In a significant decision, the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled that two state laws banning abortion, including a unique ban on abortion pills, are unconstitutional. The court, comprised of justices appointed by Republican governors, sided with the state’s sole abortion clinic and others who challenged the bans enacted after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The ruling affirmed the right of competent adults to make healthcare decisions under a state constitutional amendment. Governor Mark Gordon expressed disappointment and called for a constitutional amendment to ban abortion, which would be put to a vote this fall.
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Wyoming Representative Harriet Hageman faced a hostile reception at a town hall event in Pinedale while defending the potential repeal of the EPA’s “endangerment finding” regarding greenhouse gases. Hageman asserted the finding was based on “false science,” sparking boos and shouts from the audience. This event marks another instance of Hageman encountering an angry crowd over Trump administration policies, with similar reactions seen in a previous town hall in Laramie. Despite the state’s strong support for Trump, local concerns about poor air quality and widespread belief in climate change appear to be at odds with the administration’s stance on emission standards.
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A Wyoming judge permanently blocked the state’s total abortion ban and its unique prohibition on medication abortion, marking another win for abortion rights advocates. The ruling, consistent with three prior temporary injunctions, found the laws violated the state constitution’s right to personal health care decisions. The challenged laws were argued to harm women’s health and violate a 2012 constitutional amendment guaranteeing health care autonomy. This decision follows recent statewide ballot measures across the country where voters in several states affirmed support for abortion access.
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John Q. Hosedrinker