Wisconsin doctors may soon be required to inform some female patients seeking an abortion that their unborn children could feel pain under a bill passed recently by the Wisconsin Legislature.

The Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act, which would apply to women carrying fetuses at least 20 weeks old and are considering having an abortion, was passed in the Senate by a 21-12 vote on Sept. 27 and passed in the Assembly by a 61-34 vote on Nov. 8.

The bill was proposed by state Rep. Ann Nischke (R-Waukesha) and state Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend).

"The main purpose of the legislation is to have women be fully informed before they make that life-changing decision," said Adam Peer, Nischke's chief policy advisor.

Despite its support in the Legislature, Doyle is likely to veto the bill, according to spokeswoman Anne Lupardus.

"Medical decisions should be made by you and your doctor, not legislators," she said. "We don't need legislators telling doctors how to do their jobs."

If the governor vetoes the bill, its proponents could bring it back to the Assembly and attempt to override the veto with a two-thirds vote, according to Rep. Chuck Benedict (D-Beloit).

Nischke and Grothman's proposal has garnered the support of Milwaukee-based Wisconsin Right to Life.

"We support (the bill) 100 percent," said Wisconsin Right to Life legislative director Susan Armacost. The bill "is one of our top priorities."

The bill has been met with some heavy opposition from inside and outside forces.

Benedict, who voted against the bill, said "it mandates part of the doctor-patient relationship" and forces physicians to disclose information, regardless of whether they feel it is appropriate or not.

NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin, a foundation dedicated to the protection of reproductive rights, also opposes the legislation.

"We certainly oppose this bill," said Kelda Helen Roys, executive director of NARAL. "The bill really has the potential to undermine women's health."

While Roys did not dispute Peer's point that women should have the right to be informed of all necessary information before they have an abortion, she said the argument that a human fetus can feel pain at 20 weeks was "scientifically unsupportable" and would force doctors to lie to their patients.

The bill "puts forth assertions that are not supported by the scientific and medical community," she said.

Armacost said Roys' claim was "absolutely ridiculous," citing a recent hearing in Washington, D.C. on a federal version of the "fetal pain" bill that included the top pain experts in the nation as proof that the legislation was based on scientific fact.

The bill is expected to be sent to Doyle's office on Jan. 5, the next scheduled date for when bills passed by the Legislature will be sent to Doyle, according to Peer. However, Doyle is expected to call for the bill and make a decision before that date.