Walker says state already has strong abortion laws

MADISON - Gov. Scott Walker showed no interest Tuesday in passing an Iowa-style law that would ban abortions at six weeks in most cases.

“I think our laws protecting life in the state are very strong as it is right now. I mean in the past, we’ve been at the forefront in a lot of those things,” Walker told reporters when asked if he wanted to approve a ban like Iowa’s.

Asked a second time if he would back such legislation, the GOP governor again said the state already has strong abortion laws.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds this month signed the strictest abortion law in the country, barring the procedure when a fetal heartbeat can be detected — a point when many women do not know they are pregnant. Abortion providers and the American Civil Liberties Union are challenging the law in court.

Walker has long backed limits on abortion. He has signed laws that barred abortion after 20 weeks and required doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals.

Federal courts found the admitting privileges law unconstitutional and made the state pay $1.6 million in legal fees to a pair of abortion providers who brought the lawsuit.

Walker is running for re-election this fall. Nine Democrats are seeking their party’s nomination to challenge him.

Also Tuesday, Walker said he hoped $100 million could be delivered to Wisconsin schools in time to make safety upgrades by the time classes start this fall.

He made his comments in reacting to Friday’s shooting at a school in Santa Fe, Texas, that claimed 10 lives. Walker did not call for any gun restrictions, as many Democrats have in response to shootings like the one in Texas.

Walker in March signed legislation to give schools $100 million for school safety. Attorney General Brad Schimel is responsible for doling out the grants to schools.