Joy Goeben, Wisconsin State Representative of 5th District | Facebook
Joy Goeben, Wisconsin State Representative of 5th District | Facebook
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "pelvic exams on unconscious patients and creating an administrative rule related to hospital requirements for pelvic exams on unconscious patients".
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 hospitals acquire written informed consent from patients prior to conducting pelvic exams for educational purposes while the patients are unconscious or under general anesthesia. It requires hospitals to establish and maintain written policies and procedures to ensure compliance with this consent requirement. Additionally, the bill instructs the Department of Health Services to create a related administrative rule to reinforce these provisions. The bill becomes effective the day after its publication, with the administrative rule taking effect as stipulated by existing legislative procedure.
The bill was co-authored by Senator André Jacque (Republican-1st District), Representative Scott Allen (Republican-82nd District), Representative Clinton M. Anderson (Democrat-45th District), Representative Elijah R. Behnke (Republican-6th District), Representative Lindee Rae Brill (Republican-27th District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Tim Carpenter (Democrat-3rd District), Senator Jodi Habush Sinykin (Democrat-8th District), and Senator Dianne H. Hesselbein (Democrat-27th District), along 32 other co-sponsors.
Joy L. Goeben has co-authored or authored another five bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.
Goeben graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in 1997 with a BS.
Goeben, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2023 to represent the state's 5th Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Jim Steineke.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| AB11 | 02/06/2025 | Pelvic exams on unconscious patients and creating an administrative rule related to hospital requirements for pelvic exams on unconscious patients |
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