Abortions are resuming at a Wyoming clinic after judge suspends laws

By MEAD GRUVER CHEYENNE Wyo AP Wyoming s only abortion clinic is resuming abortions after a judge on Monday suspended two state laws Related Articles Wyoming Supreme Court to hear arguments over abortion bans struck down by a judge These abortion abolitionists want women who get abortion to face criminal charges Supreme Court appears divided over whether states can cut off Planned Parenthood funding Supreme Court weighs whether states can cut off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood Anti-abortion groups aim to end Planned Parenthood funding and suggest Musk s DOGE to get it done One suspended law would require clinics providing surgical abortions to be licensed as outpatient surgical centers The other would require women to get an ultrasound before a medication abortion Wyoming Robustness Access in Casper had stopped providing abortions Feb the day after Republican Gov Mark Gordon signed the licensing requirement into effect The end At least chosen women seeking abortions had to trip out of state Now women will once again be able to get abortions in central Wyoming while the two laws continue to be contested in court Wellspring Robustness Access founder and president Julie Burkhart announced Monday We are without delay shouting it from the rooftop to make sure our patients know Burkhart explained following the ruling We are back to seeing patients the way we were on Feb An abortion opponent questioned the need to contest the laws if the clinic was safe The abortion business here in Casper could prove that they are providing safe services by complying with laws Would that not make their point Ross Schriftman president of Natrona County Right to Life mentioned in an email message Monday Abortion has remained legal in Wyoming despite bans passed since The bans include the nation s first explicit ban on abortion pills A judge in Jackson blocked the bans then struck them down in November on the grounds that abortion is allowed by a state constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right of competent adults to make their own strength care decisions The Wyoming Supreme Court heard arguments in that incident Wednesday and is unlikely to rule for at least several weeks Meanwhile the same people challenging the bans Wellspring Vitality Access the abortion access advocacy group Chelsea s Fund and four women including two obstetricians have sued to block Wyoming s the bulk latest two abortion laws The surgical center licensing requirement would require costly renovations to make Wellspring Soundness Access compliant the clinic disclosed in its lawsuit Gordon vetoed the requirement for an ultrasound at least hours before a pill abortion calling it onerous in cases of abuse rape or when a woman s wellbeing is at jeopardy State lawmakers voted to override the veto on March The ultrasound requirement did not significantly affect clinic operations but Wellspring Strength Access also suspended offering pill abortions to avoid legal complications The law stands to add to the cost and complications for women getting pill abortions Opponents call laws like Wyoming s requirements targeted restrictions on abortion providers because they can regulate clinics and abortion access out of existence even if abortion remains legal In blocking the laws while the lawsuit proceeds District Judge Thomas Campbell in Casper ruled that they too stand to violate the constitution Despite the new restrictions Wellspring Wellbeing Access has remained open to consult with patients and provide hormone replacement therapy for transgender patients The clinic opened in almost a year late after heavy damage from an arson attack