A ban on abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected and a move to strip about $2 million in funding from Planned Parenthood have run into a Senate roadblock. The one-man stop sign is Republican Senate President Tom Niehaus who told reporters Tuesday afternoon that he will shelve both controversial measures for the rest of this legislative session.
Slated to be replaced next year as Senate leader by Sen. Keith Faber, Niehaus told his 23-member Republican majority caucus Tuesday morning about his decision on the so-called heartbeat bill. The New Richmond lawmaker said he considered “a number of factors” in making his decision including “constitutional concerns” that the heartbeat bill might not survive a court challenge.
“I want to continue our focus on jobs and the economy,” he said. “That’s what people are concerned about.”
Also not moving in the Senate during the lame-duck session is a measure effectively stripping about $2 million in federal funding from Planned Parenthood and other stand-alone family planning clinics, according to Niehaus. If neither bill is passed by the Senate in the next five weeks, they both return to square one when the legislature reconvenes in January for a new session.
“From my perspective, you have to look at the entirety of the work that is done by Planned Parenthood, and I believe that they offer much-needed services that are not offered other places,” Niehaus said.
Tuesday’s announcement seems to slam the door shut on both measures for the rest of 2012, but both are likely to return again next year when a new legislature is seated.
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