A Senate committee is set to hold a public hearing on three bills Tuesday, one being a fetal tissue research ban and two others that would divert federal money from Planned Parenthood.
The fetal tissue ban, authored by state Sen. Duey Stroebel, R-Saukville, and state Rep. André Jacque, R-De Pere, would bar research using fetal tissue acquired after 2015.
UW-Madison officials have consistently voiced their opposition to the measure, saying it would have a detrimental effect on crucial research.
University officials’ beliefs were echoed last week by Wisconsin Manufactures & Commerce, the state’s largest business lobbying group, who announced in a statement that it would oppose the bill, saying it would harm biotechnology businesses in the state.
A second bill would block federal money from going to Planned Parenthood by diverting Title X money to state agencies. The third would prevent the organization from obtaining discounted medications, which it can currently do under Medicaid.
Legislative Republicans have grown more interested in Planned Parenthood following the release of videos taken by abortion opponents showing organization officials discussing the sale of fetal tissue.
An Assembly committee already approved all three bills and the full Assembly could vote on them as early as Thursday.
