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FACT BRIEF

Did Assembly Speaker Robin Vos say Republicans are considering changes to the 1849 abortion law in Wisconsin?

By Jacob Alabab-Moser
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YES

Rep. Robin Vos, the Republican leader of the Wisconsin Assembly, expressed interest in working with fellow Republicans to "make some potential changes to the 1849 law" in the the 2023 legislative session. The statement was made during a Nov. 10, 2022 radio interview.

Vos said he would consider a new law that could be passed through the traditional legislative process with the cooperation of Gov. Tony Evers, who has vetoed more than 120 GOP bills since taking office. 

The Assembly speaker has proposed exceptions for rape and incest under the 1849 law, differentiating him from other Republicans who support upholding the current law, which has no such exceptions. But the Journal Sentinel reports Vos has said he would be willing to require the victim to file a police report to qualify for the exception.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
IHeart The Jay Weber Show — November 10, 2022: Robin Vos speaking on changing abortion stance
Wisconsin Public Radio Vos: Wisconsin's 1849 abortion ban should include exceptions for rape, incest if Roe v. Wade falls
WEAU News Post-Roe differences surface in GOP over new abortion rules
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Robin Vos says he's willing to make filing a police report a requirement to prove rape or incest for obtaining an abortion
Wisconsin Public Radio Tony Evers, Tim Michels agree: Evers’ veto pen is the only obstacle for more than 100 GOP bills
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Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.