Legislative Update The Wisconsin Legislature has been busy this year--and the good news is that it has been introducing and passing proactive bills enhancing and protecting women's health.  What a difference a session can make! The Wisconsin Senate took a major step forward this spring by overwhelmingly passing Compassionate Care for Rape Victims (SB 129) on a vote of 27-6.  This bill ensures that rape victims receive comprehensive and compassionate medical treatment by requiring emergency rooms to provide information about and access to emergency contraception.  After an intense lobbying and grassroots campaign, the Assembly version of CCRV (AB 377) was scheduled for a public hearing on September 6th before the unfriendly Judiciary Committee.  Despite a clear and demonstrated need for improved access to EC for victims of rape and overwhelming support from the medical and rape crisis communities, AB 377 faces political challenges.  With your continued help, PPAWI staff will work to move CCRV forward for a vote in the Assembly.   The proposed 2008-09 state budget shows great strides in increasing access to health care from Governor Doyle, the Joint Finance Committee and the state Senate.  Governor Doyle's budget proposal increased family planning funding and expanded the highly successful Medicaid Family Planning Waiver program by adding low-income men and increasing the income eligibility to 200% of the federal poverty level.  The Joint Finance Committee, on a bipartisan vote, and the Senate complemented this investment in reproductive health care by approving the Governor's expansion and increasing funding for cervical cancer prevention and detection.  Increasing access to critical preventive health care for both men and women not only makes for a healthier Wisconsin, but also saves state taxpayers millions of dollars each year. The budget passed by the Assembly, however, is another story.  The Assembly budget eliminates access to family planning health care through a host of restrictive provisions barring funds to over 30 private family planning health centers, including Planned Parenthood, and gagging physicians from providing women with counseling on all of their pregnancy options.  In addition, the Assembly cut health care prevention funding for cervical cancer, HIV/AIDS and infant mortality.  With your help, PPAWI will continue its advocacy efforts to ensure that the Governor's and Senate's version of the budget survives. Keep an eye on the Capitol @ www.ppawi.org/legislation [top]	Compassionate Care   Victims of rape and incest deserve immediate access to safe, effective methods of pregnancy prevention. The Compassionate Care for Rape Victims bill ensures that this occurs by requiring all Wisconsin emergency rooms to provide rape victims with information about and access to emergency contraception. On May 16th, the Wisconsin Senate overwhelmingly voted 27-6 to pass the Compassionate Care for Rape Victims bill.  Yet, leaders in the Wisconsin Assembly have been ignoring the health care needs of rape victims and blatantly working to stop this critical bill from becoming law! Compassionate Care for Rape Victims (SB 129/AB 377) is a humane, commonsense initiative that the majority of Wisconsinites support.  For the sake of rape victims, we can't allow ideology to trump the health care needs of rape victims. Rape Survivor Pledges Continued Support for CCRV Linda, a rape survivor, has been speaking out in support of Compassionate Care for Rape Victims since 2005.  On September 6th, Linda, along with other rape survivors, women's advocates, health care professionals, and law enforcement, provided testimony urging the Assembly Judiciary Committee to support AB 377 without amendment or delay. "Not moving on this bill quickly sends rape survivors a message that we don't count and we don't matter.  But we do matter." Planned Parenthood is working with medical organizations, women's advocates and coalition partners throughout the state to push this bill forward in the Legislature.  You can help by calling your state representative and urging them to support Compassionate Care for Rape Victims (AB 377) without amendment. Linda hopes Wisconsin's elected officials listen.  "I wasn't offered emergency contraception after my assault, and I don't want to see that happen to any other woman in Wisconsin.  We have to pass this bill.  It's the least we can do to protect our mothers, sisters and daughters." Speak Out @ ppawi.org
Issue Campaign Organizing for Progressive Students Free Civic Engagement Trainings at both UW-Milwaukee & UW-Madison on October 5-6th Campus Camp Wellstone trains students nationwide on how to run energized, community-building, winning issue campaigns with a focus on campus organizing and young voter engagement. Join with Wellstone Action Fund and Planned Parenthood on October 5th and 6th for Campus Camp Wellstone training at UW-Milwaukee or UW-Madison.  Campus Camp Wellstone is a 1.5 day free training. The Camp is non-partisan and invites new and seasoned activists at both the undergrad and grad levels from any campus or high school. Campus Camp Wellstone training will include: Developing an Effective Message Planning for Issues and Voter Engagement Motivating and Mobilizing People for Action Building Effective, Respectful and Inclusive Coalitions Organizing as Vocation and Life-Long Work Campus Camp Wellstone agenda: Friday, October 5th from 3pm-9pm Saturday, October 6th from 9am-5pm All meals, snacks, and materials will be provided For more details and to register: www.ppawi.org/events	Make Your Voice Heard on Your Campus! Through Planned Parenthood's student groups, Vox and Advocates for Choice, we educate and mobilize college students across Wisconsin in support of reproductive health and rights.  Vox and Advocates for Choice groups organize public events, educate their peers, support their local Planned Parenthood health centers, and mobilize students to speak out for reproductive rights and access to reproductive health services. There's power in the voices of pro-choice students on your campus!  When you organize those voices as a Vox or Advocates for Choice student organization and work together to take action for reproductive health and freedom, you have a force that's more powerful than if you work alone.  Join us! Learn more by logging on to www.ppawi.org/takeaction [top]
Message from the President As a strong supporter of the work of Planned Parenthood, you already know the game the Assembly is playing with women's health and Wisconsin's future.  I encourage you to check out the summary of the Assembly's action in regards to the health of Wisconsin at www.ppawi.org/legislation and see for yourself why we so badly need to change many faces in the Wisconsin Assembly. We are preparing to do just that in 2008.  We have said it before in the last two election cycles--if you can't change their minds, you have to change the faces of our representatives.  We began doing just that in 2004, made huge strides in 2006, and need to keep up the momentum in 2008 so we never again have to waste precious time or money debating harmful legislation directed towards eliminating women's access to critical health care. We have a pro-choice Governor, a pro-choice Senate and now, in 2008, we have set our sights on taking back the Assembly.  But we need your help to accomplish this.  Please make a generous donation today so we can return our state Legislature to one that exercises compassion and works hard to create good public policy based on sound social and economic science, not the whims or ideologies of a few extremists. Most sincerely, James M. Stewart President, PPAWI [top]	Legislative Lowdown Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin is pursuing a strong pro-active prevention agenda during the 2007-08 Legislative Session including increasing access to cervical cancer screening and treatment, maintaining and expanding family planning health care programs, and increasing access to birth control, including emergency contraception, without harassment or delay.  Keep an eye on  the Capitol by logging onto www.ppawi.org/legislation Assembly There are 39 pro-choice legislators (all Democrats), 5 mixed-voting legislators (all Democrats), and 55 anti-choice and anti-birth control legislators in the Wisconsin Assembly (3 Democrats and 52 Republicans).  There continues to be no Republican representatives who support access to safe, legal abortion, even in the cases of rape, incest or if a woman's health is at risk.   Senate There are 15 pro-choice legislators (all Democrats), 5 mixed-voting legislators (3 Democrats and 2 Republicans), and 13 anti-choice and anti-birth control legislators in the Wisconsin Senate (all Republicans).
Meet the PPAWI Staff As staff of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin, we are humbled by our activists' willingness to share of yourself to build the reproductive justice and rights movement, trusting PPAWI to guide your efforts.  Our team is growing and we'd like to take this opportunity to introduce to you who we are and tell you in our own words why we work along side you in the fight for reproductive health and rights. 1. Lisa Boyce - Vice President since 2000 "I work at Planned Parenthood to ensure women obtain the health care they need and the respect and equality they deserve. Now that I have children of my own, the importance of securing these values is all the more important to better secure their future." 2. Tanya Atkinson - Field Director since 2004 "As a social worker, I've seen first-hand why every child should come into this world wanted and loved, and have been extraordinarily moved by activists who give so freely and selflessly to make that a reality." 3. Sarah Noble - Community Organizer since 2005 "Women are an important part of every aspect of life and I am not willing to allow anyone to compromise that truth.  I work for an organization that acts on that truth in its provision of quality health services, education and policy." 4. Chris Taylor - Public Policy Director since 2003 "I work at Planned Parenthood because access to reproductive health care is the key element for women to achieve, economic, political and social equality." 5. Nicole Safar - Policy & Legal Analyst since 2004 "Basic health care is a human right we all deserve.  But obtaining health care services, especially reproductive health care services, is a huge challenge for too many women.  Reducing this burden on women and girls, and creating an environment where we all have the ability to control our reproductive health keep me coming back to work every morning." 6. Andrea Gage - Media Relations Specialist since 2004 "As a journalist, I always wanted to make sure viewers learned about issues that had a true impact on their life. When I watch nurses walk through a line of protesters in the morning, activists dedicate their afternoon to raising awareness, and staff working around the clock to ensure continued access to basic health care, I know this is the most important story I could ever tell to members of the media and the people of Wisconsin." 7. JoCasta Zamarripa - Public Affairs Organizer since June 2007 "I am proud to be a member of the Planned Parenthood family and I look forward to my new role as a Public Affairs Organizer where I will be able to maintain my strong commitment to social justice and community advocacy in Milwaukee." 8. Shelle Michalak - Public Affairs Organizer since June 2007 "Planned Parenthood empowers women to make decisions about their own bodies and lives and that is why I am honored to work for an agency where reproductive and sexual health is protected and promoted." 9. Jennifer Olenchek - Public Affairs Organizer since 2002 "I respect women and their ability to know what is best for them, their lives, and their families, and so does Planned Parenthood.  I love being able to come to work everyday knowing that I'm working for justice and to protect our rights and freedom." [top]
Educate. Inspire. Volunteer Planned Parenthood is at the forefront of the fight for reproductive rights here at home, and basic human rights around the world.  PPAWI volunteers are at our events, on the phones, in the Capitol, and in the community helping us protect and expand access to basic health care for our patients, and for all women. Our team of dedicated volunteers is crucial to helping Planned Parenthood provide, promote, and protect reproductive health and rights.  Learn how you can volunteer at www.ppawi.org/volunteer. [top]	Volunteer Stories I found the Planned Parenthood table...and signed a petition supporting birth control access.  With that signature, I was welcomed into the Planned Parenthood community.  That spring I signed up to be a volunteer....  I not only feel like I've made a contribution to my community, but I know the friendships I've made with the other volunteers and staff members at Planned Parenthood will stay with me forever. --Maggie, Community Outreach Volunteer At Planned Parenthood I have learned a lot about...an organization that truly helps families and cares about women's health issues, whether they have insurance or not.  Before this last election, I tried to work as much as I could on phone banks and computer updating.  I really felt a part of something I believe in. --Chris, Phone Bank and Office Volunteer
U.S. Supreme Court Upholds the First Ever Federal Abortion Ban On April 18, 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the first federal law banning abortion.  Passed by Congress and signed by President Bush in 2003, the federal abortion ban criminalizes certain abortion procedures used in the second trimester, even though doctors say these procedures are the safest and best method to protect women's health. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected more than 30 years of legal precedent requiring that abortion restrictions protect women's health.  With this decision, the Supreme Court has moved significantly closer to overturning Roe v. Wade--the 1973 case that made it illegal for states to ban abortion.  The Supreme Court essentially voted to allow politicians to tell doctors what medical procedures are appropriate for women. Wisconsin has a state abortion ban, which was passed in 1998 and then blocked by the courts.  It remains unconstitutional according to Attorney General JB Van Hollen's informal legal opinion.  Wisconsin's ban is so broad it would outlaw the most frequently used abortion procedures as early as the 12th week of pregnancy and would throw physicians in prison for life--even when a woman's health was jeopardized by continuing her pregnancy. Even though the federal abortion ban applies in Wisconsin, we expect abortion opponents to use the Attorney General's opinion as an excuse to pass further abortion bans and restrictions that threaten women's health and lives in the state Legislature. In the shadow of this devastating Supreme Court decision, we must remain vigilant in the fight to protect women's health.  While the 2008 elections are still months away, it is not too soon to start working to change the faces of politicians who pass laws that endanger women's health.	Reproductive Rights are Human Rights In today's political climate, the war on women and their reproductive rights is being waged everywhere -- in the White House, in the halls of Congress and in the Wisconsin Legislature. The anti-choice movement continues to work to restrict access to abortion, birth control, responsible sex education, and compassionate care for rape victims. Despite these aggressive attacks from anti-choice extremists, the pro-choice community continues to fight back by defending our constitutional human rights and proactively seeking to increase and expand access to reproductive health care.  Below are a few things you can start doing today to protect reproductive rights. Keep an eye on the Capitol Send a letter to your elected officials Write a letter to the editor Volunteer with Planned Parenthood Get involved on your campus Sign-up 5 friends for choice Register to vote Donate to Planned Parenthood Log onto ppawi.org today to learn more and to take action! [top]
View the full Advocate: ppawi.org/advocate [top]

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin
PPAWI.org