{"schema":"abhortion.org/legislation.full/v1","id":"legality-us-wy","type":"legislation","level":"state","jurisdiction":"Wyoming","as_of_date":"2026-07-12","research_completed_date":"2026-07-12","headline":"Legal to viability; many laws enjoined","summary":"Abortion is legal in Wyoming until viability (about 24 weeks LMP), protected by the state constitution's health care freedom amendment, but multiple restrictive laws remain enjoined or struck down by courts.","machine_readable_summary":{"legal_classification":"viability_limit","gestational_limit_weeks":24,"limit_measured_from":"last_menstrual_period","abortion_currently_available":"yes","ban_or_limit_enjoined":false,"mother_expressly_exempt":true,"mother_prosecutable_in_practice":false,"self_managed_abortion_criminalized":true,"abortion_charged_as_homicide":false,"fetal_homicide_law":true,"fetal_wrongful_death_action":"unclear","personhood_language_in_law":true,"personhood_contradiction":true,"medication_abortion_distinct_status":true,"mailing_pills_banned":true,"method_bans":[],"telehealth_prescribing_allowed":false,"physician_only_law":true,"provider_max_penalty":"Felony, up to 5 years and $20,000 fine","helpers_criminally_exposed":false,"travel_assistance_criminalized":false,"civil_bounty_law":false,"shield_state":false,"waiting_period_hours":null,"state_scripted_counseling":false,"ultrasound_required":"none","in_person_visits_required":0,"parental_involvement":"notification_only","judicial_bypass_available":true,"spousal_consent_or_notice_on_books":false,"medicaid_coverage":"hyde_only","private_insurance_restricted":false,"state_funding_posture":"defunds_providers","rape_incest_exception":true,"exceptions_present":["life","physical_health","rape","incest","fatal_fetal_anomaly","ectopic_miscarriage_carveout"],"major_pending_change":true},"links":{"html":"https://www.abhortion.org/legislation/wy.html","markdown":"https://www.abhortion.org/legislation/wy.md","summary_json":"https://www.abhortion.org/legislation/wy.json","full_json":"https://www.abhortion.org/legislation/wy-full.json","verbose_json":"https://www.abhortion.org/legislation/wy-verbose.json"},"overview":{"title":"Legal to viability; many laws enjoined","summary":"Abortion is legal in Wyoming until viability (about 24 weeks LMP), protected by the state constitution's health care freedom amendment, but multiple restrictive laws remain enjoined or struck down by courts.","description":"Abortion is currently legal in Wyoming up to the point of viability — around 24 weeks into pregnancy. This is because the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled in January 2026 that the state constitution protects the right to make one's own health care decisions, including abortion. The state has passed several laws attempting to restrict abortion — a near-total ban, a medication abortion ban, a six-week heartbeat ban, and various clinic regulations — but all have been blocked or struck down by courts. The one remaining restriction is the viability limit, which allows abortion except when the fetus can survive outside the womb, with exceptions for life and health. Wyoming has one abortion clinic, Wellspring Health Access in Casper.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Wyoming Legislature via Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/2022/title-35/chapter-6/section-35-6-102"},{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/cases/wyoming/supreme-court/2026/s-24-0326.html"},{"name":"Center for Reproductive Rights","href":"https://reproductiverights.org/maps/abortion-laws-by-state/wyoming"}]},"sections":{"definitions":{"title":"Broad definition; excludes IVF, ectopic, miscarriage","summary":"The enjoined 2023 Life Act defines abortion as terminating a clinically diagnosable pregnancy with intent to cause the unborn baby's death, but expressly excludes ectopic pregnancy treatment, miscarriage removal, and life-saving treatment harming the fetus.","description":"Wyoming's abortion laws contain several definitions of abortion depending on which statute you look at. The most comprehensive definition, found in the 2023 Life is a Human Right Act (now struck down), defines abortion as using any instrument, medicine, drug, or other means to intentionally terminate a clinically diagnosable pregnancy, knowing it will likely cause the death of the unborn baby. This definition expressly does not include procedures done to save the life or health of the unborn baby, remove a dead fetus after miscarriage, treat an ectopic pregnancy, or treat a woman for cancer or other disease when the treatment may harm the fetus. IVF and embryos outside the womb are not addressed. The current viability statute (W.S. § 35-6-102) uses the term 'abortion' without a separate definition section, relying on the generally understood medical meaning.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/title-35/chapter-6/section-35-6-122"}]},"current_status":{"title":"Legal to viability; other bans enjoined","summary":"Under Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-6-102(a), abortion is legal until viability (about 24 weeks LMP), with exceptions for life and health after viability; the near-total ban, medication abortion ban, and six-week heartbeat ban are all enjoined or struck down.","description":"Right now, a person in Wyoming can legally obtain an abortion up to the point of viability — around 24 weeks of pregnancy. After viability, abortion is allowed only when necessary to protect the pregnant woman from an imminent danger that substantially endangers her life or health. This is because the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled in January 2026 that the state constitution protects the right to make health care decisions. The state's attempt to ban abortion entirely (the 2023 'Life is a Human Right Act'), its separate ban on abortion medication, and its 2026 six-week 'heartbeat' ban have all been blocked by courts. Wyoming has one abortion clinic, Wellspring Health Access in Casper, which provides both procedural and medication abortion.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Wyoming Legislature","href":"https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2022/HB0092"},{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/cases/wyoming/supreme-court/2026/s-24-0326.html"},{"name":"Center for Reproductive Rights","href":"https://reproductiverights.org/maps/abortion-laws-by-state/wyoming"}]},"enforcement_status":{"title":"Viability ban in effect; all stricter laws blocked","summary":"The 2023 Life Act and Medication Ban are permanently enjoined by the Wyoming Supreme Court; the 2026 six-week heartbeat ban is temporarily enjoined; the pre-existing viability ban is the only enforceable restriction.","description":"Wyoming's legal landscape is defined by what courts have blocked rather than what the legislature has passed. The Wyoming Supreme Court permanently struck down the state's near-total abortion ban and medication abortion ban in January 2026, ruling they violate the state constitution. A new six-week ban passed in March 2026 was temporarily blocked by a state judge in April 2026. Additional laws requiring an ultrasound, a 48-hour waiting period for medication abortion, and licensing abortion clinics as surgical centers were also struck down by a district court judge in June 2026. The only abortion restriction currently enforceable is the viability limit.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/cases/wyoming/supreme-court/2026/s-24-0326.html"},{"name":"Cowboy State Daily","href":"https://cowboystatedaily.com/2026/06/12/judge-strikes-down-another-set-of-wyomings-abortion-restrictions"}]},"exceptions":{"life":{"title":"Life exception in viability ban","type":"life","summary":"The viability ban permits abortion after viability when necessary to preserve the woman from an imminent peril that substantially endangers her life.","description":"Under Wyoming's current viability law, an abortion can be performed after the point of viability if continuing the pregnancy would pose an imminent danger that substantially endangers the pregnant woman's life. The law uses the phrase 'imminent peril' and requires the judgment to be made 'according to appropriate medical judgment,' meaning a doctor must determine the risk is real and serious.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Wyoming Legislature","href":"https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2022/HB0092"}]},"physical_health":{"title":"Physical health exception in viability ban","type":"physical_health","summary":"The viability ban permits abortion after viability when necessary to preserve the woman from an imminent peril that substantially endangers her health.","description":"The viability ban's exception covers not just life-threatening situations but also cases where continuing the pregnancy would pose an imminent danger that substantially endangers the pregnant woman's health. The law says 'life or health,' so a serious threat to physical health — not just imminent death — qualifies for the exception. The determination must be made according to appropriate medical judgment.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Wyoming Legislature","href":"https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2022/HB0092"}]},"mental_health":{"title":"No separate mental health exception","type":"mental_health","summary":"Wyoming's current viability law does not have a standalone mental health exception, but the broad 'health' language could arguably encompass mental health in appropriate medical judgment.","description":"The viability ban does not say anything specifically about mental health. It allows abortion after viability when necessary to preserve the woman's 'life or health.' This broad health language, which is not further defined, could potentially be interpreted by a physician to include serious mental health conditions. But the enjoined, stricter bans explicitly excluded 'psychological or emotional conditions' from their health exceptions, suggesting the legislature's intent to limit 'health' to physical conditions.","verification":"verified","confidence":"medium","sources":[{"name":"Wyoming Legislature","href":"https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2022/HB0092"}]},"rape":{"title":"Rape/incest exception in viability law","type":"rape","summary":"The viability ban does not contain explicit rape or incest exceptions, but because abortion is legal pre-viability for any reason, no exception is needed before viability; after viability, the life/health exception governs.","description":"Because abortion is legal in Wyoming for any reason up to viability, a person who becomes pregnant through rape or sexual assault can obtain an abortion without restriction during that period. After viability, the same life-or-health exception applies regardless of how the pregnancy occurred. The 2022 trigger ban and the 2023 Life Act (both blocked) did include specific rape and incest exceptions, but those exceptions imposed a law enforcement reporting requirement — the victim had to report the assault to police before obtaining the abortion.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Wyoming Legislature","href":"https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2022/HB0092"}]},"incest":{"title":"See rape exception above","type":"incest","summary":"Same as rape: no specific incest exception is needed pre-viability; post-viability the life/health exception covers all cases.","description":"The incest exception follows the same logic as the rape exception. Before viability, a person can obtain an abortion for any reason including incest. After viability, only the life-or-health exception applies, regardless of the circumstances of the pregnancy.","verification":"semi_verified","confidence":"high"},"fatal_fetal_anomaly":{"title":"Lethal fetal anomaly — in blocked law only","type":"fatal_fetal_anomaly","summary":"The enjoined Life Act included an exception for lethal fetal anomalies; the current viability ban has no specific fatal fetal anomaly exception, but pre-viability abortion is available for any reason.","description":"A lethal fetal anomaly — a condition diagnosed before birth that means the baby is very unlikely to survive more than hours after birth — was an explicit exception in the 2023 Life Act (now struck down). The current viability law does not mention fetal anomalies at all. Since abortion is legal for any reason before viability, a person who receives a diagnosis of a fatal fetal anomaly before viability can terminate the pregnancy. After viability, the life-or-health exception would apply, and whether a fatal fetal anomaly by itself qualifies as a threat to the woman's health is legally untested.","verification":"verified","confidence":"medium","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/title-35/chapter-6/section-35-6-124"}]},"ectopic_miscarriage_carveout":{"title":"Ectopic and miscarriage excluded from definition","type":"ectopic_miscarriage_carveout","summary":"The enjoined Life Act expressly excludes ectopic pregnancy treatment and removal of a dead fetus from the definition of abortion; the current viability ban contains no such carve-out but does not criminalize these procedures.","description":"Even in the strictest banned laws, Wyoming always carved out treatment for ectopic pregnancy (when a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus) and removal of a dead fetus after miscarriage. These are not considered abortion under Wyoming law. Under the current viability standard, which only restricts abortion after viability, these procedures are unrestricted at any stage. The definitional carve-out in the struck-down laws confirms that Wyoming law does not treat miscarriage management or ectopic pregnancy treatment as abortion.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/title-35/chapter-6/section-35-6-122"}]}},"methods":{"procedural_surgical":{"title":"Legal to viability; no method bans","summary":"Procedural (surgical) abortion is legal up to viability subject only to the physician-only rule; Wyoming has no D&E or D&X ban and no separate method-specific prohibition currently in force.","description":"Surgical or procedural abortion is legal in Wyoming up to the point of viability, around 24 weeks of pregnancy. Wyoming does not have any laws banning specific abortion methods like dilation and evacuation (D&E). A TRAP law (HB42) requiring abortion clinics to be licensed as ambulatory surgical centers and doctors to have hospital admitting privileges was struck down by a state judge in June 2026. Only licensed physicians may perform procedural abortions.","verification":"semi_verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/2022/title-35/chapter-6/section-35-6-111"}]},"medication":{"title":"Legal pre-viability; separate ban struck down","summary":"Medication abortion (mifepristone/misoprostol) is currently legal before viability like procedural abortion; the 2023 medication abortion ban (SF0109) was permanently struck down, and the 2025 ultrasound/waiting period law for medication abortion (HB64) was struck down June 2026.","description":"Medication abortion — using pills to end a pregnancy — is legal in Wyoming up to viability. In 2023, Wyoming became the first state to pass a law specifically banning abortion pills, but the Wyoming Supreme Court struck that law down in January 2026. In 2025, the legislature passed a law requiring an ultrasound and a 48-hour wait before getting abortion medication, but a judge struck that down in June 2026. Currently, a person can obtain medication abortion under the same rules as procedural abortion. However, the struck-down law that banned mailing or dispensing abortion pills shows the legislature's intent to restrict medication abortion specifically.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"FindLaw","href":"https://codes.findlaw.com/wy/title-35-public-health-and-safety/wy-st-sect-35-6-139"},{"name":"Wyoming Legislature","href":"https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2025/HB0064"}]},"self_managed":{"title":"Mother exempt; law arguably reaches her","summary":"The pregnant woman is expressly exempted from criminal penalties in all Wyoming abortion laws, but the enjoined Medication Ban text makes it unlawful to 'use' any drug for abortion, and the fetus is defined as an 'unborn baby' from fertilization onward.","description":"Wyoming law expressly says that a pregnant woman cannot be criminally prosecuted under the state's abortion laws. The struck-down Life Act says: 'Nothing in this act shall be construed to subject a pregnant woman upon whom any abortion is performed or attempted to any criminal penalty.' The struck-down medication ban similarly exempts the woman. Under the current viability law, there is no criminal provision that could reach a self-managing woman at all. However, because the fetus is defined in Wyoming's code as an 'unborn baby' from fertilization, there is at least a theoretical risk that a self-managed abortion could be investigated as some other crime — though no such prosecution is known to have occurred in Wyoming.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/title-35/chapter-6/section-35-6-125"},{"name":"FindLaw","href":"https://codes.findlaw.com/wy/title-35-public-health-and-safety/wy-st-sect-35-6-139"}]}},"actors":{"who_may_perform":{"title":"Physicians only; felony for others","summary":"Only a licensed physician may perform an abortion in Wyoming; anyone else who performs an abortion commits a felony punishable by 1-14 years imprisonment under Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-6-111.","description":"In Wyoming, only a licensed medical doctor may perform an abortion. If anyone else — such as a nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or midwife — performs an abortion, they commit a felony and can be sentenced to 1 to 14 years in prison. The TRAP law that would have required abortion clinics to be licensed as ambulatory surgical centers and doctors to have hospital admitting privileges was struck down by a court in June 2026.","verification":"semi_verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/2022/title-35/chapter-6/section-35-6-111"}]},"criminal_civil_exposure":{"pregnant_woman":{"title":"Expressly exempt from criminal penalty","summary":"The pregnant woman is expressly shielded from criminal and civil penalties under Wyoming's abortion statutes; under the current viability law, no criminal provision applies to her at all.","description":"A pregnant woman who obtains an abortion in Wyoming faces no criminal liability. Even in the strictest abortion bans that the legislature passed (all now blocked by courts), the laws explicitly said the pregnant woman could not be prosecuted or subject to civil penalties. Under the current viability law, there simply is no criminal provision that could be applied to the pregnant woman. The state constitution's protection of health care decisions, as interpreted by the Wyoming Supreme Court, provides an additional layer of protection.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/title-35/chapter-6/section-35-6-125"}]},"physician":{"title":"Felony; up to 5 years; license revocation","summary":"Under the blocked Life Act, a physician violating the abortion ban faces a felony (up to 5 years, $20,000 fine) and mandatory license revocation; under the current viability law, a post-viability violation has no specified criminal penalty.","description":"Under the currently blocked Life Act, a physician who performed a prohibited abortion could be charged with a felony carrying up to 5 years in prison and a $20,000 fine, plus mandatory revocation of their medical license. The blocked medication ban made violations a misdemeanor (up to 6 months, $9,000). Under the current viability law, the statute simply says an abortion 'shall not be performed' after viability — it does not specify a criminal penalty for violation, though the physician-only felony statute (Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-6-111) would not apply since a physician is exempt from it.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/title-35/chapter-6/section-35-6-125"}]},"prescriber_pharmacist":{"title":"Misdemeanor under blocked Medication Ban","summary":"Under the blocked Medication Ban, a non-physician prescriber or pharmacist who dispensed abortion medication committed a misdemeanor; under current law, no separate penalty exists.","description":"The law that specifically banned prescribing or dispensing abortion pills (struck down by the Wyoming Supreme Court) would have made it a misdemeanor for any prescriber or pharmacist — not just physicians — to prescribe, dispense, or sell abortion medication. Under current law, the general physician-only rule means a non-physician cannot legally prescribe abortion medication, but there is no specific penalty statute aimed at pharmacists filling valid prescriptions for abortion medication.","verification":"verified","confidence":"medium","sources":[{"name":"FindLaw","href":"https://codes.findlaw.com/wy/title-35-public-health-and-safety/wy-st-sect-35-6-139"}]},"nurses_and_staff":{"title":"Aiding/abetting exposure under blocked laws","summary":"Under the blocked Life Act, nurses and clinic staff who knowingly assist with a prohibited abortion could face accomplice liability under general criminal law, but under current law no criminal prohibition exists to be aided.","description":"Nurses and other clinic staff who assist with abortions could, under the blocked near-total ban, have been charged as accomplices to a felony. The blocked Life Act prohibited anyone from knowingly performing or assisting in an abortion, which by its terms could reach clinical staff. Under the current viability law, which does not create a criminal offense for performing an abortion pre-viability, clinic staff assisting in a lawful procedure face no criminal exposure. For post-viability procedures, the lack of a criminal penalty for physicians also means the absence of an underlying crime for any accomplice to be charged with.","verification":"semi_verified","confidence":"high"},"other_helpers":{"title":"No specific helper liability under current law","summary":"Wyoming has no law specifically criminalizing those who fund, drive, advise, or otherwise assist a person in obtaining an abortion; the blocked bans would have reached anyone who 'abets' an abortion, but both are unenforceable.","description":"Friends, family members, employers, or abortion funds that help someone obtain an abortion — by paying, driving, or providing information — face no criminal liability under Wyoming law as currently enforced. The blocked near-total ban would have prohibited 'abetting' an abortion, which could have reached helpers. But that law has been permanently struck down, and Wyoming has not enacted any law specifically targeting abortion helpers, funders, or travel assistance.","verification":"semi_verified","confidence":"high"}}},"aiding_and_assisting":{"travel_assistance":{"title":"No travel ban or trafficking law","summary":"Wyoming has no law restricting or criminalizing travel out of state for abortion, nor any 'abortion trafficking' statute targeting those who assist with travel.","description":"A person in Wyoming who wants to travel to another state for an abortion can do so freely, and anyone who helps them — by driving, paying for transportation, or arranging travel — faces no legal risk under Wyoming law. Wyoming has not passed any of the 'abortion trafficking' laws seen in other states that try to punish helping a minor or adult travel for an abortion. There is also no local ordinance in Wyoming targeting travel assistance.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high"},"funding":{"title":"No law targeting abortion funding or funds","summary":"Wyoming has no law that criminalizes or penalizes paying for someone else's abortion or providing funding assistance; abortion funds currently operate without state-imposed legal barriers.","description":"Abortion funds — nonprofit organizations that help people pay for abortions and related costs — can legally operate in Wyoming. Employers who want to cover abortion-related travel for their employees are not prohibited from doing so by state law. Individuals who help a friend or family member pay for an abortion also face no legal risk. The state does restrict its own funds: Medicaid and other state funds cannot be used to pay for abortion except in very limited circumstances.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high"},"mailing_pills":{"title":"Mailing pills banned in blocked statute","summary":"Under the blocked Medication Ban, distributing or dispensing abortion medication by mail was a misdemeanor; the federal Comstock Act also lurks as a potential federal obstacle, though not currently enforced against FDA-approved drugs.","description":"The struck-down Medication Ban made it a crime to 'distribute' or 'sell' abortion medication, which could cover mailing pills. Since that law has been permanently blocked, mailing abortion medication into or within Wyoming is not currently a state crime. However, the federal Comstock Act — a 19th-century law that bans mailing any article 'designed, adapted, or intended for producing abortion' — is still on the books. The Biden administration's Department of Justice took the position that the Comstock Act does not apply to FDA-approved medication mailed for lawful use, but a future administration could take a different position. This remains a theoretical risk.","verification":"verify_before_publication","confidence":"medium","sources":[{"name":"FindLaw","href":"https://codes.findlaw.com/wy/title-35-public-health-and-safety/wy-st-sect-35-6-139"}]},"providing_information":{"title":"No information-gag law; First Amendment protects","summary":"Wyoming has no law restricting the provision of information about abortion; a First Amendment challenge would likely succeed against any such law, and the state constitution's health care freedom provision adds protection.","description":"It is legal in Wyoming to provide information about abortion — including referrals, website addresses, or advice about where and how to obtain an abortion. Wyoming has not passed a law restricting abortion-related speech. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects the right to provide truthful information about lawful medical procedures, and courts have consistently struck down laws that try to restrict such speech. The Wyoming Supreme Court's ruling that abortion is a protected health care decision under the state constitution adds an additional layer of protection for informational speech related to accessing health care.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high"},"civil_bounty":{"title":"No SB8-style civil bounty law","summary":"Wyoming has not enacted any law creating a private civil cause of action against abortion providers, patients, or helpers, unlike Texas's SB8 model.","description":"Wyoming does not have a law like Texas's SB8, which allows private citizens to sue anyone who 'aids or abets' an abortion for at least $10,000 in damages. No Wyoming law creates a private right to sue over abortion. The blocked Life Act's civil penalty provision applied only to licensing boards, not to private citizens bringing lawsuits.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high"}},"procedural_requirements":{"waiting_period":{"title":"No mandatory waiting period currently","summary":"Wyoming currently has no mandatory waiting period between counseling and abortion; the 48-hour waiting period for medication abortion (HB64) was struck down in June 2026.","description":"There is currently no state-mandated waiting period between when a person receives counseling and when they can obtain an abortion in Wyoming. The legislature passed a 48-hour waiting period specifically for medication abortion in 2025, but a judge struck it down in June 2026 as unconstitutional. For procedural abortion, Wyoming has never had a mandatory waiting period.","verification":"semi_verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Wyoming Legislature","href":"https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2025/HB0064"}]},"mandatory_counseling":{"title":"No state-scripted counseling","summary":"Wyoming has no law requiring state-scripted counseling or the provision of state-produced materials before an abortion; the 2017 ultrasound 'opportunity' requirement was the closest analog and has been superseded by struck-down laws.","description":"Wyoming does not require doctors to read a state-mandated script or provide state-produced materials to a person seeking an abortion. Other states sometimes require doctors to tell patients about alleged risks of abortion, fetal development, or alternatives to abortion — Wyoming has none of these. Standard medical informed consent applies as it does for any other medical procedure.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high"},"ultrasound_requirement":{"title":"No ultrasound requirement currently","summary":"There is currently no mandatory ultrasound requirement; the 2025 law requiring an ultrasound 48 hours before medication abortion (HB64) was struck down in June 2026.","description":"Wyoming does not currently require a person to have an ultrasound before obtaining an abortion. A 2025 law required an ultrasound at least 48 hours before getting medication abortion pills, but a judge struck that law down in June 2026. An older 2017 law said patients had to be told they could view an ultrasound if they wanted to, but did not make one mandatory.","verification":"semi_verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Wyoming Legislature","href":"https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2025/HB0064"}]},"in_person_visits":{"title":"No mandatory in-person visits","summary":"Wyoming currently requires zero legally compelled in-person visits for abortion; the struck-down HB64 waiting period and ultrasound requirement for medication abortion would have forced at least two visits but is unenforceable.","description":"Under current law, there is no requirement for multiple in-person visits to obtain an abortion in Wyoming. A person can typically have their consultation and abortion on the same day or over one to two consecutive days depending on the type of abortion and how far along the pregnancy is. The law that would have required two separate visits for medication abortion (one for the ultrasound and a second at least 48 hours later for the medication) has been struck down by a court.","verification":"semi_verified","confidence":"high"}},"minors":{"parental_involvement":{"title":"Notification and consent; status unclear","summary":"Wyoming's parental notification-and-consent statute (Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-6-118) required written notice to one parent 48 hours before a minor's abortion plus written consent, but it was listed for repeal in the 2023 Life Act; its current enforceability is unclear.","description":"Wyoming had a law requiring that a minor under 18 notify at least one parent or guardian in writing at least 48 hours before an abortion and obtain written consent from that parent. However, the 2023 Life Act (now struck down) appeared to repeal this provision. The Center for Reproductive Rights notes that it 'remains unclear' whether the Johnson ruling invalidates all of the Life Act or only the specific sections found unconstitutional, and that the parental involvement statute predates the post-Dobbs controversy. Individual providers may still require parental consent regardless of state law. A judicial bypass — where a minor can ask a judge for permission instead — is available.","verification":"verify_before_publication","confidence":"low","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/2022/title-35/chapter-6/section-35-6-118"}]},"judicial_bypass":{"title":"Judicial bypass available if law enforced","summary":"If the parental involvement law is enforceable, a minor can petition a court for permission to self-consent in a closed hearing; the bypass standard is based on maturity or best interests.","description":"If the parental involvement requirement is in effect, a minor who cannot or does not want to involve a parent can ask a judge for permission to consent to the abortion on her own. The hearing is closed (not public), and the judge is supposed to consider whether the minor is mature enough to make the decision or whether an abortion is in her best interests. The law does not specify a timeline for the judge to rule.","verification":"verify_before_publication","confidence":"low","sources":[{"name":"Center for Reproductive Rights (cited)","href":"https://reproductiverights.org/maps/abortion-laws-by-state/wyoming"}]}},"paternal_spousal_rights":{"consent_or_notice_laws":{"title":"No spousal consent or notice law","summary":"Wyoming has no statute requiring spousal consent or notice for abortion; no law requiring the father's consent exists.","description":"Wyoming does not require a married person to get their spouse's permission or to notify their spouse before having an abortion. There is also no law requiring the consent of the person who caused the pregnancy. A pregnant person in Wyoming — whether married or unmarried — makes the abortion decision independently.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high"},"enforceability":{"title":"No spousal law to invalidate","summary":"Since Wyoming has no spousal consent or notification statute, the question of enforceability after Dobbs does not arise; any future spousal law would face challenges under the Wyoming Constitution's health care freedom provision.","description":"Because Wyoming has no law requiring a spouse's consent or knowledge, there is nothing to enforce or challenge. If the legislature were to pass a spousal involvement law in the future, it would face a challenge under the Wyoming Constitution's health care freedom provision, which the state Supreme Court has now held protects abortion as a fundamental right requiring strict scrutiny.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/cases/wyoming/supreme-court/2026/s-24-0326.html"}]},"other_paternal_rights":{"title":"Father has no veto; wrongful death unclear","summary":"A biological father has no legal right to prevent an abortion in Wyoming; whether a father could bring a wrongful death claim for a fetus is unclear under Wyoming law.","description":"A man who impregnates someone has no legal right to stop her from having an abortion under Wyoming law. No Wyoming statute gives the biological father standing to seek an injunction against an abortion. Whether a father could sue for wrongful death of a fetus is unclear — Wyoming's wrongful death statute does not specifically address unborn children, and no Wyoming appellate court has ruled on the question.","verification":"verify_before_publication","confidence":"low"}},"fetal_personhood":{"fetal_homicide_law":{"title":"Fetal homicide at any stage; mother exempt","summary":"Wyoming law makes killing an unborn child second-degree murder when a third party kills a pregnant woman; the statute applies from conception but exempts abortion and medical treatment, and does not reach the pregnant woman herself.","description":"Wyoming has a fetal homicide law, passed in 2021, that makes it second-degree murder to kill an unborn child when a third party kills or attacks a pregnant woman and the fetus dies. The law applies at any stage of development from conception. The law explicitly does not apply to legal abortions performed with the pregnant woman's consent or to medical treatment. Importantly, the law does not apply to the pregnant woman herself — she cannot be charged with fetal homicide for actions affecting her own pregnancy.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"FindLaw","href":"https://codes.findlaw.com/wy/title-6-crimes-and-offenses/wy-st-sect-6-2-104"}]},"wrongful_death":{"title":"Unclear; no Wyoming appellate ruling","summary":"Wyoming has no statute or appellate decision specifically authorizing or denying a wrongful death action for a fetus; whether a civil claim lies is unsettled.","description":"It is unclear whether someone can sue for wrongful death of a fetus in Wyoming. The state's wrongful death law allows lawsuits 'whenever the death of a person is caused by a wrongful act,' but Wyoming courts have never decided whether an unborn child counts as a 'person' under this law. Most other states allow wrongful death claims for viable fetuses, but Wyoming has not addressed the issue. If such a claim were brought, the Wyoming Supreme Court's recognition of abortion as a protected health care decision could influence the analysis, but no precedent directly applies.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"low"},"personhood_definition":{"title":"Personhood language in blocked Life Act","summary":"The blocked Life Act defines 'unborn baby' as an 'individual living member of the species homo sapiens from fertilization to full gestation' and declares the unborn baby a member of the human race; Art. 1, § 38 of the state constitution does not contain fetal personhood language.","description":"The 2023 Life Act — which the Wyoming Supreme Court struck down — contained strong fetal personhood language. It stated that an 'unborn baby' is 'an individual living member of the species homo sapiens' from fertilization to birth, declared that the unborn baby is a 'member of the human race' under the state constitution, and asserted that 'all members of the human race are created equal and are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, the foremost of which is the right to life.' The law also stated: 'abortion as defined in this act is not health care.' The state constitution does not define a fetus as a person, and the Wyoming Supreme Court explicitly rejected the argument that abortion is not health care.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/title-35/chapter-6/section-35-6-122"},{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/title-35/chapter-6/section-35-6-121"}]},"contradictions_analysis":"Wyoming law contains a profound contradiction between fetal personhood and abortion access. The blocked Life is a Human Right Act declares that an 'unborn baby' is 'an individual living member of the species homo sapiens' from fertilization, a 'member of the human race' with a 'right to life' under the state constitution, and that 'abortion ... is not health care.' Simultaneously, the Wyoming Supreme Court held in State v. Johnson (2026) that abortion is constitutionally protected health care under Art. 1, § 38, and that the personhood-based abortion ban fails strict scrutiny. The fetal homicide statute (Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 6-2-104(b)) treats the killing of an unborn child at any stage as second-degree murder — but this applies only to third-party violence, not to abortion with the pregnant woman's consent. The blocked Life Act itself exempts the pregnant woman from all criminal and civil penalties, meaning the same 'unborn baby' whose life the legislature declares must be protected is one whose termination the pregnant woman faces no liability for facilitating. The blocked Medication Ban exempts the woman from prosecution while criminalizing the same conduct by others. The Wyoming Supreme Court's ruling resolves this contradiction for now: the constitutional right to make health care decisions, including abortion, prevails over the statutory declaration of fetal personhood. But the contradiction persists in the code: the personhood language remains on the books, the fetal homicide law remains in force, and the legislature continues to pass abortion restrictions. If a federal or state constitutional amendment were enacted, the personhood provisions could gain legal force and criminalize conduct that is currently protected."},"telehealth_and_interstate":{"telehealth_prescribing":{"title":"Telehealth prescribing unclear; physician-only applies","summary":"Wyoming has no statute expressly authorizing or prohibiting telehealth for abortion medication prescribing; the physician-only rule and the blocked Medication Ban's prohibition on 'prescribing' abortion medication create significant uncertainty even under the current legality of abortion.","description":"The legal status of telehealth abortion in Wyoming is not clearly addressed by any statute. A physician in Wyoming could arguably prescribe abortion medication via telehealth since abortion is legal to viability, but the physician-only statute means a doctor must be involved. Out-of-state providers prescribing by telehealth into Wyoming face additional uncertainty, as the blocked Medication Ban made it illegal to 'prescribe ... any drug for the purpose of procuring or performing an abortion.' While that statute is blocked, the lack of a Wyoming shield law means out-of-state providers could face risk if the medication ban were ever reinstated.","verification":"verify_before_publication","confidence":"low","sources":[{"name":"FindLaw","href":"https://codes.findlaw.com/wy/title-35-public-health-and-safety/wy-st-sect-35-6-139"}]},"out_of_state_travel":{"title":"Travel out of state is lawful","summary":"Wyoming residents may lawfully travel to other states for abortion care; no Wyoming statute purports to regulate or criminalize out-of-state conduct.","description":"A person living in Wyoming can travel to another state — such as Colorado, which has strong abortion protections — to obtain an abortion without fear of prosecution under Wyoming law. Wyoming has passed no law attempting to reach out-of-state abortion-related conduct. Even the blocked near-total ban applied only to abortions performed within Wyoming.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high"},"shield_or_hostile_laws":{"title":"No shield law; no cross-border targeting","summary":"Wyoming has neither a shield law protecting abortion providers or patients from other states' investigations nor a law targeting cross-border abortion activity; it is neutral on interstate abortion issues.","description":"Wyoming is neither a shield state nor a targeting state when it comes to interstate abortion issues. Unlike states like New York or California, Wyoming has not passed a law protecting its abortion providers from out-of-state subpoenas, extradition requests, or license actions. Unlike states like Texas or Idaho, Wyoming has not passed a law trying to reach conduct across state lines. This means Wyoming providers have no special legal protection if another state tries to investigate them, and Wyoming residents who travel out of state for abortion face no obstacle from their home state.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high"}},"funding_and_insurance":{"medicaid":{"title":"Hyde Amendment only","summary":"Wyoming's Medicaid program covers abortion only in cases of life endangerment, rape, or incest — the federal Hyde Amendment minimum — and state law further restricts state appropriations for abortion.","description":"Wyoming's Medicaid program will only pay for an abortion if the pregnancy threatens the pregnant person's life, or if the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest. This is the minimum required by the federal Hyde Amendment, which restricts how federal money can be used for abortion. Wyoming does not voluntarily cover abortion in any additional circumstances with its own state funds. A person on Wyoming Medicaid who needs an abortion for any other reason must pay out of pocket.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Wyoming Legislature (HB92 Enrolled Act)","href":"https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2022/HB0092"}]},"private_insurance":{"title":"No statutory restriction on private coverage","summary":"Wyoming does not restrict private health insurance plans from covering abortion; no statute mandates coverage either, leaving it to the market.","description":"Wyoming does not have a law prohibiting private health insurance plans from covering abortion. Whether abortion is covered depends on the specific insurance plan. Some employer-sponsored plans may cover it; others may not. Wyoming does not require insurance plans to cover abortion, but it also does not forbid them from doing so, unlike some states that have enacted abortion coverage bans for private insurance.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high"},"exchange_plans":{"title":"No additional exchange restrictions","summary":"Wyoming imposes no additional restrictions on abortion coverage in ACA marketplace plans beyond the federal rules, which in Wyoming's federally facilitated marketplace default to no abortion coverage requirement.","description":"Wyoming's health insurance marketplace is run by the federal government. Federal law allows but does not require marketplace plans to cover abortion, and plans that do must segregate premium payments for abortion coverage. Wyoming has not added any state-level restrictions on marketplace plan abortion coverage. In practice, few if any Wyoming marketplace plans cover abortion beyond the Hyde categories.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high"},"state_funding_of_providers":{"title":"Defunds providers; restricts state appropriations","summary":"Wyoming law prohibits the use of state-appropriated funds for abortion except in narrow circumstances (life, rape, incest), effectively defunding abortion services through public money.","description":"Wyoming does not use state money to fund abortion providers for abortion services. The state budget prohibits spending state-appropriated funds on abortion except when the pregnant person's life is in danger or the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest (with a 5-day police reporting requirement). This means abortion providers like Wellspring Health Access cannot receive state funding, grants, or contracts that would cover abortion procedures.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Wyoming Legislature (HB92)","href":"https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2022/HB0092"}]}}},"penalties":[{"actor":"Licensed physician performing prohibited abortion","offense":"Violation of Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-6-123 (Life Act, blocked) — felony","penalty":"Felony: up to 5 years imprisonment, fine up to $20,000, or both; mandatory license revocation, fine up to $5,000, investigation costs (Wyo. Stat. Ann. §§ 35-6-125, 35-6-126, blocked)","verification":"verified","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/title-35/chapter-6/section-35-6-125"}]},{"actor":"Non-physician performing abortion","offense":"Person other than licensed physician performing abortion — felony (Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-6-111)","penalty":"Felony: imprisonment 1-14 years (Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-6-111)","verification":"semi_verified","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/2022/title-35/chapter-6/section-35-6-111"}]},{"actor":"Person prescribing/dispensing abortion medication","offense":"Violation of Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-6-139(a) (Medication Ban, blocked) — misdemeanor","penalty":"Misdemeanor: imprisonment up to 6 months, fine up to $9,000, or both (Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-6-139(c), blocked)","verification":"verified","sources":[{"name":"FindLaw","href":"https://codes.findlaw.com/wy/title-35-public-health-and-safety/wy-st-sect-35-6-139"}]},{"actor":"Pregnant woman","offense":"None — expressly exempted from criminal and civil penalties (Wyo. Stat. Ann. §§ 35-6-125(b), 35-6-126(b), 35-6-139(d), all blocked; no penalty in current viability law)","penalty":"None; mother expressly exempt","verification":"verified","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/title-35/chapter-6/section-35-6-125"}]},{"actor":"Third party killing unborn child (not abortion)","offense":"Murder in the second degree of an unborn child (Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 6-2-104(b))","penalty":"Imprisonment for any term not less than 20 years or life (Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 6-2-104(c))","verification":"verified","sources":[{"name":"FindLaw","href":"https://codes.findlaw.com/wy/title-6-crimes-and-offenses/wy-st-sect-6-2-104"}]},{"actor":"Pregnant woman — fetal homicide for self-managed abortion","offense":"No liability under fetal homicide statute (applies to third-party violence, not abortion with consent)","penalty":"None; mother not reachable under this statute","verification":"semi_verified"}],"recent_changes":[{"date":"2022-03-15","event":"Governor Mark Gordon signs HB92, creating a trigger ban (Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-6-102(b)) that prohibits abortion except to preserve the woman from serious risk of death or substantial and irreversible physical impairment, or in cases of incest or sexual assault. The ban is contingent on the U.S. Supreme Court overruling Roe v. Wade.","sources":[{"name":"Wyoming Legislature","href":"https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2022/HB0092"}]},{"date":"2022-06-24","event":"Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization is decided, overruling Roe v. Wade. Wyoming's trigger ban certification process begins."},{"date":"2022-07-22","event":"Governor Gordon certifies the trigger ban as effective. Abortion becomes illegal in Wyoming except for serious risk of death, substantial and irreversible physical impairment, incest, or sexual assault."},{"date":"2022-07-27","event":"Trigger ban takes effect. A Teton County District Court grants a temporary restraining order the same day, blocking enforcement, in Johnson v. State (Johnson I)."},{"date":"2023-03-17","event":"Governor Gordon allows the Life is a Human Right Act (HB152) to become law without his signature. This near-total ban replaces the trigger ban, prohibiting all abortion with exceptions for life, physical health, rape, incest, lethal fetal anomaly, and molar pregnancy. The law also contains fetal personhood findings.","sources":[{"name":"Wyoming Legislature","href":"https://wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2023/HB0152"}]},{"date":"2023-03-17","event":"Wyoming becomes the first state to enact a ban specifically targeting medication abortion. Governor Gordon signs SF0109, making it a misdemeanor to prescribe, dispense, distribute, sell, or use any drug for abortion. The law takes effect July 1, 2023.","sources":[{"name":"Wyoming Legislature","href":"https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2023/SF0109"}]},{"date":"2023-03-22","event":"Teton County District Court issues a temporary restraining order blocking enforcement of the Life Act and Medication Ban (Johnson II). Abortion reverts to the pre-Dobbs viability standard."},{"date":"2024-11-18","event":"Teton County District Court Judge Melissa Owens grants summary judgment for plaintiffs, holding that the Life Act and Medication Ban violate Art. 1, § 38 of the Wyoming Constitution, and enters a permanent injunction."},{"date":"2025-03-05","event":"Wyoming legislature overrides Governor Gordon's veto of HB64, enacting a law requiring an ultrasound at least 48 hours before medication abortion. HB42, a TRAP law requiring abortion clinics to be licensed as ambulatory surgical centers and physicians to hold admitting privileges, also passes.","sources":[{"name":"Wyoming Legislature","href":"https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2025/HB0064"}]},{"date":"2025-04-21","event":"Natrona County District Court issues a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of HB64 and HB42 while litigation proceeds."},{"date":"2026-01-06","event":"Wyoming Supreme Court issues its decision in State v. Johnson, 2026 WY 1, holding 4-1 that the Life Act and Medication Ban violate Art. 1, § 38 of the Wyoming Constitution. The court holds that the right to make health care decisions is fundamental, abortion is health care, and the abortion restrictions fail strict scrutiny. The bans are permanently enjoined.","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/cases/wyoming/supreme-court/2026/s-24-0326.html"}]},{"date":"2026-03-09","event":"Governor Gordon signs HB0126, the Human Heartbeat Act, a six-week ban prohibiting abortion once cardiac activity is detected, with an exception for medical emergencies (life or serious impairment of a major bodily function). No rape or incest exception. Violation is a felony punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment.","sources":[{"name":"Wyoming Legislature","href":"https://wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2026/HB0126"}]},{"date":"2026-04-24","event":"Natrona County District Court issues a temporary injunction blocking enforcement of HB0126 (six-week heartbeat ban) in Johnson et al. v. State, Case No. 116148."},{"date":"2026-05-01","event":"Governor Gordon certifies the viability ban (Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-6-102(a)) as the operative law following the injunction of the heartbeat ban, making abortion legal to viability with a life/health exception thereafter."},{"date":"2026-06-12","event":"Natrona County District Judge Thomas T.C. Campbell issues a final order striking down three abortion restrictions as unconstitutional: HB64 (ultrasound and 48-hour waiting period for medication abortion), HB42 (TRAP law — ambulatory surgical center licensing and admitting privileges), and the related ultrasound requirement. The state announces its intent to appeal.","sources":[{"name":"Cowboy State Daily","href":"https://cowboystatedaily.com/2026/06/12/judge-strikes-down-another-set-of-wyomings-abortion-restrictions"}]}],"pending_changes":[{"name":"Johnson et al. v. State — HB0126 heartbeat ban challenge","type":"litigation","status":"Temporary injunction granted April 24, 2026, by Natrona County District Court; merits not yet decided. State likely to appeal any adverse ruling.","effect":"If upheld, the six-week ban is permanently blocked and abortion remains legal to viability. If the injunction is dissolved on appeal, abortion becomes illegal once cardiac activity is detected (approximately 6 weeks LMP) with only a medical emergency exception (life or serious impairment of a major bodily function).","sources":[{"name":"Center for Reproductive Rights (cited)","href":"https://reproductiverights.org/maps/abortion-laws-by-state/wyoming"}]},{"name":"State appeal of June 12, 2026 order striking down HB64, HB42, and ultrasound requirements","type":"litigation","status":"Wyoming Speaker of the House confirmed intent to appeal to the Wyoming Supreme Court. Appeals timeline pending.","effect":"If the Wyoming Supreme Court reverses, the 48-hour waiting period with mandatory ultrasound for medication abortion, TRAP licensing requirements, and clinic admitting-privilege requirements would become enforceable, potentially making operation of Wyoming's sole abortion clinic impossible.","sources":[{"name":"Wyoming Public Media","href":"https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/health/2026-06-12/wyoming-judge-strikes-down-three-abortion-restrictions-as-unconstitutional"}]},{"name":"Potential constitutional amendment to overturn Johnson","type":"legislation","status":"The Wyoming Supreme Court in Johnson explicitly noted that 'lawmakers could ask Wyoming voters to consider a constitutional amendment that would more clearly address this issue.' No amendment has been introduced but legislative leadership has indicated interest.","effect":"If passed by the legislature (two-thirds vote) and approved by voters, a constitutional amendment could remove or narrow the Art. 1, § 38 protection for abortion, allowing the legislature to enact more restrictive abortion laws including total or near-total bans.","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/cases/wyoming/supreme-court/2026/s-24-0326.html"}]}],"key_authorities":[{"name":"Wyoming Constitution, Article 1, Section 38 — Health Care Freedom Amendment","citation":"Wyo. Const. art. 1, § 38","type":"constitution","url":"https://codes.findlaw.com/wy/wyoming-constitution/wy-const-art-1-sect-38","why":"The Wyoming Supreme Court held this provision protects abortion as a fundamental health care right, the basis for striking down all post-Dobbs abortion bans."},{"name":"State v. Johnson","citation":"State v. Johnson, 2026 WY 1 (Wyo. 2026)","type":"case","url":"https://law.justia.com/cases/wyoming/supreme-court/2026/s-24-0326.html","why":"This 4-1 Wyoming Supreme Court decision permanently enjoined the Life is a Human Right Act and Medication Ban, holding them unconstitutional under Art. 1, § 38."},{"name":"Viability Abortion Ban","citation":"Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-6-102(a)","type":"statute","url":"https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2022/HB0092","why":"The only currently enforceable abortion restriction in Wyoming: abortion is legal until viability with a life/health exception thereafter."},{"name":"Life is a Human Right Act (blocked)","citation":"Wyo. Stat. Ann. §§ 35-6-120 to 35-6-138","type":"statute","url":"https://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/title-35/chapter-6/section-35-6-123","why":"The enjoined near-total abortion ban containing fetal personhood language; shows legislative intent and could be revived by constitutional amendment."},{"name":"Medication Abortion Ban (blocked)","citation":"Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-6-139","type":"statute","url":"https://codes.findlaw.com/wy/title-35-public-health-and-safety/wy-st-sect-35-6-139","why":"The blocked first-in-the-nation ban specifically targeting abortion medication; demonstrates Wyoming's aggressive approach to medication abortion."},{"name":"Physician-Only Abortion Restriction","citation":"Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-6-111","type":"statute","url":"https://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/2022/title-35/chapter-6/section-35-6-111","why":"Makes it a felony for anyone other than a licensed physician to perform an abortion, restricting who may provide care."},{"name":"Fetal Homicide — Murder of Unborn Child","citation":"Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 6-2-104(b)-(c)","type":"statute","url":"https://codes.findlaw.com/wy/title-6-crimes-and-offenses/wy-st-sect-6-2-104","why":"Treats killing of an unborn child during an attack on a pregnant woman as second-degree murder, establishing fetal victim status without reaching abortion with consent."},{"name":"Human Heartbeat Act (blocked)","citation":"HB0126, 68th Leg. (Wyo. 2026)","type":"statute","url":"https://wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2026/HB0126","why":"The temporarily enjoined six-week ban; if upheld on appeal, would dramatically restrict abortion access in Wyoming."},{"name":"Public Funding Restriction","citation":"Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-6-117(a)","type":"statute","url":"https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2022/HB0092","why":"Restricts state-appropriated funds for abortion to life, rape, and incest, with a 5-day law enforcement reporting requirement for rape/incest exceptions."},{"name":"Abortion Reporting Requirement","citation":"Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-6-131","type":"statute","url":"https://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/title-35/chapter-6/section-35-6-131","why":"Requires physicians to report every abortion to the state within 20 days; natural miscarriages are excluded from reporting."}],"research_notes":{"overall_confidence":"high","editor_notes":"Before publication, verify the current enforcement status of the parental involvement law (Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-6-118) with Wyoming practitioners or Wellspring Health Access. The statutory landscape is shifting rapidly: check whether any appeal of the June 12, 2026 district court ruling has been filed and whether the heartbeat ban's temporary injunction has been appealed. Monitor for a constitutional amendment proposal referenced by the Wyoming Supreme Court in Johnson. The HB0126 heartbeat ban litigation is the single most significant pending change — its outcome could flip Wyoming from a viability jurisdiction to a six-week jurisdiction. Verify the governor's May 1, 2026 viability certification has not been superseded by subsequent events. Check the Wyoming Secretary of State's website for the current operative effective date certification.","gaps":["The enforceability of the parental involvement law (§ 35-6-118) after Johnson is genuinely ambiguous. The Wyoming Legislature's website lists it as repealed by HB152, but the Center for Reproductive Rights' analysis suggests the repeal may have been partially invalidated. No Wyoming court has clarified this since Johnson.","Whether a father or other family member could bring a wrongful death action for a fetus in Wyoming has not been addressed by any Wyoming appellate court, making this point unsettled.","The precise status of Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-6-111 (physician-only statute) under the Johnson strict scrutiny framework has not been separately litigated; it could face a constitutional challenge.","The FDA preemption argument regarding mifepristone regulation has not been litigated in Wyoming courts, leaving uncertain whether the federal REMS program would preempt any re-enacted state restrictions on medication abortion.","The viability ban (Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-6-102(a)) contains no criminal penalty for physicians, leaving a significant enforcement gap that has not been addressed legislatively or judicially."]}}