Teton County District Court Judge Melissa Owens ruled Wednesday that the question of whether Wyoming's near-total abortion ban is constitutional should be decided by the state Supreme Court. (Bradly J. Boner/Jackson Hole News & Guide via AP, Pool)

A new law in Wyoming that sought to protect the right to life of unborn babies from the moment of conception has been blocked by a judge in the state. The Human Right Act (House Bill 152) was passed by both the House and Senate earlier this month and was allowed to become law by Governor Mark Gordon. It was sponsored by Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams and would have prohibited all elective abortions in the state, as well as imposing penalties on those who violated the law.

However, abortion activists filed a lawsuit against the law, claiming that it violated the state constitution and harmed pregnant women and their doctors. They went to a judge in Teton County, which is one of the only Democrat areas of the state, and their judge shopping paid off. Judge Melissa Owens issued an injunction preventing the law from being enforced, meaning that the state’s only abortion center in Jackson can continue to kill unborn babies.

“The state can not legislate away a constitutional right,” Owens said in an oral decision at the end of the hearing. “It’s not clear whether abortion is health care. The court has to then decide that.”

Abortion defenders claim that the law violates the state constitution, even though there is nothing in the constitution that confers a right to abortion. An amendment to the constitution says that adults have a right to make their own healthcare decisions, but killing a baby is not healthcare. However, Judge Owens said that the court had to decide whether abortion is healthcare before it could be banned by the state.

The special assistant attorney general, Jay Jerde, argued that the Legislature was entitled to interpret the constitution and that its interpretation should be given significant deference by the court. Nevertheless, Judge Owens issued an injunction preventing the law from being enforced, meaning that unborn babies in Wyoming remain at risk of being killed by abortion.

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OBGYN's Opinion Silenced By The Left - After It Didn't Match Their Agenda
1 year ago

[…] Judge Blocks Wyoming Abortion Ban Days After It Took Effect […]

Richard Hennessy
Richard Hennessy
1 year ago

This judge didn’t do her job. She issued an injunction and punted to the State Supreme Court without making a ruling on the question brought before her court. She should have first made a ruling or at least set the issue for a judgement in her court, shouldn’t she?

eastofaustin
eastofaustin
1 year ago

I would argue that absolute abortion bans violate the U.S. Constitution under the 10th Amendment. Rights of the people are not limited to the enumerated rights named in the body of the Constitution or the Bill of RIghts. We know that both Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson each comments on plants and herbs which could help deal with untimely pregnancies. There comments were not big issues in the period of the founders, thus a right to deal medicinally with problems can be inferred in the time of the founding.

Grayfox41
Grayfox41
1 year ago

“Abortion activists” is all you need to know.

Larry Owens
Larry Owens
1 year ago

So according to ALL these evil liberal Reprobates it’s OK to kill abort unborn babies because it is health care. Laughing.

VET
VET
1 year ago

Wherein the Constitution is “ABORTION A LEGAL RIGHT” I have read the Constitution and still have not found that right!!!!!!!

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Judge Blocks Wyoming Abortion Ban Days After It Took Effect – THE NEWS BEYOND DETROIT
1 year ago

[…] Judge Blocks Wyoming Abortion Ban Days After It Took Effect […]

Anne Bonney
Anne Bonney
1 year ago

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE LEFT-WINGNUTS WHO BELIEVE THAT LIFE “DOES NOT BEGIN AT CONCEPTION”. (THEN HOW IN THE HELL DO THE CELLS GROW INTO A FETUS?) THEY ALSO BELIEVE THAT MURDER IS OKAY. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOU DIE IT’S LIKE GOING UNDER ANESTHESIA BEFORE AN OPERATION, EXCEPT YOU NEVER WAKE UP. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT!

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Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen Supports State Heartbeat Law
1 year ago

[…] Judge Blocks Wyoming Abortion Ban Days After It Took Effect […]

JOAN D. FORD
JOAN D. FORD
11 months ago

WYOMING NEEDS PRAYERS FOR THE JUDGE. LET US PRAY WYOMING REMAINS #50 ON THE LIST …KEEP UP THE ULTRASOUNDS , WYOMING