House Bill 92, which is expected to prohibit most abortions (baby murders), is set to go into effect today across Wyoming after Gov. Mark Gordon certified it last Friday.
The abortion trigger law was signed by Gordon in March. It required a repeal of the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court opinion in Roe v. Wade before it would take effect which occurred in the June 24 majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.
H.B. 92, which makes providing an abortion (with some exceptions provided) a felony with a prison sentence up to 14 years, provided for a review process by the Attorney General of up to 30 days before the governor would certify it, and the bill would take effect 5 days after that certification.
Gordon certified the bill on July 22 and released a statement:
“I have certified House Bill 92 following the Attorney General’s analysis. I believe that the decision to regulate abortion is properly left to the states. As a pro-life Governor, my focus will continue to be on ensuring we are doing all we can to support Wyoming mothers, children and families.”
However, Gordon’s office told Wyoming News that a lawsuit has been filed as several ongoing questions remain unanswered.
“As there is now a pending court challenge to the law, we are not going to be providing additional comments,” Michael Pearlman, communications director, said via email after Wyoming News followed up on some questions that went unanswered during the review process.
The Casper Star-Tribune reported that the lawsuit, which was filed in Teton County on Monday, is seeking the law to be temporarily blocked. An emergency court hearing is scheduled today to consider a temporary block of H.B. 92.
The lawsuit lists several plaintiffs, including Wellspring Health Access (listed as Circle of Hope Healthcare in the complaint) which has been planning to open the state’s first surgical abortion facility in Casper. Julie Burkhart, founder of the murder facility, told the Star-Tribune that she still plans to open the facility but is “concerned” she won’t be able to murder babies because of H.B. 92.
Other plaintiffs include Dr. Giovannina Anthony from a Jackson clinic who is currently the state’s only abortion provider through abortifacients, nurse Danielle Johnson, University of Wyoming law student Kathleen Dow, Dr. Rene Hinkle of Cheyenne Women’s Clinic and Chelsea’s Fund which raises money to pay for the murder of babies.
The defendants in the suit include the State of Wyoming, Gordon, Attorney General Bridget Hill, Teton County Sheriff Matthew Carr and Jackson’s Police Chief Michelle Weber.
Pearlman did provide some answers to questions posed by Wyoming News.
On enforcement, Pearlman “enforcement of the law is at the local level.”
H.B. 92 provides exemptions for life of the mother as well as rape and incest. Some supporters of the bill want to remove the exemptions for rape and incest because it is punishing the baby for the crimes of the father.
Asked if Gordon supports removing the exemptions and if he’d sign a bill that removes them if one comes from the legislature, Pearlman said: “The Governor supports the exemptions for rape and incest that are in the bill.”
Asked if the Wellspring facility in Casper received licensing to allow surgical abortions and, if so, has that licensing been removed, Pearlman said: “The Governor’s office does not involve itself with medical licensing, so I can’t answer that question.”
What should be noted is that members of the Casper City Council, when questioned by pro-life resident Jeanette Ward, said they had no say over licensing or zoning of the murder facility. Councilman Kyle Gamroth said that oversight is through the Wyoming State Board of Medicine, which Gordon’s office does have oversight of.
H.B. 92 does not expressly define what abortion is, and Wyoming News asked Gordon’s office if the use of abortifacients (murder pills) will be included in the prohibitions. That question remains unanswered.
If abortifacients remain allowed under this prohibition, then H.B. 92 effectively changes nothing in Wyoming. The only protection it provides is for the babies who would be slaughtered surgically in the state.
Remember, the word “fetus” means “unborn child” from its Latin meaning. A child is a human life. Humans are created in the image of God. Abortion is the taking of a human life. Abortion is murder, whether done surgically or through use of drugs.
