A Wyoming judge ruled on Monday that two anti-abortion laws passed by the state legislature violate Wyoming’s constitution, keeping abortion legal for now.
Teton County District Court Judge Melissa Owens issued a permanent injunction against the “Life is a Human Right Act” and a 2023 ban on medical abortions. She determined that these laws violate a constitutional provision granting adults the right to make their own healthcare decisions.
The judge explained that the abortion laws infringe on a woman’s right to make healthcare choices throughout pregnancy and are unnecessary for protecting public health and safety. She also noted that the laws treat embryos and fetuses the same, without distinguishing between stages of pregnancy.
Owens ruled that the state’s officials failed to prove a compelling reason for restricting pregnant women’s rights as protected by the Wyoming Constitution.
This ruling comes amid nationwide litigation over abortion rights following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in June 2022 to overturn the national right to abortion, giving individual states the power to regulate it.