JACKSON, Wyo. — The fight for abortion access in the Cowboy State isn’t over just yet.
A hearing is set for Wednesday, March 22, in the Teton County District Court where six plaintiffs aim to halt Wyoming’s recent abortion plan which went into effect on March 17.
Governor Gordon made abortion illegal in Wyoming by signing a bill banning the abortion pill and allowing the “Life is a Human Right Act” (House Bill 152) to go into law without his signature. Wyoming is the first state in the U.S. to ban the abortion pill.
SF0109 prohibits chemical abortions and makes it illegal to prescribe or sell any drug for the purpose of performing an abortion. Anyone guilty of violating this law will be punishable by up to six months of imprisonment and a fine up to $9,000.
Women determined by medical judgment to be in imminent peril are the exception, but “as used in this paragraph, ‘imminent peril’ means only a physical condition and shall not include any psychological or emotional conditions.” A claim or diagnosis of self-harm or suicidality are discredited as a basis for exception under this law.
The hearing on this recent abortion ban will take place at 1 p.m. where Ninth District Judge Melissa Owens will listen to arguments and decide whether to issue a temporary restraining order that would block the “Life is a Human Right Act.”
In July 2022, Owens temporarily blocked Wyoming’s abortion ban on the day it took effect, siding with a firebombed women’s health clinic and others who argued the ban would harm health care workers and their patients and violate the state constitution. In August, Owens granted plaintiffs a preliminary injunction, restraining the enforcement of House Bill 92, also known as Wyoming’s abortion trigger ban, from being enforced.
Now, House Bill 152 replaces the trigger ban, including Owens’ injunction from August. In short, this new law invalidates the previous court ruling and currently, abortion is illegal in Wyoming through HB 152.
But, Wednesday’s hearing could change that.
