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Bills from the 2011–12 session

Senate Bill 92

Prohibiting coverage of abortions through health plans sold through exchanges

Topics: Abortion, Insurance: Health

Became law

The governor signed it on Apr 6, 2012. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    May 10, 2011

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed 61 to 34

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2011 Wisconsin Act 218

Latest entry in the official record, Apr 10, 2012: “Published 4-19-2012”

Read the bill

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What it does

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), which was enacted on March 23, 2010, each state must establish an American health benefit exchange (exchange) to assist individuals and certain businesses in purchasing health insurance. Health insurance offered through the exchange (known as a "qualified health plan" in PPACA) must meet certain federal requirements, including offering the essential health benefits package that is established by the federal Department of Health and Human Services. PPACA allows states to prohibit coverage of abortions by qualified health plans offered through the exchange.

Under current law, funds of the state, a local government, or a long-term care district and federal funds passing through the state treasury may not be paid to a physician or surgeon or a hospital, clinic, or other medical facility for the performance of an abortion. This funding prohibition does not apply in the following circumstances: 1) the abortion is directly and medically necessary to save the life of the woman and a physician so certifies; 2) the abortion is performed in the case of sexual assault or incest, a physician so certifies, and the sexual assault or incest is reported to law enforcement; and 3) due to a preexisting medical condition, the abortion is directly and medically necessary to prevent grave, long-lasting physical health damage to the woman and a physician so certifies.

Read the full summary

This bill prohibits a qualified health plan offered through any exchange operating in this state from covering any abortion the performance of which is ineligible for funding from the state, a local government, or a long-term care district or from federal funds passing through the state treasury.

Who's behind it

10 senators are its ⁠. All 10 are Republicans.

31 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 41 names

Authors (10)

Signed on in support (31)

Versions and amendments

Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.

How lawmakers voted

There were 7 votes on this bill. Taking a bill up right away needs two-thirds of the members, a higher bar than passing it, so that vote can draw more yeses than the final one.

Senate Committee on Public Health vote to recommend it

Passed, 3 to 2 · Jun 16, 2011

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report passage recommended by committee on Public Health, Human Services, and Revenue, Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Failed, 16 to 17 · Oct 20, 2011

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Refused to refer to committee on Senate Organization, Ayes 16, Noes 17”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote to pass it

Passed, 17 to 16 · Oct 20, 2011

See how each of the 33 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Official motion: “Passed, Ayes 17, Noes 16”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to take it up right away

Passed, 61 to 34 · Mar 13, 2012 · 4 didn't vote

See how each of the 99 representatives voted

D: Democrat, I: Independent, R: Republican

Yes (61)

Didn't vote (4)

Official motion: “Rules suspended to read a third time, Ayes 61, Noes 34”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 61 to 34 · Mar 13, 2012 · 2 didn't vote

See how each of the 97 representatives voted

D: Democrat, I: Independent, R: Republican

Yes (61)

Didn't vote (2)

Official motion: “Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 61, Noes 34, Paired 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 62 to 33 · Mar 13, 2012

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Assembly amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 62, Noes 33”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 60 to 35 · Mar 13, 2012

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Assembly amendment 2 laid on table, Ayes 60, Noes 35”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Apr 10, 2012

    The new law was published.

  2. Apr 6, 2012

    The governor signed it. It became 2011 Wisconsin Act 218.

  3. Mar 29, 2012

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Mar 13, 2012

    The Assembly passed it too, 61 to 34.

  5. Feb 20, 2012

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  6. Oct 27, 2011

    The Assembly received it.

  7. Oct 25, 2011

    “Messaged” (the official wording)

  8. Oct 20, 2011

    The Senate passed it, 17 to 16.

  9. Oct 20, 2011

    “Read a third time” (the official wording)

  10. Oct 20, 2011

    “Placed at the foot of the 11th order of business on the calendar of 10-20-2011” (the official wording)

  11. Jun 16, 2011

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 3 to 2.

  12. May 25, 2011

    The committee held a public hearing.

  13. May 18, 2011

    1 more representative and 1 senator signed on in support.

  14. May 10, 2011

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Public Health, Human Services, and Revenue.

  15. May 10, 2011

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. May 10, 2011 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Zipperer, Leibham, Cowles, Galloway, Hopper, Kapanke, Kedzie, Lazich, Moulton and Wanggaard;Cosponsored by Representatives Vos, Jacque, Ballweg, Brooks, Endsley, Farrow, Honadel, Kapenga, Kerkman, Kestell, Kleefisch, Kooyenga, Kuglitsch, LeMahieu, Nass, Nygren, A. Ott, J. Ott, Petersen, Pridemore, Severson, Spanbauer, Steineke, Thiesfeldt, Van Roy, Weininger, Williams, Wynn and Ziegelbauer

  2. May 10, 2011 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Public Health, Human Services, and Revenue

  3. May 18, 2011 · Senate

    Senator Grothman added as a coauthor

  4. May 18, 2011 · Senate

    Representative Strachota added as a cosponsor

  5. May 25, 2011 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  6. Jun 16, 2011 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  7. Jun 16, 2011 · Senate

    Report passage recommended by committee on Public Health, Human Services, and Revenue, Ayes 3, Noes 2

  8. Jun 16, 2011 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  9. Oct 19, 2011 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 10-20-2011 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  10. Oct 20, 2011 · Senate

    Read a second time

  11. Oct 20, 2011 · Senate

    Placed at the foot of the 11th order of business on the calendar of 10-20-2011

  12. Oct 20, 2011 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  13. Oct 20, 2011 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  14. Oct 20, 2011 · Senate

    Read a third time

  15. Oct 20, 2011 · Senate

    Refused to refer to committee on Senate Organization, Ayes 16, Noes 17

  16. Oct 20, 2011 · Senate

    Passed, Ayes 17, Noes 16

  17. Oct 25, 2011 · Senate

    Messaged

  18. Oct 27, 2011 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  19. Feb 20, 2012 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  20. Mar 6, 2012 · Assembly

    Made a special order of business at 11:02 A.M. on 3-13-2012 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 22

  21. Mar 13, 2012 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  22. Mar 13, 2012 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 1 offered by Representatives Berceau and Roys

  23. Mar 13, 2012 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 62, Noes 33

  24. Mar 13, 2012 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 2 offered by Representatives C. Taylor, Zamarripa, Bewley, Ringhand, Turner, Richards, Kessler, Hulsey, Berceau, Mason, Young and Roys

  25. Mar 13, 2012 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 2 laid on table, Ayes 60, Noes 35

  26. Mar 13, 2012 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  27. Mar 13, 2012 · Assembly

    Rules suspended to read a third time, Ayes 61, Noes 34

  28. Mar 13, 2012 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 61, Noes 34, Paired 2

  29. Mar 13, 2012 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  30. Mar 13, 2012 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  31. Mar 19, 2012 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled on 3-19-2012

  32. Mar 29, 2012 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 3-29-2012

  33. Apr 6, 2012 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 4-5-2012. 2011 Wisconsin Act 218

  34. Apr 10, 2012 · Senate

    Published 4-19-2012

Terms on this page

Wisconsin Act

The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.

Official term: Act. More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary

From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source

Wisconsin Act

The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.

Official term: Act

More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis

More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor

More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor

More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote

More in the glossary