WI Gov Doyle Vetoes Republican Abortion Plan

From Associated Press, 1/07/06

MADISON, Wis. - Gov. Jim Doyle on Friday vetoed a bill that would have forced doctors to tell women seeking abortions after their fifth month of pregnancy that their fetuses could suffer pain.

Doyle, a Democrat, said there is no evidence conclusively proving when a fetus can feel pain. The Republican-controlled Legislature should not be allowed to decide scientific fact, he said.

"It would be reckless to inject a requirement that doctors communicate unproven science to their patients during an already difficult and sometimes traumatic time," Doyle wrote in his veto message. "This bill intrudes on the doctor-patient relationship ... and contravenes the requirement that doctors provide objective and accurate information to their patients."

When a fetus can feel pain is a matter of debate in the medical community. The bill's supporters say some research supports the theory that a fetus can feel pain at the 20th week of pregnancy. Opponents say none of those claims have been proven.

Bob Delaporte, a spokesman for Republican Assembly Speaker John Gard accused Doyle of "ignoring the science on this one."

Women seeking abortions in Wisconsin already must be given information on alternatives to ending their pregnancies. They also must wait 24 hours after a counseling session to have the procedure performed.