Policy Watch

We're proud to be Wisconsin's women's health policy "watchdogs" to help busy people stay in the know. Here's what policies we're keeping an eye on. And link here to access our Policy Rx.

Grid updated as of 3/10/21

Bill Number	Summary	Position	Status	Authors	Issue
AB 36 / SB 30	Permitting pharmacists to prescribe, administer, and dispense certain contraceptives, granting rule-making authority.	Support	Passed out of Senate Health Committee	Sen. Felzkowski & Rep. Kitchens	Reproductive Health
AB 106 / SB 75	Abortion Rights Preservation Act - modernizes Wisconsin’s archaic abortion law so that the state treats abortion care like all health care, with regulations that reflect current medical standards.	Support	Referred to Committees	Sen. Roys & Rep. Subeck	Reproductive Health
AB 330 / SB 309	Requiring coverage of the dispensing of an extended supply of contraceptives.	Support	Referred to Committees	Rep. Shankland & Sen. Johnson	Reproductive Health
AB 6 / SB 16	Requirements for children "born alive" following abortion or attempted abortion and providing a penalty.	Oppose	Passed by Senate & Assembly. Vetoed by Governor	Rep. Steineke & Sen. Roth	Reproductive Health
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AB 693 / SB 630	Expands Medicaid eligibility to 133% FPL	Support	Referred to Committees	Rep. Riemer & Sen. Erpenbach	Economic Security
AB 577 / SB 517	Red Flag law which would prohibit individuals convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence from possessing a firearm and possession of a firearm by people found not guilty due to mental disease or defect. Given the documented nexus between domestic abuse and gun homicides, this legislation is crucial to protect lives.	Support	Referred to Committees	Rep. Hebl & Sen. Johson	Violence Against Women
AB 68 / SB 111	This bill limits the use of physical restraints on pregnant and postpartum people who are in the custody of a correctional facility.	Support	Public hearings	Rep. Subeck & Sen. Taylor	Maternal & Child Health
AB 378 / SB 420	Would help prevent teen dating violence in Wisconsin by encouraging the development model policies	Support	Referred to Committees	Rep. Sargent & Sen. Petrowski	Violence Against Women
AB 424 / SB 381	Requires each school district, operator of an independent charter school, and governing body of a private school participating in a parental choice program to make available tampons and sanitary napkins at no charge in restroom facilities	Support	Referred to Committees	Rep. Taylor & Sen. Taylor	Reproductive Health
AB 337	Marriage and Family Equality Act, which makes technical updates to Wisconsin law to account for marriage equality following Obergefell v. Hodges. The bill changes references to “husband and wife” to instead refer to “spouse” or “spouses” and therefore include both same-sex and different-sex married couples.	Support	Referred to Committees	Rep. Spreitzer & Sen. Carpenter	Other
AB 41 / SB 49	Grants child victims of sex trafficking immunity from prosecution for prostitution charges.	Support	Passed out of Committees	Rep. Billings & Sen. Darling	Violence Against Women
AB 336 / SB 312	Would restore Wisconsin’s 48-hour waiting period for handgun purchases. Wisconsin had a waiting period on the books until 2015, when the Wisconsin legislature eliminated the requirement that a federally licensed firearm dealer wait 48 hours to transfer a handgun. Research has shown that waiting periods can reduce gun homicides by 17% and gun suicides by 7-11%.	Support	Did not pass	Rep. Taylor & Sen. Carpenter	Violence Against Women
AB 337 / SB 347	Requires the Department of Public Instruction to develop a child sexual abuse prevention policy and instructional program	Support	Referred to Committees	Rep. Spiros & Sen. Petrowski	Violence Against Women
AB 378 / SB 420	Requires the Department of Public Instruction to develop model policies for preventing and responding to teen dating violence	Support	Referred to Committees	Rep. Sargent & Sen. Petrowski	Violence Against Women
AB 398 / SB 316	This bill limits the use of physical restraints on pregnant and postpartum people who are in the custody of a correctional facility	Support	Hearing Held in Senate Committee	Rep. Subeck & Sen. Taylor	Maternal & Child Health
AB 424 / SB 381	This bill requires that restroom facilities in public bathrooms owned, leased, or occupied by a state entity have tampons and sanitary napkins available at no cost.	Support	Referred to Committees	Rep. Taylor & Sen. Taylor	Reproductive Health
AB 694 / SB 635	Bill requires hospitals to have a policy requiring written and verbal informed consent before a medical student may perform a pelvic exam on a patient who is under general anesthesia or otherwise unconscious.	Support	Did not pass	Rep. Brandtjen & Sen. Jacque	Health
AB 666 / SB 596	The bill establishes a Wisconsin Family Medical Leave Insurance Act	Support	Did not pass	Rep. Pope & Sen. Bewley	Economic Security