CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Gov. Mark Gordon has signed House Bill 126 – Human Heartbeat Act, which immediately prohibits “procedures that terminate the life of a child with a detectable heartbeat.”
This is the latest action in a yearslong battle over the legality of abortion in the Equality State. In January, the Wyoming Supreme Court had ruled a pair of abortion bans unconstitutional. Immediately following the Johnson v. Wyoming ruling, anti-abortion lawmakers announced their intention to introduce legislation that would restrict the procedure again.
Gordon signed the bill on Monday. In his signing letter, he articulated his belief that “life is sacred,” and expressed concern that the bill he had signed would not put the debate to rest.
“I resoundingly share the determination to defend the lives of unborn children and support the intentions behind the Human Heartbeat Act,” Gordon wrote. “Regrettably, this Act represents another well-intentioned but likely fragile legal effort with significant risk of ending in the courts rather than in lasting, durable policy. Rather than finding a remedy that saves the unborn, I fear we have only added another chapter to the sad saga of repeatedly trying to force a specific solution.”
The bill includes a penalty for abortion providers who do not adhere to the new rules: “Any person who intentionally or knowingly violates this article shall be guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than five years, a fine of not more than $10,000, or both.”
The legislation does not make exceptions for cases of rape or incest, which Gordon criticized.
“I have continually identified my position on exceptions for women facing pregnancy caused by rape or incest, and risk of the woman’s life or substantial and irreversible physical impairment,” his signing letter states. “While the act does include the exception in cases that ‘preserve the woman from an imminent peril that substantially endangers her life or health,’ it does not address rape or incest. This is in my mind an unfortunate flaw.”
Wellspring Health Access, the only abortion provider in the state of Wyoming, encouraged reproductive rights advocates to organize against HB126 as it was working its way through the capitol.
“This will effectively be an abortion ban beginning at six weeks from the patient’s last menstrual period,” Wellspring posted to social media in February. “Many people do not even know they are pregnant this early in the pregnancy!”
