MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Wisconsin Republicans say they're focusing squarely on jobs this year, but numerous proposals that advocates say are part of an anti-reproductive rights agenda are working their way through the Legislature and could soon head to Gov. Scott Walker for approval.

Those measures range from changes in the state's sex education curriculum to weighing in on the national debate over when life begins.

Democratic opponents and others say the bills speak to an anti-woman agenda that will only sidetrack lawmakers at a time when they're trying to improve an economy where jobs have been lost for six straight months.

Walker, who faces a possible recall election later this year, has urged lawmakers to focus on the economy. He didn't mention any women's health issues in his State of the State speech Wednesday and none of the pending health bills has any real jobs impact.

But support is strong among Republicans who have the votes to pass many of the bills.

Nicole Safar, policy director at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, said she's disappointed with lawmakers, especially after a bill restricting insurance coverage for abortions passed in the Senate last fall during a special jobs session.

"Every time the Republican leadership says they'll be focusing on job creation, they do get very distracted on women's health," she said. "I think we saw that in the special jobs session. They certainly haven't given us any indication that they're done. They might just run out of time."

Rep. Andre Jacque, R-Bellevue, a co-author on many women's health bills, said lawmakers can tackle other issues besides those that create jobs. The Assembly did, for instance, approve a mining bill last week that is being touted as a job creator, but even that faces an uncertain future in the Senate.

"The broad range of issues is up there every session," Jacque said. "These aren't new areas in the policy arena. Elected representatives are expected to deal with the whole policy palate. We can chew gum and walk at the same time."

The health bill likely up first would make teaching about contraception optional in sex education curriculum, while stressing abstinence. Supporters say it gives school districts control over how they teach children in their communities. Opponents say it challenges medically approved information and is an attempt to force conservative ideology into the state's schools. The bill passed in the Senate last year, and is waiting an Assembly vote.

Assembly Democrats criticized the bill's last-minute addition to a recent Education Committee agenda. Rep. Sondy Pope-Roberts, D-Middleton, voiced disappointment the bill was added just in time to meet a 24-hour notification rule.

"I'm very disturbed we have this bill before us," she said at the meeting. "There's no real rush to get this done."

Bill proponent Julaine Appling, president of Wisconsin Family Action in Madison, said she expects the bill to be approved before the legislative session adjourns in March.

"I'm about 90 percent confident this will pass," she said. "It's truly a return to local control, and our hope is that it advances true women's health."

Pro-choice groups say another bill that prohibits certain abortion coverage hurts women using private insurance plans. State law prohibits qualified health plans from offering coverage through federally funded health exchanges. This bill would change it to include private insurance plans, something critics say makes abortion more costly. Republicans say it adds clarification to Wisconsin's law. The bill passed in the Senate, and now awaits a public hearing in the Assembly.

Rep. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, said Republicans try to pass this kind of legislation to appease a small group of conservative organizations.

"It gives Republicans another platform," said the former executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin. "It's totally meaningless for them to be doing this."

Another bill would specify what physicians can legally say to women seeking abortions. Supporters of the bill say it tightens language so women are not coerced into getting an abortion by a partner or family member. Opponents like Roys say it mandates what a medical professional says to a patient.

"It's the kind of legislation that looks like it's not a big deal, but it really is insidious," she said.

Jacque has introduced other abortion-related legislation, including a proposal that would prohibit abortion tissue from being used for stem cell research and the "personhood" bill, which would define human life as beginning with fertilization. That bill has been introduced in several states, but received a major blow when Mississippi voted it down last year.

Safar said she's not sure whether those bills will pass, though Roys is more critical.

"Everything has a chance because the margins are so lopsided," she said.

Republicans hold a 59-38-1 majority in the Assembly but just a 17-16 edge in the Senate.

Appling of Wisconsin Family Action said it's rare when a governor and both houses lean toward her group's more conservative policies. She understands the jobs push, but she said now is the time for her group and others with similar goals to act.

"In my 14 years here, I've never seen the exact combination we have now," she said. "This is the most unique legislative session. We may never see this configuration again."
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MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin Republicans say they're focusing on jobs this year but numerous proposals that advocates say are part of an anti-reproductive rights agenda are working their way through the Legislature.

Those measures range from changes in the state's sex education curriculum to weighing in on the national debate over when life begins.

Democratic opponents and others say the bills speak to an anti-woman agenda that will sidetrack lawmakers when they're trying to improve an economy where jobs have been lost for six straight months.

Gov. Scott Walker has urged lawmakers to focus on job creation. He didn't mention any women's health issues in his State of the State speech last week.

But support is strong among Republicans who have the votes to pass many of the bills.