Wisconsin Planned Parenthood Stops Scheduling Abortions In Anticipation Of Roe V Wade Ruling

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin has announced that they will not schedule appointments for abortion procedures after June 25 out of anticipation that the U.S. Supreme Court will formally overturn Roe v. Wade before the end of June.

If the ruling is overturned, under a trigger law, Wisconsin will revert to an 1849 statute that outlaws all abortions, except when the procedure is utilized to save a mother’s life. While Governor Tony Evers called for a special session to explore changing the century-old law, Republicans pushed back, ending the effort.

“Abortion appointments may be disrupted due to a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court impacting PPWI’s ability to provide abortion,” says Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin’s website. 

Politico published a leaked draft majority opinion that would overturn Roe on May 2. The Court’s formal opinion has not yet been published, but many abortion-rights advocates believe the ruling will be overturned.

“We are anticipating that the ruling will likely come before the end of June, so we are not scheduling our typical day one/day two procedures after June 25,” Allie Linton, associate medical director of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, told The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Those seeking an abortion in Wisconsin must make two appointments due to a law requiring a 24-hour waiting period. The first appointment requires an ultrasound and informed consent for the abortion. The second appointment is scheduled 24 hours later for the abortion procedure.

“Obviously if we are wrong and the ruling has not come out on the 27th, we will try to open up schedules and do the best that we can to get people in,” Linton said.

Dr. Kristin Lyerly, an obstetrician, and gynecologist in Wisconsin, posted on  Twitter on Thursday expressing her thoughts on the matter.

If abortion becomes illegal in Wisconsin, it will send patients over the state line into neighboring Minnesota, where the procedure is likely to remain legal. 

The legal director of nonprofit advocacy group Gender Justice, Jess Braverman, told Fox 9 this week, “We are just surrounded by states that are going to ban abortion, and it’s going to really increase the burden here in Minnesota, which is already…having access issues.”

“It’s going to create chaos. There’s one state where it may be like homicide to provide an abortion and another state where abortion is protected,” she continued.

It is unclear when or if the Court will publish its opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The Mississippi case has asked the Justices to reconsider Roe, leading to the uproar among abortion-rights activists. However, the Court generally publishes its last opinions of the judicial year in June and July.

 

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