Judge Stops Wyoming’s Ban on Abortion Pill from Taking Effect
- June 30, 2023
A judge has temporarily halted Wyoming’s ban on medication abortion from going into effect on July 1.
In March, Wyoming became the first state to enact a law that specifically targets the abortion pill. The ban prompted a lawsuit from four women and two nonprofits, including the state’s only full-service abortion clinic, Wellspring Health Access.
According to published reports, Wyoming District Court Judge Melissa Owens granted plaintiffs a temporary restraining order on June 23, blocking the medication abortion ban while the lawsuit plays out in court.
The same plaintiffs also are challenging Wyoming’s near-total ban on abortion, which Owens in March also put on hold.
The lawsuits argue that the bans violate the Wyoming Constitution, including an amendment passed by voters in 2012 in response to the enactment of the Affordable Care Act that provides a “right of health care access.”