A state judge in Wyoming has struck down the state’s overall ban on abortion and its first-in-the-nation prohibition on using medication to end pregnancy in alignment with voters in other states showing support for abortion rights. District Judge Melissa Owens, in multiple rulings since 2022, has blocked the laws, marking a victory for abortion rights advocates after voters in seven other states passed measures supporting access to abortion. The laws were challenged by four women and two nonprofit organizations, including Wellspring Health Access, Wyoming’s first full-service abortion clinic that opened following an arson attack in 2022.
The recent elections saw a shift in favor of abortion rights, with Missouri undoing a restrictive abortion ban, while other states like Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota maintained bans. The U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade has led to bans on abortion being enforced at all stages of pregnancy in 13 states, with legal challenges being made in response to these restrictions.
In Wyoming, the challenge to the abortion bans argued that they would harm health and well-being, which the judge agreed with, ruling that the laws violated a state constitutional amendment granting residents the right to make health care decisions. This latest ruling by Owens avoided the need for a trial later in the spring, a development that benefits abortion rights advocates. Governor Mark Gordon has defended the laws but did not comment on the ruling. The decision reflects a broader shift towards supporting access to abortion and reproductive rights across the U.S.
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