Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Republican Lawmakers Propose New 14-Week Abortion Ban In Wisconsin
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Republican Lawmakers Introduce 14-Week Abortion Ban
Republican lawmakers are proposing a new bill to ban abortion after 14 weeks of pregnancy except in situations where the mother's life or health would be endangered without the procedure − a measure that would reduce the timeframe for legal abortions by six weeks, prompting a promise to veto by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. The bill, introduced Friday, requires voters to approve the policy before it could take effect and is being fast-tracked through the Legislature, with a public hearing scheduled for Monday — the same day Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to visit Waukesha County to promote the Biden administration's focus on preserving abortion access ahead of the 2024 presidential election. (Beck, 1/19)
In related news —
NPR: Why Is Harris Going To Wisconsin To Talk About Abortion
Vice President Harris is kicking off a tour on Monday ... to draw attention to new restrictions on abortion, an issue that Democrats hope will fire up voters for the presidential election in November. ... "She is going to connect the dots for people," a White House official told NPR, speaking on condition of anonymity ahead of the tour. "She is going to make a clear connection between Roe being overturned, these extreme bans being put into effect by extremists across the country, and what harm those bans have caused for women." (Shivaram, 1/22)
The New York Times: Harris Begins A Reproductive Rights Tour On 51st Anniversary Of Roe
Wisconsin is crucial to Mr. Biden’s re-election prospects — he won there by about 20,600 votes in 2020 — and recent polling suggests a close race in 2024. It was also a target of former President Donald J. Trump’s efforts to spread falsehoods about illegal voting in 2020. But Democrats hope that a series of victories for abortion rights advocates in Wisconsin could signal a wider trend ahead of the general election. In April, Wisconsin voters elected a liberal candidate to the state’s Supreme Court by an 11-point margin. In September, Planned Parenthood began providing abortions again after a judge ruled that an 1849 state restriction against them — which had been invalidated by Roe until it fell — was not enforceable. (Rogers, 1/22)
Abortion news from Colorado and Minnesota —
NBC News: Colorado Abortion Rights Groups Launch 2024 Ballot Measure Effort
A coalition of reproductive rights groups in Colorado officially kicked off an effort Monday to place an amendment on the November ballot that would enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution. Coloradans for Protecting Reproductive Freedom is beginning its signature-collection efforts with events throughout the state — timing its campaign launch with the 51st anniversary of the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, which, until it was overturned in 2022, had legalized abortion rights throughout the U.S. (Edelman, 1/22)
Minnesota Public Radio: Abortion Opponents Try To Regroup After Losing Ground In Minnesota
Abortion opponents who have long turned out in big numbers for an annual demonstration at Minnesota’s Capitol find themselves gathering amid cross currents this year, given laws that limit access in many states while protections are stronger than ever here. (Ferguson, 1/22)
