All state hospitals would be required to provide information on the use of emergency contraception to sexual assault victims under a bill proposed in the state Legislature last month, which is drawing criticism from some hospitals and anti-abortion groups.

Now in its early stages of committee hearings, the legislation has already met the usual suspects of protest — Pro-Life Wisconsin and other anti-abortion groups — but it has also met disapproval from some area hospitals.

That disapproval continued yesterday, when Capitol leaders held the first and only public hearing on the Senate version of the controversial bill.

Apart from informing sexual assault victims, the bill also mandates that hospitals provide emergency contraception — often called "the morning-after pill" — upon request from the victim if she is tested as not already pregnant. The mandate would apply to all hospitals, even religion-based hospitals, which have resisted birth control and abortion efforts.

The Wisconsin Medical Association, which has largely remained out of the central debate, supports informing sexual assault victims, but spokesperson Mark Grapentine said obligatory compliance conflicts with the organization's policies.

"Physicians shouldn't be legislatively mandated to provide that type of service," Grapentine said. "The victims should get as much information as possible."

Rather than forcing reluctant hospitals to provide emergency contraception — a high dose of birth control designed to prevent pregnancy within 72 hours of intercourse — Grapentine said staff should be allowed to help victims find the medicine they need elsewhere.

Grapentine also said removing provisions that mandate service would be a compromise between parties that could gather more support by hospitals and legislators.

After proposing the bill, Senate Majority Leader Judy Robson, D-Beloit, has repeatedly defended the proposal before Republican legislators. On Wednesday, Robson outlined her bill to the Senate's Health and Human Services Committee before hours of testimony by other parties.

"This isn't any type of mandate saying rape victims are going to get this," Robson spokesperson Josh Wescott said. "It's not about abortion. It's not about stopping a pregnancy — it's about prevention."

And the bill also aims to increase the prosecution of sexual assaults. As proposed by Robson, hospitals would have to explain options to report the assault and options to be examined for purposes of finding evidence.

"We had this legislation [for victims] to think about one last thing," Wescott added.

While some organizations have protested the legislation, others like Meriter Hospital, located south of campus, already offer emergency contraception to sexual assault victims.

"We're not a hospital that this is an issue for," said Mae Knowles, a spokesperson for Meriter. "We provide the services already."

And some religion-based medical centers, like St. Mary's Hospital in Madison, follow protocol supported by the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services.

First, sexual assault victims are given a test to determine if pregnancy existed prior to the assault. After a negative result and the woman's consent, she may be prescribed emergency contraception — one dose is given at the hospital and the other 12 hours later.

Emergency contraception and birth control have remained on the forefront of the national abortion debate, having a direct impact on University of Wisconsin students. Two weeks ago, the price of birth control at UHS dropped for the first time since it skyrocketed in March due to federal legislation.