Wyoming governor indicators legislation outlawing use of abortion drugs By Reuters

By Dan Whitcomb and Steve Gorman

(Reuters) -Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon on Friday signed into legislation a invoice outlawing the use or prescription of remedy abortion drugs that was handed by the state’s Republican-controlled legislature earlier this month. 

Gordon, a Republican, signed the legislation as a federal choose in Texas considers ordering a nationwide ban on the abortion capsule mifepristone in response to a lawsuit by anti-abortion teams.

The crux of the two-page Wyoming invoice is a provision making it unlawful to “prescribe, dispense, distribute, promote or use any drug for the aim of procuring or performing an abortion.”

So-called “morning-after” drugs, prescription contraceptive remedy used after intercourse however earlier than a being pregnant will be confirmed, are exempted from the ban.

The measure additionally consists of an exemption for any therapy obligatory to guard a lady “from an imminent peril that considerably endangers her life or well being,” in addition to any therapy of a “pure miscarriage based on at present accepted medical tips.”

Violation of the ban is to be handled as a legal misdemeanor, punishable by as much as six months in jail and a tremendous of as much as $9,000.

The measure stipulates {that a} lady “upon whom a chemical abortion is carried out or tried shall not be criminally prosecuted.”

The governor stated he was additionally permitting enactment, with out his signature, of a separate invoice handed by state lawmakers to ban standard abortion procedures besides when obligatory to guard the well being and lifetime of the mom, or in case of rape or incest.

Exception can also be permitted to finish a being pregnant if medical doctors decide there to be a deadly abnormality of the fetus.

Authorized fights over abortion rights have ramped up in america following a Supreme Courtroom ruling final yr that overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade resolution legalizing the process.

Gordon acknowledged that abortion rights proponents who’ve already challenged Wyoming’s “set off” abortion ban that went into impact after the Roe v. Wade resolution have filed swimsuit to dam the newly handed Wyoming ban preemptively.

The governor expressed concern that enactment of the brand new abortion ban might muddy the authorized waters, creating a brand new impediment to swift decision of the matter by the courts.