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April 10, 2012

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Privately Signs Anti-Abortion, Sex Ed Laws 
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Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker has privately signed a series of
controversial bills aimed at curbing access to abortion and sex
education. The first bill bans most abortion coverage under policies
obtained through a health insurance exchange set to be created under the
Obama administration’s healthcare reform law, allowing coverage only
for rape, incest or medical necessity. A second bill requires every
woman seeking an abortion to meet privately with a doctor and undergo an
exam before the procedure so the doctor can ensure she is not being
pressured. Doctors who violate the law could be charged with a felony. A
third bill requires teachers in schools that offer sex education to
stress abstinence and says they no longer need to address contraception.
Wisconsin’s current law requires some instruction on birth control
options. Walker signed the bills Thursday, but did not announce the move
until the next day on Good Friday, when his office released a list of
about 50 bills he had recently signed. Democrats slammed Walker for
signing the laws in private and for attacking the rights of women. Among
the other bills Walker signed was a repeal of the state’s Equal Pay
Enforcement Act, which gave women and other marginalized groups more
power to fight wage discrimination. According to the Wisconsin Alliance
for Women’s Health, women in Wisconsin make 75-cents for every dollar
men earn.



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