Uncertainty Surrounding Legal Status, Planned Parenthood Resumes Abortions in Wisconsin

Planned Parenthood has announced that it will resume providing abortion care in Wisconsin, despite ongoing litigation regarding the legality of abortion in the state. While a 174-year-old law appears to ban abortions, a 1985 law criminalizes abortion only after fetal viability. The state supreme court's previous ruling in State v. Black interpreted the older law narrowly, distinguishing it from consensual abortions. With a new majority on the state supreme court and the diminished threat of impeachment, it is likely that abortion will soon be declared legal in Wisconsin. Planned Parenthood's decision to resume abortion care is bold but not without risk, as the outcome of the ongoing lawsuit is still uncertain.