MADISON – The Wisconsin state Senate passed a bill to prohibit state health insurance programs from covering abortions for state workers, sending it to the desk of Republican Gov. Scott Walker Tuesday.
Illinois, also with a Republican governor, moved in the opposition direction. Starting January 1st, 2018, the Democrat-controlled legislature expanded taxpayer funding of abortions for state employees, as well as low-income women on Medicaid.
Now in Illinois, not only medically-necessary abortions and those pregnancies caused by rape or incest are covered, but in addition, any state worker or Medicaid recipients' abortion for any reason at any stage of pregnancy will now be paid for by Illinois' taxpayers.
In Wisconsin, state health insurance plans currently cover only medically necessary abortions. The bill Walker is expected to sign into law would allow coverage only in cases of rape or incest or if a doctor certifies the abortion is needed to save the woman's life or avoid long-term damage to her health.
The Wisconsin Senate passed the bill on an 18-14 party-line vote, with all Republicans in favor and all Democrats opposed.
