Wyoming’s Republican governor vetoes pro-life bill

Gov. Mark Gordon on Monday vetoed a bill that would have required women to receive an ultrasound at least 48 hours before receiving an abortion. In his veto letter, Gordon said that instead of mandating a medical procedure, the state should focus on making it easier for mothers to have babies. Gordon added that he considers himself to be pro-life.

The state legislature sent the bill to Gordon’s desk last week along with another bill requiring abortion facilities to be licensed as ambulatory surgical centers. While Gordon approved the second measure, he said the ultrasound bill was too invasive and did not include exceptions for victims of rape or incest.

What is the state of abortion in Wyoming now? Abortion is still legal in the state as challenges to several pro-life laws make their way through the courts. The only abortion clinic in Wyoming, Wellspring Health Access, last week filed a lawsuit against the new regulations for such facilities. The organization also preemptively included the ultrasound bill in its complaint. Meanwhile, the state supreme court is due to consider a legal challenge to two pro-life laws passed in 2023.

Dig deeper: Read my report about the lawsuit filed against the pro-life bills.