Bill Aimed At Protecting Access To Abortion Filed In Wyoming Legislature

Democrats in the Wyoming Legislature have filed a bill aimed at protecting "Wyomingites’ rights to access critical reproductive healthcare services including abortion," for the upcoming session of the Wyoming Legislature.

That is according to House Minority Floor Leader Mike Yin [D-House District 16].

You can read House Bill 76 here. It is labeled as the Reproductive Freedom Act. In a Monday news release, Yin noted that the measure was filed on the anniversary of the 1973 Roe vs. Wade U.S. Supreme Court Decision that essentially legalized abortion in the United States. That decision was overturned by the high court in 2022 in Dobbs vs. Jackson, which returned to the states the ability to regulate or allow abortions.

In a news release, Yin was quoted as saying: "Reproductive freedom is currently threatened by an unconstitutional abortion ban that represents vast overreach into the lives and medical decisions of individuals. The introduction of this Act is a crucial step towards protecting and preserving the reproductive rights of all Wyomingites. On the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we stand firm in our commitment to ensuring that everyone has the freedom to make their own choices regarding their health.

Bill Likely Faces An Uphill Fight

Prospects for passage of House Bill 76 in Wyoming's overwhelmingly Republican-dominated legislature would appear to be bleak.

That is perhaps even more true because the upcoming session of the Wyoming legislature is a budget session. That means nonbudget items such as House Bill 76 will need a two-thirds majority vote to be considered.

Wyoming lawmakers in 2022 passed a bill that bans most abortions except in cases of rape or incest or when the pregnancy would jeopardize the life of the mother. But that law is currently on hold pending the outcome of a legal battle over its constitutionality under Wyoming law.

The 20-day budget session will convene in Cheyenne on Feb. 12.