William Penterman, Wisconsin State Representative for 37th District | Official website
William Penterman, Wisconsin State Representative for 37th District | Official website
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "requirements for children born alive following abortion or attempted abortion and providing a penalty".
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill mandates that health care providers present during an abortion or attempted abortion that results in a live birth must exercise the same degree of professional skill, care, and diligence as they would for any other child born at the same gestational age. The bill requires that such children be immediately transported to and admitted to a hospital. Failure to comply must be reported to law enforcement, and violations carry a penalty of a fine up to $10,000 or imprisonment for up to six years, or both. The mother cannot be prosecuted under these provisions. Additionally, the bill allows women to seek civil remedies for damages if the requirements are violated and penalizes intentional harm caused to a child born alive under these circumstances with life imprisonment. The bill stipulates confidentiality measures in legal proceedings related to these requirements, allowing courts to protect the identities of women involved.
The bill was co-authored by Sen. Eric Wimberger (Republican-2nd District), Rep. Elijah R. Behnke (Republican-6th District), Rep. Lindee Rae Brill (Republican-27th District), Rep. Calvin T. Callahan (Republican-35th District), and Rep. Barbara Dittrich (Republican-99th District). It was co-sponsored by Sen. Julian Bradley (Republican-28th District), Sen. Mary Felzkowski (Republican-12th District), and Sen. John Jagler (Republican-13th District), along with 18 other co-sponsors.
William Penterman has co-authored or authored another 97 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.
Penterman graduated from Ripon College in 2018 with a BA.
Penterman, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2025 to represent the state's 38th Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Barbara Dittrich.
In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| AB382 | 07/31/2025 | Requirements for children born alive following abortion or attempted abortion and providing a penalty |
| AB163 | 04/08/2025 | Redeterminations of eligibility for the Medical Assistance program and database confirmation for public assistance program eligibility. (FE) |
| AB135 | 03/13/2025 | The right to repair motor vehicles and providing a penalty. (FE) |
| AB119 | 03/11/2025 | Transfer of nursing home beds |
| AB89 | 02/28/2025 | Theft crimes and providing a penalty. (FE) |
| AB84 | 02/28/2025 | Prostitution crime surcharge and making an appropriation. (FE) |
| AB32 | 02/17/2025 | Access to public high schools for military recruiters |
| AB30 | 02/17/2025 | Prohibiting a foreign adversary from acquiring agricultural or forestry land in this state |
| AB29 | 02/17/2025 | Impoundment of vehicles used in certain traffic offenses |
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