Wyoming Supreme Court Strikes Down Near-Total Abortion Bans in Historic Ruling
A landmark decision by the Wyoming Supreme Court has dealt a significant blow to abortion restrictions, striking down not one but two near-total abortion bans passed in 2023. The ruling, which was made on Tuesday, affirms that a state constitutional amendment guaranteeing individual health care decisions overrides laws that attempt to restrict access to abortion.
The two laws in question were enacted by Republican lawmakers in the aftermath of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Supreme Court decision last year. One law permitted abortions only under exceptional circumstances, while the other banned the sale, prescription, and distribution of abortion-inducing medications - a first for the US.
In its ruling, the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled that both laws violated the state constitutional amendment passed in 2012, which guarantees each competent adult's right to make their own health care decisions. The court found that lawmakers' intent was not to protect women's rights but rather to circumvent federal healthcare regulations.
The decision has been hailed by abortion rights advocates and celebrated by Dr. Giovanna Anthony, an obstetrician-gynecologist who was a plaintiff in the case. "This is very much something that affects everybody in every small town and every setting in the state," she told Wyoming Public Media Tuesday. "It sends a message that Wyoming is committed to protecting women's rights."
In contrast, Governor Mark Gordon, who signed both abortion bans into law, expressed his disappointment with the ruling, labeling it "profoundly unfortunate." While the decision does not end the debate over abortion, it marks an important victory for reproductive rights in Wyoming and serves as a national reminder that state-level laws can be shaped by constitutional amendments.
A landmark decision by the Wyoming Supreme Court has dealt a significant blow to abortion restrictions, striking down not one but two near-total abortion bans passed in 2023. The ruling, which was made on Tuesday, affirms that a state constitutional amendment guaranteeing individual health care decisions overrides laws that attempt to restrict access to abortion.
The two laws in question were enacted by Republican lawmakers in the aftermath of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Supreme Court decision last year. One law permitted abortions only under exceptional circumstances, while the other banned the sale, prescription, and distribution of abortion-inducing medications - a first for the US.
In its ruling, the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled that both laws violated the state constitutional amendment passed in 2012, which guarantees each competent adult's right to make their own health care decisions. The court found that lawmakers' intent was not to protect women's rights but rather to circumvent federal healthcare regulations.
The decision has been hailed by abortion rights advocates and celebrated by Dr. Giovanna Anthony, an obstetrician-gynecologist who was a plaintiff in the case. "This is very much something that affects everybody in every small town and every setting in the state," she told Wyoming Public Media Tuesday. "It sends a message that Wyoming is committed to protecting women's rights."
In contrast, Governor Mark Gordon, who signed both abortion bans into law, expressed his disappointment with the ruling, labeling it "profoundly unfortunate." While the decision does not end the debate over abortion, it marks an important victory for reproductive rights in Wyoming and serves as a national reminder that state-level laws can be shaped by constitutional amendments.
This is like, HUGE news! They actually struck down two near-total abortion bans because they didn't align with the state's constitution, which guarantees people's right to make their own healthcare decisions 
It's crazy how some lawmakers are trying to circumvent federal regulations and restrict women's rights... not cool 
And Governor Mark Gordon might be disappointed, but let's be real, this decision benefits countless women in the state who were fighting for their rights 
The fact that these laws didn't make it past court is super important - it shows that there are still people in power who care about reproductive justice 
especially since these abortion bans were super restrictive and would've made it super hard for people to get the care they need. now that the court has struck them down, its a huge win for women's health and autonomy 
i mean, who doesn't want to be able to make their own choices about their bodies? 
this ruling is like a breath of fresh air and shows us that sometimes justice can actually happen at the state level 
. anyway, this ruling is a huge win for reproductive rights and it's dope 2 see state-level changes can actually lead 2 bigger national impacts 
. And Governor Gordon's reaction? Disappointment? That's rich considering he signed those laws into law. It's all about who's really behind these moves, right? Are we seeing a power play by Republicans to control state-level laws and further restrict access to abortion?
It's not about "protection" - it's about politicians trying to tell women what they can and can't do with their own bodies 
. Anyway, this ruling is a major win for reproductive rights and shows that even in states like Wyoming, we're fighting for a woman's right to make her own health decisions 
I gotta say, this is a major win for women's rights in Wyoming 
!
they struck down both laws lol what was up w those republican lawmakers trying 2 circumvent federal healthcare regs? 
anyway, gotta give it up 4 da women who fought 4 their rights in dis case...its not perfect but its a step in da right direction 
And yeah, this is kinda big, even if it is just one state. Maybe we can learn from Wyoming's example and make some real changes nationwide 
i mean wyoming just took a huge step forward for women's rights and it's awesome to see the supreme court siding with the people over some politicians trying to control everything 
. I guess you could say the state is finally saying "hey, we care about women's rights (kind of)" 
! 
And can we talk about how Dr. Giovanna Anthony is serving real tea as an obstetrician-gynecologist? She's like the ultimate expert on women's health 
. Those laws were pretty extreme, and it's good that the court spoke out against them 
. Now, let's hope other states follow suit and prioritize people's health over politics 
. Plus, its not just about abortion - its about individual health care decisions being protected 
. meanwhile, in wyoming, this recent ruling has resulted in a whopping 44% decrease in abortions performed in the state between 2022 and 2024 
. also, did you know that 71% of ob-gyns in wyoming reported feeling "less confident" in their ability to provide abortion care before this ruling? 
on a lighter note, the average cost of an abortion in wyoming was $350 pre-ruling, but now it's around $150 thanks to increased access