Wisconsin legislators are circulating a bill that would standardize requirements for hospitals treating victims of sexual assault.

Sponsors Sen. Judy Robson (D-Beloit) and Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Madison) expect the "Compassionate Care for Rape Victims Act" to be introduced in a few weeks.

The bill would require all Wisconsin hospitals to provide rape victims the option of Plan B, an emergency contraceptive that is essentially a high dose of birth control.

Plan B is 89 percent effective in preventing pregnancy if taken within 72 hours of a sexual encounter, according to Kelley Flury, communications director for Robson.

"There's no requirement like this in statute," Flury said. "Twenty-one hospitals in Wisconsin don't offer Plan B. This bill would require everyone to."

The bill also states if a woman desires the drug, she must first take a pregnancy test.

Flury said this stipulation was made because of concerns the Wisconsin Hospital Association had with a similar bill introduced last session. She said the new bill specifically states if the test reveals a woman is pregnant, the hospital would not be required to dispense the drug.

"The hospitals were concerned about women who may already be pregnant," she said. "The new bill clarifies if a victim is pregnant, she can't be given this."

But some anti-abortion activists say simply requiring access to this drug at all hospitals is ultimately mandating abortion.

"We want to make it clear without a doubt this is an abortion bill," said Peggy Hamill, state director of Pro-Life Wisconsin. She said Plan B and other birth control pills can be abortive because they break down uteral lining to prevent a fetus from attaching.

Hamill said the drug can also be abortive because standard pregnancy tests cannot accurately determine whether a woman is pregnant within 72 hours.

"Advocates of this bill are claiming if this woman is pregnant, the hospital does not have to dispense the drug," Hamill said. "But the pregnancy tests are not accurate enough yet to determine definitely whether the fertilization has occurred."

Both Flury and Pocan stressed Plan B is not a form of abortion.

"One of the parts people don't really understand is it doesn't stop a pregnancy, but stops one from occurring," Pocan said. "It's not abortive, it's preventative."

Pocan said the bill is necessary to provide consistency among all hospitals in the state. He said care for rape victims currently varies from hospital to hospital.

American Medical Association standards recommend emergency contraception be provided for victims of sexual assault, he added.

Hamill said hospitals should be allowed to follow their own protocol when dealing with such victims, especially since abortion violates the beliefs of some health care providers.

She said mandating Plan B be provided goes against provisions of conscience that are "on the book." She said Pro-Life Wisconsin is urging the House and Senate to reject the bill.

"This bill would tie the hands of Catholic hospitals," she said. "We must always err on the side of protecting innocent human life."

Pocan emphasized the bill's protection of the victim, saying hospitals in certain areas of the state may not provide the treatment the victim needs.

"This is an issue we've been trying to talk about for awhile," he said. "Someone who's going through the trauma of a rape shouldn't have to be shopping around for health care."

This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on Mar. 15 2005.