Republican Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon on Friday vetoed a bill that would impose new restrictions on abortion services in the state, NBC News reported.
Gordon vetoed a bill that would have added new rules for abortion services. according to Go to NBC News. The bill would require clinics offering abortions to obtain special licenses, which could increase operating costs. It also said women must undergo an ultrasound two days before an abortion to confirm the age and health of the fetus.
His decision comes at a time when courts are considering a new law banning abortion and abortion is still legal in Wyoming, according to NBC News. Mr Gordon expressed concern that the changes to the bill could create further legal issues. “We are closer than ever to a decision on the constitutionality of abortion in Wyoming,” Gordon said in a statement, the newspaper reported. “[The bill] This could have further delayed the resolution of this critical problem for the fetus. ”
Wyoming governor vetoes abortion restrictions, signs ban on transgender medical care for minors https://t.co/a3OSQEJewL
— Associated Press (@AP) March 23, 2024
The vetoed bill specifically targets Wellspring Health Access, Wyoming’s only full-service abortion clinic. Wellspring opened in 2023, although there were delays due to the arson incident. Wellspring offers both pill and surgical abortions, according to NBC News. Teton County District Judge Melissa Owens temporarily blocked the law while it reviews legal challenges brought by Wellspring and other parties. (Related: Trans activists may have found a backdoor to force hospitals to perform gender reassignment surgeries)
At a hearing in December, Owens was scheduled to make a decision before a potential trial. But by Monday, she had decided to send all the important issues in the case to the state Supreme Court for review, the paper said. The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 24-6, following earlier approval by the House of Representatives by a vote of 53-9.
At the same time, Governor Gordon signed another bill banning gender reassignment surgery for minors, a move that aligns Wyoming with several other states that have enacted similar regulations, NBC reported. News added. More than two dozen states have restrictions or bans on gender reassignment surgery for minors, and many are facing legal battles. A federal court struck down Arkansas’ ban as illegal, and courts also temporarily suspended those bans in Idaho and Montana, according to NBC News.
