Republicans urge Gov. Evers to sign abortion bills he opposes

MADISON — Republican lawmakers and abortion opponents are calling on Democratic Gov. Tony Evers to sign four abortion bills he's promised to veto.

Supporters of the measures held a rally in the Capitol Rotunda on Thursday. Abortion rights advocates dressed as characters from "The Handmaids Tale" held signs in opposition and watched from a balcony above.

Republican legislative leaders signed copies of the bills that passed earlier this month. That step is a formality typically done in private that results in the bills being sent to the governor.

Evers' spokeswoman Melissa Baldauff says he remains committed to vetoing the measures.

One bill would impose criminal penalties on doctors who fail to give medical care in the extremely rare circumstance where a baby is born alive following an abortion attempt.