SHEBOYGAN, Wis. — It’s been a busy couple of days for Michelle Velasquez. She’s the Chief Strategy Officer for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin.
She said Tuesday evening’s ruling from Dane County Circuit Court Judge Diane Schlipper is a step in the right direction for reproductive care.
“Her ruling was just consistent with her prior decisions and orders in the case indicating that Wisconsin Statue 940.04 does not prohibit abortions,” said Velasquez.
Velasquez said providers and health care systems across the state of Wisconsin can now treat patients with full reproductive care including abortions.
“I hope that this ruling will really reinforce to providers and their health care systems they can go ahead and provide that broader health care scope to their patients without worrying if a district attorney is going to file federal charges against them,” said Velasquez.
Sheboygan County District Attorney Joel Urmanski released a statement saying that he plans to appeal the ruling.
“As I have previously stated, I believe that, properly interpreted, the statute at issue prohibits performing abortions (including consensual abortions) unless the exception for abortions necessary to save the life of the mother applies. The Dane County Circuit Court has held otherwise, and I am obligated to comply with that ruling unless the decision is stayed pending appeal or ultimately reversed. To be clear, I disagree with and intend to appeal the decision. In my view, the statute plainly applies to abortions and, while it may be that the citizens of the State of Wisconsin would be better served by a different statute, I do not believe it is my job or the role of the courts to make that determination. It is an issue for the Legislature and the Governor to resolve.”
This is something a Sheboygan resident who wants to keep his name private strongly agrees with. He said for the past few years he will protest once a week outside of the Sheboygan Planned Parenthood.
“Every life counts from conception on. That’s a human being from conception on. I believe it’s our job to preserve life from that point in time.”
Velasquez hopes that the ruling is not appealed.
“It doesn’t mean that there’s all that there is in the continued fight to restore and protect and restore abortion, but it would mean that this case would be settled,” said Velasquez. I think that appealing the decision is an active choice to reinstate an active abortion ban in Wisconsin.”
She said while Tuesday’s ruling is a step in the right direction, there’s still a lot left to be done to ensure Wisconsinites receive their proper reproductive health care rights.
There are now three Planned Parenthood clinics across the state that offer abortion services. Milwaukee, Madison and Sheboygan. While Milwaukee and Madison resumed services in September, Sheboygan did not. Planned Parenthood said services will resume there shortly.