Wisconsin Judge Rules to Resume Abortion Care Services, Reaffirming the Need to Protect Reproductive Rights

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin announced on Thursday that it will resume abortion care services next week after a judge ruled in July that a centuries-old state law that appeared to ban the procedure does not apply to abortions. The organization’s president and CEO, Tanya Atkinson, said in a statement that they are eager to provide this essential care to people in the state.

Meagan Wolfe, administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission since 2019, is expected to stay in her post for now, despite Wisconsin Republicans voting to fire her on Thursday. This is a lingering outgrowth of Donald Trump’s 2020 big lie campaign, which has caused doubt in Wisconsin elections. Wolfe and many state Democrats consider the vote to be illegitimate, as the elections commission did not technically put forth her nomination to stay in the job, though all six members agreed she should stay in it.

Atkinson said that with the recent confirmation from the court that there is not an enforceable abortion ban in Wisconsin, their staff can now provide the full scope of sexual and reproductive health care to anyone in Wisconsin who needs it. She added that Planned Parenthood’s central priority and driving force is patients and the community.

The decision to resume abortion services in Wisconsin is a major victory for reproductive rights advocates, who have been fighting for years to ensure access to safe and legal abortion care. It is also a reminder of the importance of protecting reproductive rights and the need to continue to fight for access to reproductive health care.