Key Legislation Impacting Wisconsin Women
The following is an inventory of bills that were passed into law or introduced recently in the Wisconsin State Capitol. It's important to know how our elected leaders are prioritizing their time advancing certain issues. Please note that this list does not include every bill that might impact Wisconsin women and their families.
Bills Passed Into Law in the 2017-2018 Session
AB 128 / SB 81 / Act 191 Ban on Insurance Coverage for Public Employees: Prohibits the state from purchasing health insurance plans that provide coverage for state employees that would cover the costs for abortion services, with very limited exceptions.
AB 486 / SB 396 / Act 128 Increased Criminal Penalty for Child Prostitution: This bill would prohibit the prosecution of a person under the age of 18 for committing an act of prostitution.
AB 748 / SB 634 / Act 327 Ban on Local Governments Passing Employment Policies: This bill would would significantly restrict the ability of local governments to enact or enforce several different types of labor protections that would promote economic security and workplace equity for workers in their communities. If passed, local governments would not be allowed to enact or enforce ordinances that promote a living wage for employees who are paid by taxpayer dollars, fight workplace discrimination, stop wage theft, ensure fair scheduling practices, fight pay inequity, enhance occupational licensing requirements, or promote collective bargaining rights.
AB 865 / SB 704 / Act 144 Expand Address Confidentiality for Victims of Abuse: This bill expands the confidentiality provisions of the program to include any part of a program participant's actual address. In addition, the bill makes intentional disclosure of confidential information under the program a misdemeanor.
AB 924 / SB 793 / Act 236 Increased Funding for State Childcare Subsidies: This bill increases the funding available for child care subsidies under Wisconsin Shares across the state and increases the bonus offered for child care subsidies for children enrolled in facilities that receive a four-star or five-star rating under the Department of Children and Families' child care quality rating program.
AB 486 / SB 396 / Act 128 Increased Criminal Penalty for Child Prostitution: This bill would prohibit the prosecution of a person under the age of 18 for committing an act of prostitution.
AB 748 / SB 634 / Act 327 Ban on Local Governments Passing Employment Policies: This bill would would significantly restrict the ability of local governments to enact or enforce several different types of labor protections that would promote economic security and workplace equity for workers in their communities. If passed, local governments would not be allowed to enact or enforce ordinances that promote a living wage for employees who are paid by taxpayer dollars, fight workplace discrimination, stop wage theft, ensure fair scheduling practices, fight pay inequity, enhance occupational licensing requirements, or promote collective bargaining rights.
AB 865 / SB 704 / Act 144 Expand Address Confidentiality for Victims of Abuse: This bill expands the confidentiality provisions of the program to include any part of a program participant's actual address. In addition, the bill makes intentional disclosure of confidential information under the program a misdemeanor.
AB 924 / SB 793 / Act 236 Increased Funding for State Childcare Subsidies: This bill increases the funding available for child care subsidies under Wisconsin Shares across the state and increases the bonus offered for child care subsidies for children enrolled in facilities that receive a four-star or five-star rating under the Department of Children and Families' child care quality rating program.
Bills Introduced but Not Passed or Signed Into Law in the 2017-2018 Session
It's equally important to know which bills were introduced but not passed. Be sure to link to & look at who co-sponsored / supported these bills that impact women's health.
AB 186 / SB 344 Prohibits Criminal Prosecution of Minors Engaged in Prostitution: Under this bill, a person who is under the age of 18 may not be prosecuted for committing an act of prostitution.
AB 193 / SB 147 Workplace Breastfeeding Accommodations: Requires an employer to provide reasonable break time for an employee who is breast-feeding her child to express breast milk for the child.
AB 206 / SB 154 UW Provider Abortion Training and Assistance Ban: Would prohibit employees of the University of Wisconsin System or the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority (UWHCA) from performing or assisting with abortions within the scope of their employment. Would also prohibit those employees from providing services within the scope of their employment at a private entity, other than a hospital, where abortions are performed.
AB 213 / SB 142 Strengthen Workplace Anti-Discrimination Laws: Under current law, when an employee files a workplace discrimination claim, s/he must do so with the state Department of Workforce Development (DWD), which only has the authority to award the employee with limited damage awards should DWD find that the employee was the victim of workplace discrimination. This bill would (1) allow employees to file workplace anti-discrimination lawsuits in state circuit courts and (2) increase the damage awards that courts must award the employee if the court finds that the employee was subjected to unlawful discrimination under Wisconsin's fair employment law.
AB 286 / SB 215 Wisconsin Family Medical Leave Insurance Act: Would create an employee-funded state insurance fund to provide wage replacement for employees who take a qualifying leave from work to care for a new child, care for themselves if they become seriously ill, or provide care to a family member who is seriously ill. The bill would also provide job protection for employees who take a qualifying leave and work at a business with 25 or more employees (current law only provides job protection for employees who work at businesses with 50 or more employees) and expand the definition of "family member" for whom an employee can take leave in order to provide care.
AB 449 / SB 363 BadgerCare Buy In Option: This bill would allow Wisconsin residents to purchase BadgerCare insurance, which is the state's Medicaid plan, at full price as a "public option" for their health insurance coverage.
AB 656 / SB 569 Repeal of Wisconsin's Abortion Restrictions: The bill specifies that every woman has the fundamental right to choose to obtain a safe and legal abortion. Under the bill, the state may not prohibit a woman from obtaining an abortion before viability or from obtaining an abortion at any time
during her pregnancy if the termination is necessary, in the professional judgment of a physician, to protect her life or health. Also under the bill, a law or rule of this state that places a burden on a woman's access to abortion is unenforceable if the law or rule does not confer any legitimate health benefit.
AB 657 / SB 567 Requiring Reproductive Health Care information & Services Be Medically Accurate: This bill creates a right and obligation for a health care provider to provide medically accurate information to patients to whom the health care provider provides medical care. The bill also creates a right for a patient to receive medically accurate information from a health care provider. The bill prohibits interference or other diminishment of the rights and obligations relating to medically accurate information, and further prohibits employment retribution based upon a health care provider's exercise of the rights and obligations relating to the provision of medically accurate information.
AB 658 / SB 568 Ensure Patient & Provider Safety: This bill directs the Department of Justice to create programs to address harassment, threats, and violence towards patients, prospective patients, and reproductive health care providers.
AB 721 / SB 606 Expand BadgerCare Eligibility Under the ACA: Bill would expand BadgerCare as offered under the Affordable Care Act to cover all adults who earn up to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level as soon as possible. Full BadgerCare expansion on January 1, 2017 would allow an additional 83,000 Wisconsinites to receive health care insurance under the program and would save Wisconsin approximately $834 million over the next six years.
AB 753 / SB 642 Coverage of 12 Month Contraceptive Rx: This bill requires certain health insurance policies, and self-insured governmental and school district health plans to cover a dispensing of contraceptives that is intended to last for three months for the first dispensing and a dispensing of contraceptives that is intended to last for 12 months for subsequent dispensings of that contraceptive.
AB 772 / SB 490 Repeal Portions of Wisconsin Family Medical Leave Act: This legislation would partially “federalize” the Wisconsin Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which provides for unpaid leave for workers eligible workers to take time off of work to care for a new child, a sick family member, or themselves if they become ill without fear of losing their jobs. Some workers are eligible for both the state and federal FMLA's, which have different eligibility criteria and provide somewhat different benefits (in general, the state FMLA has more generous eligibility criteria and more flexible benefits). These bills would make some employees who have "dual eligibility" for both the state and federal FMLA's ineligible for the state FMLA, thus reducing these employees' access to family and medical leave and the quality of leave for which they are eligible.
AB 801 / SB 393 Prohibiting Incarcerated Pregnant Women from Being Shackled: a bill to conform to best practices to prohibit or restrict shackling pregnant women. The bill also provides for maternal support services which have been shown to reduce the need for costly medical interventions such as caesarean sections. Additionally, the bill expands screening for STIs, which can prevent mother-to-child transmissions through early detection and treatment. These measures will improve health outcomes for both mother and child and create savings for taxpayers.
AB 814 State Minimum Wage Increase to $15 an Hour: Currently, the state minimum wage law requires that employers pay the applicable minimum wage set in statute to their employees. Under that law, the current minimum wage for employees generally is $7.25 per hour. This bill raises the minimum wage for employee.
AB 831 / SB 734 Teen Dating Violence Prevention & Education Curriculum: This bill requires schools to provide teen dating violence prevention education
and establishes certain criteria governing the instruction provided.
AB 970 Increase the State Earned Income Tax Credit: Currently, some Wisconsinites who are eligible for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) can qualify for a state EITC, that is a certain percentage of the federal EITC for which the individual is eligible. Under current law, eligible Wisconsinites can claim a state credit equal to 4% of the federal EITC for which they qualify if they have one dependent child, 11% if they have two dependent children, or 34% if they have three or more dependent children. The credit is refundable, which means that, if the amount of credit due the individual exceeds his or her tax liability, the difference is refunded to the claimant by check. This bill would allow an individual who is eligible to claim the federal EITC to claim as a credit against Wisconsin taxes due 34 % of the amount that the taxpayer may claim under the federal credit, regardless of the number of children the individual has.
SB 302 Creation of a State Run Retirement Plan for Private Sector Employees: This bill creates a Wisconsin Private Retirement Security Board (board) and
requires the board to establish a private retirement security plan (plan) to provide retirement benefits for residents of this state who choose to participate in the plan.
AB 193 / SB 147 Workplace Breastfeeding Accommodations: Requires an employer to provide reasonable break time for an employee who is breast-feeding her child to express breast milk for the child.
AB 206 / SB 154 UW Provider Abortion Training and Assistance Ban: Would prohibit employees of the University of Wisconsin System or the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority (UWHCA) from performing or assisting with abortions within the scope of their employment. Would also prohibit those employees from providing services within the scope of their employment at a private entity, other than a hospital, where abortions are performed.
AB 213 / SB 142 Strengthen Workplace Anti-Discrimination Laws: Under current law, when an employee files a workplace discrimination claim, s/he must do so with the state Department of Workforce Development (DWD), which only has the authority to award the employee with limited damage awards should DWD find that the employee was the victim of workplace discrimination. This bill would (1) allow employees to file workplace anti-discrimination lawsuits in state circuit courts and (2) increase the damage awards that courts must award the employee if the court finds that the employee was subjected to unlawful discrimination under Wisconsin's fair employment law.
AB 286 / SB 215 Wisconsin Family Medical Leave Insurance Act: Would create an employee-funded state insurance fund to provide wage replacement for employees who take a qualifying leave from work to care for a new child, care for themselves if they become seriously ill, or provide care to a family member who is seriously ill. The bill would also provide job protection for employees who take a qualifying leave and work at a business with 25 or more employees (current law only provides job protection for employees who work at businesses with 50 or more employees) and expand the definition of "family member" for whom an employee can take leave in order to provide care.
AB 449 / SB 363 BadgerCare Buy In Option: This bill would allow Wisconsin residents to purchase BadgerCare insurance, which is the state's Medicaid plan, at full price as a "public option" for their health insurance coverage.
AB 656 / SB 569 Repeal of Wisconsin's Abortion Restrictions: The bill specifies that every woman has the fundamental right to choose to obtain a safe and legal abortion. Under the bill, the state may not prohibit a woman from obtaining an abortion before viability or from obtaining an abortion at any time
during her pregnancy if the termination is necessary, in the professional judgment of a physician, to protect her life or health. Also under the bill, a law or rule of this state that places a burden on a woman's access to abortion is unenforceable if the law or rule does not confer any legitimate health benefit.
AB 657 / SB 567 Requiring Reproductive Health Care information & Services Be Medically Accurate: This bill creates a right and obligation for a health care provider to provide medically accurate information to patients to whom the health care provider provides medical care. The bill also creates a right for a patient to receive medically accurate information from a health care provider. The bill prohibits interference or other diminishment of the rights and obligations relating to medically accurate information, and further prohibits employment retribution based upon a health care provider's exercise of the rights and obligations relating to the provision of medically accurate information.
AB 658 / SB 568 Ensure Patient & Provider Safety: This bill directs the Department of Justice to create programs to address harassment, threats, and violence towards patients, prospective patients, and reproductive health care providers.
AB 721 / SB 606 Expand BadgerCare Eligibility Under the ACA: Bill would expand BadgerCare as offered under the Affordable Care Act to cover all adults who earn up to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level as soon as possible. Full BadgerCare expansion on January 1, 2017 would allow an additional 83,000 Wisconsinites to receive health care insurance under the program and would save Wisconsin approximately $834 million over the next six years.
AB 753 / SB 642 Coverage of 12 Month Contraceptive Rx: This bill requires certain health insurance policies, and self-insured governmental and school district health plans to cover a dispensing of contraceptives that is intended to last for three months for the first dispensing and a dispensing of contraceptives that is intended to last for 12 months for subsequent dispensings of that contraceptive.
AB 772 / SB 490 Repeal Portions of Wisconsin Family Medical Leave Act: This legislation would partially “federalize” the Wisconsin Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which provides for unpaid leave for workers eligible workers to take time off of work to care for a new child, a sick family member, or themselves if they become ill without fear of losing their jobs. Some workers are eligible for both the state and federal FMLA's, which have different eligibility criteria and provide somewhat different benefits (in general, the state FMLA has more generous eligibility criteria and more flexible benefits). These bills would make some employees who have "dual eligibility" for both the state and federal FMLA's ineligible for the state FMLA, thus reducing these employees' access to family and medical leave and the quality of leave for which they are eligible.
AB 801 / SB 393 Prohibiting Incarcerated Pregnant Women from Being Shackled: a bill to conform to best practices to prohibit or restrict shackling pregnant women. The bill also provides for maternal support services which have been shown to reduce the need for costly medical interventions such as caesarean sections. Additionally, the bill expands screening for STIs, which can prevent mother-to-child transmissions through early detection and treatment. These measures will improve health outcomes for both mother and child and create savings for taxpayers.
AB 814 State Minimum Wage Increase to $15 an Hour: Currently, the state minimum wage law requires that employers pay the applicable minimum wage set in statute to their employees. Under that law, the current minimum wage for employees generally is $7.25 per hour. This bill raises the minimum wage for employee.
AB 831 / SB 734 Teen Dating Violence Prevention & Education Curriculum: This bill requires schools to provide teen dating violence prevention education
and establishes certain criteria governing the instruction provided.
AB 970 Increase the State Earned Income Tax Credit: Currently, some Wisconsinites who are eligible for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) can qualify for a state EITC, that is a certain percentage of the federal EITC for which the individual is eligible. Under current law, eligible Wisconsinites can claim a state credit equal to 4% of the federal EITC for which they qualify if they have one dependent child, 11% if they have two dependent children, or 34% if they have three or more dependent children. The credit is refundable, which means that, if the amount of credit due the individual exceeds his or her tax liability, the difference is refunded to the claimant by check. This bill would allow an individual who is eligible to claim the federal EITC to claim as a credit against Wisconsin taxes due 34 % of the amount that the taxpayer may claim under the federal credit, regardless of the number of children the individual has.
SB 302 Creation of a State Run Retirement Plan for Private Sector Employees: This bill creates a Wisconsin Private Retirement Security Board (board) and
requires the board to establish a private retirement security plan (plan) to provide retirement benefits for residents of this state who choose to participate in the plan.
Bills Passed Into Law in 2015-2016 Session
AB 10 / SB / Act 4 Interstate Restraining Orders: Gives Wisconsin courts jurisdiction in cases where a victim of domestic abuse, harassment or stalking seeks a restraining order against a perpetrator who commits an act of stalking or harassment from another state.
AB 21 / SB 21 / Act 55 State Budget: Made numerous changes to Wisconsin's health programs, public benefits programs, and public education systems that will affect Wisconsin's women and girls. For more information, see the Wisconsin Alliance for Women's Health Budget Report.
AB 61 / SB 44 / Act 1 Right to Work Legislation: Prohibits membership in a union or payment of union dues as a condition of employment.
AB 237 / SB 179 / Act 56 20 Week Abortion Ban: Prohibits almost all abortions after 20 weeks gestation except for a very narrow exception for maternal conditions that pose an immediate threat to the health or life of the mother.
AB 310 / SB 237 / Act 151 Family Planning Funding Restrictions: Requires the state Department of Health Services to apply for federal Title X Family Planning grants. If DHS is awarded the grant, the Department would be prohibited from awarding any grant money to Planned Parenthood clinics or any other clinic that is affiliated with an organization that provides abortion services.
AB 311 / SB 238 / Act 152 Reduces Prescription Drug Reimbursements to Planned Parenthood: Reduce Medicaid prescription drug reimbursement to Planned Parenthood family planning clinics or any other family planning clinic with affiliates that provide abortions.
AB 430 / SB 323 Sexual Assault Victim Accompaniment: Protects the right of victims of sexual assault and human trafficking to be accompanied by a trained victim advocate throughout the entire medical and criminal justice process related to their victimization.
AB 21 / SB 21 / Act 55 State Budget: Made numerous changes to Wisconsin's health programs, public benefits programs, and public education systems that will affect Wisconsin's women and girls. For more information, see the Wisconsin Alliance for Women's Health Budget Report.
AB 61 / SB 44 / Act 1 Right to Work Legislation: Prohibits membership in a union or payment of union dues as a condition of employment.
AB 237 / SB 179 / Act 56 20 Week Abortion Ban: Prohibits almost all abortions after 20 weeks gestation except for a very narrow exception for maternal conditions that pose an immediate threat to the health or life of the mother.
AB 310 / SB 237 / Act 151 Family Planning Funding Restrictions: Requires the state Department of Health Services to apply for federal Title X Family Planning grants. If DHS is awarded the grant, the Department would be prohibited from awarding any grant money to Planned Parenthood clinics or any other clinic that is affiliated with an organization that provides abortion services.
AB 311 / SB 238 / Act 152 Reduces Prescription Drug Reimbursements to Planned Parenthood: Reduce Medicaid prescription drug reimbursement to Planned Parenthood family planning clinics or any other family planning clinic with affiliates that provide abortions.
AB 430 / SB 323 Sexual Assault Victim Accompaniment: Protects the right of victims of sexual assault and human trafficking to be accompanied by a trained victim advocate throughout the entire medical and criminal justice process related to their victimization.
Bills Introduced but Not Passed or Signed Into Law in 2015-2016 Session**
It's equally important to know which bills were introduced but not passed. Be sure to link to & look at who co-sponsored / supported these bills that impact women's health.
AB 12 Increase State Minimum Wage to $10.10 / Hour: Increase Wisconsin’s minimum wage to $10.10 per hour and index the state minimum wage to inflation.
AB 70 / SB 45 Create State-Run Retirement Fund for Private Sector Workers: Allows private sector employees to invest in a retirement fund run by the State of Wisconsin Investment Board.
AB 84 Increase Earned Income Tax Credit: Repeal cuts to the state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and further expand the state EITC. No public hearing held.
AB 94 / SB 46 Intoxicated Co-Sleeping: Criminalize injury to an infant caused by intoxicated co-sleeping.
AB 221 / SB 174 Full Medicaid Expansion: Would implement full Medicaid expansion under the ACA for people earning between 100-138% of the federal poverty line.
AB 264 Increase State Minimum Wage to $15 / Hour: Increase Wisconsin’s minimum wage to $15 per hour and index for inflation. No public hearing held.
AB 267 / SB 200 Safe Harbor Law to Protect Criminal Prosecution of Child Prostitutes: Creates “Safe Harbor” to ensure that victims of child prostitution/child sex trafficking are treated as victims and not criminally prosecuted.
AB 489 Eliminate Confidentiality for Adolescent Health Care: Would have eliminated the exception to suspected child abuse and neglect mandatory reporting requirements that allow health care professionals to provide adolescents with confidential reproductive health care services.
AB 516 / SB 385 Paid Family and Medical Leave: Would create paid family and medical leave insurance system.
AB 880 / SB 653 Patients Reproductive Health Act: Guarantees that patients have the right to make their own reproductive healthcare decisions free from harassment, intimidation, political interference, or false information.
AB 882 Support for Breastfeeding Moms in the Workplace: Requires employers to provide employees who are breastfeeding with a reasonable work accommodation in order to express and store breast milk during work hours.
AB 932 / SB 724 12 Month Birth Control Prescription: Would require health insurance companies to cover the costs of dispensing a 12-month supply of contraceptives.
AB 70 / SB 45 Create State-Run Retirement Fund for Private Sector Workers: Allows private sector employees to invest in a retirement fund run by the State of Wisconsin Investment Board.
AB 84 Increase Earned Income Tax Credit: Repeal cuts to the state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and further expand the state EITC. No public hearing held.
AB 94 / SB 46 Intoxicated Co-Sleeping: Criminalize injury to an infant caused by intoxicated co-sleeping.
AB 221 / SB 174 Full Medicaid Expansion: Would implement full Medicaid expansion under the ACA for people earning between 100-138% of the federal poverty line.
AB 264 Increase State Minimum Wage to $15 / Hour: Increase Wisconsin’s minimum wage to $15 per hour and index for inflation. No public hearing held.
AB 267 / SB 200 Safe Harbor Law to Protect Criminal Prosecution of Child Prostitutes: Creates “Safe Harbor” to ensure that victims of child prostitution/child sex trafficking are treated as victims and not criminally prosecuted.
AB 489 Eliminate Confidentiality for Adolescent Health Care: Would have eliminated the exception to suspected child abuse and neglect mandatory reporting requirements that allow health care professionals to provide adolescents with confidential reproductive health care services.
AB 516 / SB 385 Paid Family and Medical Leave: Would create paid family and medical leave insurance system.
AB 880 / SB 653 Patients Reproductive Health Act: Guarantees that patients have the right to make their own reproductive healthcare decisions free from harassment, intimidation, political interference, or false information.
AB 882 Support for Breastfeeding Moms in the Workplace: Requires employers to provide employees who are breastfeeding with a reasonable work accommodation in order to express and store breast milk during work hours.
AB 932 / SB 724 12 Month Birth Control Prescription: Would require health insurance companies to cover the costs of dispensing a 12-month supply of contraceptives.
Bills Passed Into Law in 2013-2014 Session
AB 78 / SB 73 / Act 137 Healthy Jobs Act: created a $3m workplace wellness grant program housed in the Department of Health Services. The legislation allows an employer to receive a grant for up to 30% of the costs of providing a workplace wellness program.
AB 227 / SB 206 / Act 37 Mandatory Ultrasound Bill: mandates medical procedures, lectures, and other regulations that do nothing to enhance women’s health and safety. Women who have been raped, abused, or are terminating a pregnancy where the health of the woman is at risk would be subject to a state-mandated detailed description of the pregnancy. Only women who have filed a police report would be exempt. Places new restrictions on abortion providers that would significantly reduce a woman’s ability to access safe and legal abortion services in Wisconsin. Assembly Committee Hearing Video, Senate Committee Hearing Video
AB 392 / SB 300 / Act 186 Cancer Treatment Fairness Act: requires health plans to cover oral chemotherapy treatments the same as they do IV chemotherapy treatments. Assembly Committee Hearing Video
AB 450 / SB 362 / Act 126 Grants for Mental Health Screening Intervening: legislation that provides grants for crisis intervention to train law enforcement and correctional officers to assist individuals who are in a mental crisis. The bill provides $250,000 to the Department of Health Services for the grant program. Assembly Committee Hearing Video
AB 452 / SB 359 / Act 127 Child Psychiatry Access Line: created a consultation program that connects primary care physicians with child psychologists through an access line. Assembly Committee Hearing Video
AB 454 / SB 366 / Act 128 Primary Care and Psychiatry Shortage Grant Program: created a primary care and psychiatry shortage grant program for physicians and psychiatrists that graduated from a Wisconsin medical school. A maximum of 12 physicians and 12 psychiatrists may receive a grant in a fiscal year. Assembly Committee Hearing Video
AB 458 / Act 130 Mental Health Benefits for Rural Children: increased access to mental health services for children in rural areas. creating a primary care and psychiatry shortage grant program for physicians and psychiatrists that graduated from a Wisconsin medical school. A maximum of 12 physicians and 12 psychiatrists may receive a grant in a fiscal year. Assembly Committee Hearing Video
AB 460 / Act 132 Mental Health Mobile Crisis Grant Program: created a grant program at DHS to award grants to counties to establish mental health mobile crisis teams to serve individuals having mental health crises in rural areas. The total amount of grant money is $250,000. DHS shall award the county an amount that is one−half the amount the county provides to establish mobile crisis teams.
AB 227 / SB 206 / Act 37 Mandatory Ultrasound Bill: mandates medical procedures, lectures, and other regulations that do nothing to enhance women’s health and safety. Women who have been raped, abused, or are terminating a pregnancy where the health of the woman is at risk would be subject to a state-mandated detailed description of the pregnancy. Only women who have filed a police report would be exempt. Places new restrictions on abortion providers that would significantly reduce a woman’s ability to access safe and legal abortion services in Wisconsin. Assembly Committee Hearing Video, Senate Committee Hearing Video
AB 392 / SB 300 / Act 186 Cancer Treatment Fairness Act: requires health plans to cover oral chemotherapy treatments the same as they do IV chemotherapy treatments. Assembly Committee Hearing Video
AB 450 / SB 362 / Act 126 Grants for Mental Health Screening Intervening: legislation that provides grants for crisis intervention to train law enforcement and correctional officers to assist individuals who are in a mental crisis. The bill provides $250,000 to the Department of Health Services for the grant program. Assembly Committee Hearing Video
AB 452 / SB 359 / Act 127 Child Psychiatry Access Line: created a consultation program that connects primary care physicians with child psychologists through an access line. Assembly Committee Hearing Video
AB 454 / SB 366 / Act 128 Primary Care and Psychiatry Shortage Grant Program: created a primary care and psychiatry shortage grant program for physicians and psychiatrists that graduated from a Wisconsin medical school. A maximum of 12 physicians and 12 psychiatrists may receive a grant in a fiscal year. Assembly Committee Hearing Video
AB 458 / Act 130 Mental Health Benefits for Rural Children: increased access to mental health services for children in rural areas. creating a primary care and psychiatry shortage grant program for physicians and psychiatrists that graduated from a Wisconsin medical school. A maximum of 12 physicians and 12 psychiatrists may receive a grant in a fiscal year. Assembly Committee Hearing Video
AB 460 / Act 132 Mental Health Mobile Crisis Grant Program: created a grant program at DHS to award grants to counties to establish mental health mobile crisis teams to serve individuals having mental health crises in rural areas. The total amount of grant money is $250,000. DHS shall award the county an amount that is one−half the amount the county provides to establish mobile crisis teams.
Bills Introduced but Not Passed or Signed Into Law in 2013-2014 Session
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AB 53 / SB 38 Strengthen BadgerCare Act: would have provided health care to 175,000 people that are at 133% FPL or below; save the state $65 million in the first three years and bring an additional $4.4 billion in federal health care funds to Wisconsin though June 2020. The proposal capitalizes on financing available through the Affordable Care Act to provide coverage to people now left out of BadgerCare.
AB 138 / SB 124 Background Checks for Gun Purchases: would have required background checks for all gun purchased in Wisconsin. Under current law, guns sold by licensed dealers require a background check. This bill would have imposed the same requirement on private gun sales, with an exception for transfers between family members. AB 204 / SB 354 Victim's Advocate: gave a victim of domestic abuse, harassment, certain sexual assault crimes, and certain crimes of child abuse (abusive conduct) the right to be accompanied by a victim advocate. AB 206 / SB 176 Funding for Crisis Pregnancy Centers through "Choose Life" Specialty License Plates would have created a “Choose Life” license plate, which would funnel money to a new anti-choice organization called Choose Life Wisconsin. AB 216 / SB 202 Contraception & Abortion Coverage Ban: Additional attempts to restrict reproductive health care services and undermine the Affordable Care Act by weakening Wisconsin’s Contraceptive Equity law and banning insurance coverage of abortion for public employees. Assembly Committee Hearing Video AB 217 / SB 201 Sex Selection Abortion Ban: abortion restriction bill that threatens physicians with criminal or civil penalties unless they refuse to provide an abortion if they think their patient is making a decision based on gender. Assembly Committee Hearing Video AB 233 Repeal Cuts to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC): would have restored the cuts made to the Earned Income Tax Credit that became law in 2011 WI Act 32. The EITC helps working parents with low incomes. This action resulted in working parents with low incomes paying higher taxes. AB 263 / SB 224 Wisconsin's Fair Minimum Wage Act AB 269 / SB 143 Equal Pay Enforcement Act: This bill reinstates Wisconsin’s 2009 Equal Pay Enforcement Act, which was repealed by the state Legislature and Governor Walker, Women only make 78 cents on the dollar compared to their male counterparts, so a law providing protection to women who are unfairly compensated merely because of their gender is common sense. AB 316 Restore Women's Health Funding to Planned Parenthood: this measure revises the Women’s Health Block Grant to ensure that all reproductive health centers are eligible for state funds. The bill also replaces “contraception” as one of the key components of the women’s health program in Wisconsin. AB 334 Restore Indexing the Homestead Tax Credit: would have indexed the Homestead Tax Credit which provides tax relief to homeowners and renters. Indexing the credit began in 2009 and was repealed in 2011 WI Act 32. AB 542 / SB 4 Increasing the State Minimum Wage: would have increased the minimum wage to $7.60 per hour and then index it annually for inflation. AB 465 / SB 357 Intoxicated Co-Sleeping Bill: creates a penalty for intoxicated co-sleeping despite research that shows giving families the support they need to provide a healthy environment for their infant will reduce the number of infant death from sleep-related causes. AB 498 / SB 376 Higher Education Lower Debt Act: would create a state Student Loan Refinancing Authority allowing student loan borrowers to refinance those loans at "much lower" interest rates, just as homeowners do with mortgages AB 526 / SB 401 Pregnant Workers Fairness Act: This measure requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnancy-related conditions. Too often, women are fired or forced to take unpaid leave because employers are not required to make minor job modifications for pregnant women. AB 529 End Family Status Discrimination: Women with children are less likely to be recommended for hire or promoted, and in most cases are offered lower salaries than similarly situated men. This proposal prohibits employers from denying work or promotion to workers simply because they have children. AB 551 Prohibiting Smoking in Homes Used for Child Care: would prohibit smoking in homes that are used for child care. AB 620 / SB 492 Protecting Human Trafficking Victims: strengthens our laws to protect victims of human trafficking and provide additional tools to prosecute human trafficking cases. AB 686 / SB 505 Minimum Wage Protection Act AB 757 Tax Credits for Childcare Costs: This measure creates an income tax credit for household dependent care related expenses. The rising cost of child care impacts the daily lives of women and families, especially single working mothers. Mothers and families deserve access to affordable, safe childcare so they can continue to work and provide for their families. AB 862 Preventing Fraud in the Child Care Subsidy Program: would have repealed the 5% cut in child care provider payments; restore the higher payments for 3, 4 and 5-star providers; and pay the provider based on enrollment and not attendance. AB 869 Voter Modernization Act: would modernize and streamline voter registration by allowing someone qualified to vote when getting a driver’s license or state ID, to have their information to be transmitted to the Government Accountability Board who would put it in the statewide voter registration system and notify the person that if they confirm the information, then they are registered to vote. Thus, when someone moves or gets a new ID, they would be registered. People could confirm online, by mail, or in person at the clerk’s office or when they vote. AB 892 Save our Babies and Protect Women Act AB 894 Paid Family Leave: creates a family leave benefits program, to be administered by the Department of Workforce Development (DWD), under which an employee who is on family leave is eligible to receive family leave benefits from the family leave benefits trust fund created under the bill. SB 623 Repeal of the Mandatory Ultrasound Bill: This bill will protect women from having to comply with a government mandated medical procedure. |
Laws Enacted in 2011-2012 Session
2011 Wisconsin Act 216 - Repeal of the Healthy Youth Act - Senate Vote - Assembly Vote
2011 Wisconsin Act 218 - Ban on Insurance Coverage of Abortion - Senate Vote - Assembly Vote
2011 Wisconsin Act 219 - Repeal of Equal Pay Enforcement Act - Senate Vote - Assembly Vote
2011 Wisconsin Act 218 - Ban on Insurance Coverage of Abortion - Senate Vote - Assembly Vote
2011 Wisconsin Act 219 - Repeal of Equal Pay Enforcement Act - Senate Vote - Assembly Vote
