Wisconsin Democrat Governor to Veto ‘Born Alive’ Bill

Gov. Tony Evers (D., Wisc.) will veto a bill which would punish doctors with up to life in prison if they failed to provide medical care to babies born alive after a failed abortion attempt.

Evers referenced existing protections in state law when he explained why he will veto the bill, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

"I think those protections already exist," Evers said on Monday. "We have all sorts of issues to deal with in the state of Wisconsin and to pass a bill that is redundant seems to be not a productive use of time. And clearly I ran on the belief — and I still believe — that women should be able to make choices about their health care. But this deals with a specific issue that's already been resolved."

Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, a Republican, explained the rationale for the bill.

"We wanted to reaffirm the fact that babies that survive abortions have the right to anything any other living, breathing individual in the state does," Steineke said. "And doctors have the responsibility to care for that child as they would for any other person who was living and breathing."

More