.

Susan Armacost, Legislative Director for Wisconsin Right to Life, thanked Governor Walker for signing the bill. According to Armacost, “Sonya’s Law will empower women to make truly informed decisions regarding how they will proceed with their pregnancies and will protect the lives of women who experience complications after their abortions.” In response to threats of lawsuits by Planned Parenthood, Armacost says the threats are “no surprise to anyone.”

An additional portion of Sonya’s Law requires doctors performing abortions to have hospital admitting privileges no more than 30 miles from the clinic where they perform abortions. Armacost says the challenge by Planned Parenthood appears to be focused “on the hospital admitting privileges requirement. Apparently, Wisconsin’s abortion clinics don’t believe their abortionists need to have hospital privileges at a hospital located within 30 miles of their clinic…or anywhere at all.”

Wisconsin Right to Life reports that nine other states require doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges and that Missouri’s law was upheld by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Live Action will continue to cover this developing story.