Madison, Wis. – Today the Wisconsin Supreme Court confirmed that statute 940.04 was impliedly repealed through forty years of law regulating abortion since Roe v Wade.
The following is a statement from attorney Michelle Velasquez, Chief Strategy Officer, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin.
“Today’s ruling is an important step forward in ensuring access to abortion in Wisconsin. Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin has maintained that the 1849 law to ban abortion could not be enforced against abortion providers. This final ruling again confirms this. We are grateful to Attorney General Kaul and Governor Evers for their leadership and efforts to protect reproductive freedom in Wisconsin.
“Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin provides abortion care services at our Water Street Health Center in Milwaukee, Madison East Health Center and our Sheboygan Health Center. While we celebrate this ruling, there is more to be done. We will continue working to protect and expand reproductive freedom in Wisconsin so that everyone who needs comprehensive reproductive health care in our state can get the nonjudgmental and compassionate care they deserve.
“The Court has yet to decide on our original action, which they accepted last summer, about whether the Wisconsin Constitution protects the right to bodily autonomy, including the explicit right to abortion. We look forward to moving that important case forward.”
