How can abortion access feel as challenging today as when it was illegal? We’ll talk about it at our subscriber-only virtual event! Not a subscriber? Join at registration!

Have legislators in the state of Wisconsin run out of ways to prove that they really, really don’t like abortion? Apparently so, as they now contemplate passing a statewide “partial birth” abortion ban, despite the fact that the procedure doesn’t really exist and was already banned federally.

Via Muskego Patch:

The bill would prohibit partial-birth abortions in Wisconsin, making the performance of the procedure a Class I felony. While Congress has enacted a federal prohibition on partial-birth abortions, state law enforcement have no mechanism under which to enforce that ban, making it necessary for individual states to enact bans on their own, according to [Representative David] Craig.

In the procedure, a doctor partially delivers a baby 20-26 weeks of gestation—or later—using one of several methods to also collapse its head and evacuate the rest of the body. The procedure is also known as intact dilation and evacuation (D&E) and typically takes 2-3 days to complete.

Sex. Abortion. Parenthood. Power. The latest news, delivered straight to your inbox. SUBSCRIBE

“The difference between a partial-birth abortion and infanticide is mere semantics,” Craig said. “Plainly stated, our state has an obligation to protect human life. This measure will ensure that Wisconsin prosecutors have the tools they need to do so.”