(The Lion) — Wyoming has joined a handful of states restricting abortion early in pregnancy after Gov. Mark Gordon signed a bill this week banning most abortions once a baby’s heartbeat can be detected.
The measure, known as the Human Heartbeat Act, prohibits most abortions after cardiac activity is detected in the unborn child. Medical research indicates it can occur around six weeks into pregnancy, often before a woman realizes she is pregnant.
“Today I signed the Human Heartbeat Act into law, reaffirming my view that life is sacred. I resoundingly share the determination to defend the lives of unborn children and support the intentions behind the Human Heartbeat Act,” Gordon said.
The law allows doctors to perform an abortion if a pregnancy creates an imminent medical emergency threatening the life or health of the mother. The measure lacks exceptions for rape and incest.
Anyone performing an abortion in violation of the law could face felony penalties. The punishment includes up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000 – or both.
Pro-life advocates welcomed the law and said it reflects a growing recognition that unborn children deserve legal protection.
“We thank Governor Gordon for signing this vital law,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. “Wyoming’s action reflects an ongoing national conversation about how our laws should recognize the humanity of the unborn child while ensuring that her mother receives appropriate care.”
Wyoming now joins Florida, Georgia, Iowa and South Carolina in passing heartbeat abortion laws.
The new law arrives shortly after the Wyoming Supreme Court struck down broader abortion restrictions earlier this year. In that ruling, the court said the previous laws violated a state constitutional amendment that protects individuals’ ability to make their own healthcare decisions. That decision kept abortion legal in the state until fetal viability, typically around 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Gordon acknowledged the new law could face legal challenges in light of the court’s ruling.
“Regrettably, this Act represents another well-intentioned but likely fragile legal effort with significant risk of ending in the courts rather than in lasting, durable policy,” Gordon wrote in a letter discussing the measure.
Abortion-rights advocates criticized the law and indicated they will challenge it in court.
“This is an attack on Wyomingites’ constitutional freedom to make their own health care decisions, and it puts the health and well-being of our communities at risk,” said Julie Burkhart, president of Wellspring Health Access, the state’s only abortion clinic.
State health data show Wyoming recorded 625 abortions in 2024, the most recent year with complete reporting.
