State Senate approves new requirements for abortions

Talk about it

Wisconsin senators have approved a bill that puts more requirements on doctors before they perform abortions on Wednesday, Feb. 22.

Democrats blocked a vote on the measure on Tuesday. But Majority Republicans passed it the next morning on a 17-15 party line vote. Wisconsin Right to Life hailed passage of the bill, which requires that doctors give physical exams to abortion candidates. Doctors must also be in the same room when prescribing drugs that induce abortions, prohibiting such actions by webcams.

The bill's opponents say Wisconsin doctors don't use webcams in their consultations.

Doctors would also be required to speak with women 24 hours before the procedures and make sure they're not being coerced into abortions.

Senate Republican Mary Lazich of New Berlin said the bill ensures that women don't get substandard care.

But Conover Democrat Jim Holperin said the measure tramples on individual liberties. The State Medical Society opposes the bill for that reason. It now goes to the Assembly.

Assembly votes to end punitive damages for job discrimination

State judges and juries could no longer award punitive damages for job discrimination under a bill passed by the Assembly Tuesday night. The vote was 60-35 to send the measure to Gov. Scott Walker for his signature.

Milwaukee Rep. Christine Sinicki and other Democrats called the bill a setback for women who don't get paid as much as men for the same work.

The bill's main author, Senate Republican Glenn Grothman of West Bend, said most job discrimination claims have no legal basis, and for those that do, employees can still get protections like back pay.

The state Workforce Development Department awards back pay and costs in pursuing discrimination complaints. Democrats started allowing lawsuits with punitive damages two years ago, something that will be scrapped when Walker signs the new bill.

Text messages added to do-not-call law

If you have a cell phone, you might not have to pay for as many text messages for unwanted sales pitches. The state Assembly voted 94-0 Tuesday night to add text messages to Wisconsin's popular do-not-call list for telemarketers. The bill now goes to Gov. Scott Walker for his signature.

More than 2.3 million phone numbers are on the state's no-call list, and over half those are cell phones. Charities and political candidates are exempt from the no-call law, along with companies you've done business with.

Tags: news, government, wisconsin