253.07(1)(b)
(b) "Family planning services" mean counseling by trained personnel regarding family planning; distribution of information relating to family planning; and referral to licensed nurse practitioners within the scope of their practice, licensed physicians or local health departments for consultation, examination, medical treatment and prescriptions for the purpose of family planning. "Family planning" does not include the performance, promotion, encouragement or counseling in favor of, or referral either directly or through an intermediary for, voluntary termination of pregnancy, but may include the providing of nondirective information explaining any of the following:
253.07(1)(c)
(c) "Women's health funds" means state funds appropriated under
s. 20.435 (1) (f) or federal funds received by the state under Title V of the federal Social Security Act,
42 USC 701 to
713, that are allocated for the purposes described in this section.
253.07(2)(a)(a) The department shall provide for delivery of family planning services throughout the state by developing and by annually reviewing and updating a state plan for community-based family planning programs.
253.07(2)(b)
(b) The department shall allocate women's health funds under its control in a manner which will promote the development and maintenance of an integrated system of community health services. It shall maximize the use of existing community family planning services by encouraging local contractual arrangements.
253.07(2)(c)
(c) The department shall coordinate the delivery of family planning services by allocating women's health funds in a manner which maximizes coordination between the agencies.
253.07(2)(d)
(d) The department shall encourage maximum coordination of family planning services between county social services departments, family planning agencies and local health departments to maximize the use of health, social service and welfare resources.
253.07(2)(e)
(e) The department shall promulgate all rules necessary to implement and administer this section.
253.07(3)
(3) Individual rights, medical privilege. 253.07(3)(a)(a) The request of any person for family planning services or his or her refusal to accept any service shall in no way affect the right of the person to receive public assistance, public health services or any other public service. Nothing in this section may abridge the right of the individual to make decisions concerning family planning, nor may any individual be required to state his or her reason for refusing any offer of family planning services.
253.07(3)(b)
(b) Any employee of the agencies engaged in the administration of the provisions of this section may refuse to accept the duty of offering family planning services to the extent that the duty is contrary to his or her personal beliefs. A refusal may not be grounds for dismissal, suspension, demotion, or any other discrimination in employment. The directors or supervisors of the agencies shall reassign the duties of employees in order to carry out the provisions of this section.
253.07(3)(c)
(c) All information gathered by any agency, entity or person conducting programs in family planning, other than statistical information compiled without reference to the identity of any individual or other information which the individual allows to be released through his or her informed consent, shall be considered a confidential medical record.
253.07(4)
(4) Women's health block grant services. From the appropriation under
s. 20.435 (1) (f) and subject to
sub. (5), the department shall distribute the following amounts for all of the following:
253.07(4)(a)
(a) In each fiscal year, $225,000 to establish and maintain 2 city-based clinics for delivery of family planning services under this section, in the cities of Milwaukee, Racine, or Kenosha.
253.07(4)(b)
(b) In each fiscal year, $67,500 to subsidize the provision of papanicolaou tests to individuals with low income by entities that receive women's health funds. In this paragraph, "low income" means adjusted gross income that is less than 200% of the poverty line established under
42 USC 9902 (2).
253.07(4)(c)
(c) In each fiscal year, $54,000 to subsidize the provision of follow-up cancer screening by entities that receive women's health funds.
253.07(4)(d)
(d) In each fiscal year, $31,500 as grants for employment in communities of licensed registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nurse-midwives, or licensed physician assistants who are members of a racial minority.
253.07(4)(e)
(e) In each fiscal year, $36,000 to initiate, in areas of high incidence of the disease chlamydia, education, and outreach programs to locate, educate, and treat individuals at high risk of contracting the disease chlamydia and their partners.
253.07(5)(a)(a) The department shall distribute women's health funds only to public entities. These funds may be allocated for any activities for which funds were provided under this section before July 1, 2011, including pregnancy testing; perinatal care coordination and follow-up; cervical cancer screening; sexually transmitted infection prevention, testing, treatment, and follow-up; and general health screening.
253.07(5)(b)
(b) Subject to
par. (c), a public entity that receives women's health funds under this section may provide some or all of the funds to other public or private entities provided that the recipient of the funds does not do any of the following:
253.07(5)(b)3.
3. Have an affiliate that provides abortion services or makes referrals for abortion services.
253.07(5)(c)
(c) Providing abortion services, making referrals for abortion services, or having an affiliate that provides abortion services or makes referrals for abortion services solely under the circumstances described in
s. 20.927 (2) does not disqualify an entity from receiving women's health funds from a public entity under
par. (b).
253.07 History
History: 1977 c. 418;
1979 c. 89;
1991 a. 39 s.
3695;
1993 a. 27 s.
379; Stats. 1993 s. 253.07;
1993 a. 105, s.
13;
1997 a. 27,
67;
2009 a. 28;
2011 a. 32; s. 35.17 correction in (4) (a).
253.07 Annotation
Toward greater reproductive freedom: Wisconsin's new family planning act. 1979 WLR 509.
253.08
253.08
Pregnancy counseling services. The department shall award grants from the appropriation account under
s. 20.435 (1) (eg) to individuals and organizations to provide pregnancy counseling services. For a program to be eligible under this section, an applicant must demonstrate that moneys provided in a grant under this section will not be used to engage in any activity specified in
s. 20.9275 (2) (a) 1. to
3.
253.08 History
History: 1985 a. 29;
1993 a. 27 s.
377; Stats. 1993 s. 253.08;
1997 a. 27;
2009 a. 28.
253.085
253.085
Outreach to low-income pregnant women. 253.085(1)(1) The department shall conduct an outreach program to make low-income pregnant women aware of the importance of early prenatal and infant health care and of the availability of medical assistance benefits under
subch. IV of ch. 49 and other types of funding for prenatal and infant care, to refer women to prenatal and infant care services in the community and to make follow-up contacts with women referred to prenatal and infant care services.
253.085(2)
(2) In addition to the amounts appropriated under
s. 20.435 (1) (ev), the department shall distribute $250,000 for each fiscal year from moneys received under the maternal and child health services block grant program,
42 USC 701 to
709, for the outreach program under this section.
253.085 History
History: 1987 a. 399;
1991 a. 39;
1993 a. 27 s.
47; Stats. 1993 s. 253.085;
1995 a. 27;
1997 a. 27;
2009 a. 28.
253.09
253.09
Abortion refused; no liability; no discrimination. 253.09(1)(1) No hospital shall be required to admit any patient or to allow the use of the hospital facilities for the purpose of performing a sterilization procedure or removing a human embryo or fetus. A physician or any other person who is a member of or associated with the staff of a hospital, or any employee of a hospital in which such a procedure has been authorized, who shall state in writing his or her objection to the performance of or providing assistance to such a procedure on moral or religious grounds shall not be required to participate in such medical procedure, and the refusal of any such person to participate therein shall not form the basis of any claim for damages on account of such refusal or for any disciplinary or recriminatory action against such person.
253.09(2)
(2) No hospital or employee of any hospital shall be liable for any civil damages resulting from a refusal to perform sterilization procedures or remove a human embryo or fetus from a person, if such refusal is based on religious or moral precepts.
253.09(3)
(3) No hospital, school or employer may discriminate against any person with regard to admission, hiring or firing, tenure, term, condition or privilege of employment, student status or staff status on the ground that the person refuses to recommend, aid or perform procedures for sterilization or the removal of a human embryo or fetus, if the refusal is based on religious or moral precepts.
253.09(4)
(4) The receipt of any grant, contract, loan or loan guarantee under any state or federal law does not authorize any court or any public official or other public authority to require:
253.09(4)(a)
(a) Such individual to perform or assist in the performance of any sterilization procedure or removal of a human embryo or fetus if the individual's performance or assistance in the performance of such a procedure would be contrary to the individual's religious beliefs or moral convictions; or
253.09(4)(b)1.
1. Make its facilities available for the performance of any sterilization procedure or removal of a human embryo or fetus if the performance of such a procedure in such facilities is prohibited by the entity on the basis of religious beliefs or moral convictions; or
253.09(4)(b)2.
2. Provide any personnel for the performance or assistance in the performance of any sterilization procedure or assistance if the performance or assistance in the performance of such procedure or the removal of a human embryo or fetus by such personnel would be contrary to the religious beliefs or moral convictions of such personnel.
253.09 History
History: 1973 c. 159; Stats. 1973 s. 140.275;
1973 c. 336 s.
54; Stats. 1973 s. 140.42;
1979 c. 34;
1993 a. 27 s.
222; Stats. 1993 s. 253.09;
1993 a. 482.
253.10
253.10
Voluntary and informed consent for abortions. 253.10(1)(1)
Legislative findings and intent. 253.10(1)(a)1.
1. Many women now seek or are encouraged to undergo elective abortions without full knowledge of the medical and psychological risks of abortion, development of the unborn child or of alternatives to abortion. An abortion decision is often made under stressful circumstances.
253.10(1)(a)2.
2. The knowledgeable exercise of a woman's decision to have an elective abortion depends on the extent to which the woman receives sufficient information to make a voluntary and informed choice between 2 alternatives of great consequence: carrying a child to birth or undergoing an abortion.
253.10(1)(a)3.
3. The U.S. supreme court has stated: "In attempting to ensure that a woman apprehend the full consequences of her decision, the State furthers the legitimate purpose of reducing the risk that a woman may elect an abortion, only to discover later, with devastating psychological consequences, that her decision was not fully informed." Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey,
112 U.S. 2791, 2823 (1992).
253.10(1)(a)4.
4. It is essential to the psychological and physical well-being of a woman considering an elective abortion that she receive complete and accurate information on all options available to her in dealing with her pregnancy.
253.10(1)(a)5.
5. The vast majority of elective abortions in this state are performed in clinics that are devoted solely to providing abortions and family planning services. Women who seek elective abortions at these facilities normally do not have a prior patient-physician relationship with the physician who is to perform or induce the abortion, normally do not return to the facility for post-operative care and normally do not continue a patient-physician relationship with the physician who performed or induced the abortion. In most instances, the woman's only actual contact with the physician occurs simultaneously with the abortion procedure, with little opportunity to receive personal counseling by the physician concerning her decision. Because of this, certain safeguards are necessary to protect a woman's right to know.
253.10(1)(a)6.
6. A reasonable waiting period is critical to ensure that a woman has the fullest opportunity to give her voluntary and informed consent before she elects to undergo an abortion.
253.10(1)(b)
(b) It is the intent of the legislature in enacting this section to further the important and compelling state interests in all of the following:
253.10(1)(b)1.
1. Protecting the life and health of the woman subject to an elective abortion and, to the extent constitutionally permissible, the life of her unborn child.
253.10(1)(b)2.
2. Fostering the development of standards of professional conduct in the practice of abortion.
253.10(1)(b)3.
3. Ensuring that prior to the performance or inducement of an elective abortion, the woman considering an elective abortion receive personal counseling by the physician and be given a full range of information regarding her pregnancy, her unborn child, the abortion, the medical and psychological risks of abortion and available alternatives to the abortion.
253.10(1)(b)4.
4. Ensuring that a woman who decides to have an elective abortion gives her voluntary and informed consent to the abortion procedure.
253.10(2)(a)
(a) "Abortion" means the use of an instrument, medicine, drug or other substance or device with intent to terminate the pregnancy of a woman known to be pregnant or for whom there is reason to believe that she may be pregnant and with intent other than to increase the probability of a live birth, to preserve the life or health of the infant after live birth or to remove a dead fetus.
253.10(2)(am)
(am) "Abortion-inducing drug" means a drug, medicine, oral hormonal compound, mixture, or preparation, when it is prescribed to terminate the pregnancy of a woman known to be pregnant.
253.10(2)(c)
(c) "Disability" means a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a record of having such an impairment or being regarded as having such an impairment. "Disability" includes any physical disability or developmental disability, as defined in
s. 51.01 (5) (a).
253.10(2)(d)
(d) "Medical emergency" means a condition, in a physician's reasonable medical judgment, that so complicates the medical condition of a pregnant woman as to necessitate the immediate abortion of her pregnancy to avert her death or for which a 24-hour delay in performance or inducement of an abortion will create serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of one or more of the woman's major bodily functions.
253.10(2)(e)
(e) "Probable gestational age of the unborn child" means the number of weeks that have elapsed from the probable time of fertilization of a woman's ovum, based on the information provided by the woman as to the time of her last menstrual period, her medical history, a physical examination performed by the physician who is to perform or induce the abortion or by any other qualified physician and any appropriate laboratory tests performed on her.
253.10(2)(f)
(f) "Qualified person assisting the physician" means a social worker certified under
ch. 457, a registered nurse or a physician assistant to whom a physician who is to perform or induce an abortion has delegated the responsibility, as the physician's agent, for providing the information required under
sub. (3) (c) 2.
253.10(2)(g)
(g) "Qualified physician" means a physician who by training or experience is qualified to provide the information required under
sub. (3) (c) 1.
253.10(3)
(3) Voluntary and informed consent. 253.10(3)(a)(a)
Generally. An abortion may not be performed or induced unless the woman upon whom the abortion is to be performed or induced has and, if the woman is a minor and
s. 48.375 (4) (a) 2. does not apply, the individual who also gives consent under
s. 48.375 (4) (a) 1. have given voluntary and informed written consent under the requirements of this section.
253.10(3)(b)
(b)
Voluntary consent. Consent under this section to an abortion is voluntary only if the consent is given freely and without coercion by any person. The physician who is to perform or induce the abortion shall determine whether the woman's consent is, in fact, voluntary. Notwithstanding
par. (c) 3., the physician shall make the determination by speaking to the woman in person, out of the presence of anyone other than a person working for or with the physician. If the physician has reason to suspect that the woman is in danger of being physically harmed by anyone who is coercing the woman to consent to an abortion against her will, the physician shall inform the woman of services for victims or individuals at risk of domestic abuse and provide her with private access to a telephone.
253.10(3)(c)
(c)
Informed consent. Except if a medical emergency exists, a woman's consent to an abortion is informed only if all of the following first take place:
253.10(3)(c)1.
1. Except as provided in
sub. (3m), at least 24 hours before the abortion is to be performed or induced, the physician who is to perform or induce the abortion or any other qualified physician has, in person, orally informed the woman of all of the following:
253.10(3)(c)1.a.
a. Whether or not, according to the reasonable medical judgment of the physician, the woman is pregnant.
253.10(3)(c)1.b.
b. The probable gestational age of the unborn child at the time that the information is provided. The physician or other qualified physician shall also provide this information to the woman in writing at this time.
253.10(3)(c)1.c.
c. The particular medical risks, if any, associated with the woman's pregnancy.
253.10(3)(c)1.d.
d. The probable anatomical and physiological characteristics of the woman's unborn child at the time the information is given.
253.10(3)(c)1.e.
e. The details of the medical or surgical method that would be used in performing or inducing the abortion.
253.10(3)(c)1.f.
f. The medical risks associated with the particular abortion procedure that would be used, including the risks of infection, psychological trauma, hemorrhage, endometritis, perforated uterus, incomplete abortion, failed abortion, danger to subsequent pregnancies and infertility.
253.10(3)(c)1.g.
g. That fetal ultrasound imaging and auscultation of fetal heart tone services are available that enable a pregnant woman to view the image or hear the heartbeat of her unborn child. In so informing the woman and describing these services, the physician shall advise the woman as to how she may obtain these services if she desires to do so.
253.10(3)(c)1.h.
h. The recommended general medical instructions for the woman to follow after an abortion to enhance her safe recovery and the name and telephone number of a physician to call if complications arise after the abortion.
253.10(3)(c)1.hm.
hm. If the abortion is induced by an abortion-inducing drug, that the woman must return to the abortion facility for a follow-up visit 12 to 18 days after the use of an abortion-inducing drug to confirm the termination of the pregnancy and evaluate the woman's medical condition.
253.10(3)(c)1.i.
i. If, in the reasonable medical judgment of the physician, the woman's unborn child has reached viability, that the physician who is to perform or induce the abortion is required to take all steps necessary under
s. 940.15 to preserve and maintain the life and health of the child.
253.10(3)(c)1.j.
j. Any other information that a reasonable patient would consider material and relevant to a decision of whether or not to carry a child to birth or to undergo an abortion.
253.10(3)(c)1.jm.
jm. That the woman has a right to refuse to consent to an abortion, that her consent is not voluntary if anyone is coercing her to consent to an abortion against her will, and that it is unlawful for the physician to perform or induce the abortion without her voluntary consent.
253.10(3)(c)1.k.
k. That the woman may withdraw her consent to have an abortion at any time before the abortion is performed or induced.
253.10(3)(c)1.L.
L. That, except as provided in
sub. (3m), the woman is not required to pay any amount for performance or inducement of the abortion until at least 24 hours have elapsed after the requirements of this paragraph are met.
253.10(3)(c)2.
2. Except as provided in
sub. (3m), at least 24 hours before the abortion is to be performed or induced, the physician who is to perform or induce the abortion, a qualified person assisting the physician or another qualified physician has, in person, orally informed the woman of all of the following:
