Wyoming’s Governor Mark Gordon on Friday (Mar 22) passed a bill which imposed significant barriers to abortion if it remains legal in the state.
However, he signed legislation which banned gender-affirming care for minors.
Republican leader and Governor Mark Gordon rejected the abortion bill which will need facilities to get licensed as outpatient surgical centers for providing surgical abortions. This will add to their costs and increase the burdens they face to operate.
Meanwhile, women are required to undergo ultrasounds no less than 48 hours before either by pill or surgical abortion to determine the gestational age and location of the fetus and the pregnancy’s viability.
In Wyoming, abortion is legal in Wyoming and the outcome of a lawsuit which challenges new laws for banning the procedure is pending. The bill was aimed at the only full-service abortion clinic in the state – Wellspring Health Access.
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While announcing the veto, Gordon said that the measure would have “properly regulated” clinics. He said that the amendments included by lawmakers have made them vulnerable to legal challenges.
In a statement, Gordon said, “The state is closer than ever to a decision on the constitutionality of abortion in Wyoming.” He added that the bill “had the potential to further delay the resolution of this critical issue for the unborn.”
As per the clinic officials, who had opposed the bill, most abortions were administered pills for abortion at Wellspring, however, the clinic has also performed surgical abortions as well.
The measure will require abortions at any clinic to be carried out by only a licensed physician who has admitting privileges at a hospital, which is no more than 10 miles away.
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In an emailed statement to the Associated Press, clinic founder Julie Burkhart said that this would result in additional new costs to renovate Wellspring to meet ambulatory surgical facility standards while getting “medically unnecessary” admitting privileges for its doctors.
To meet the ultrasound requirement, women will also have to travel a lot and take time off their work, said Burkhart.
She claimed the bill would close down the clinic and hurt the people who require abortion services.
“Outlawing abortion will never serve as a vehicle for making this health care obsolete,” she said.