Wyoming judge blocks abortion pill ban ahead of Dobbs anniversary

As President Joe Biden gets set to mark the anniversary of the Supreme Court overturning Roe V. Wade with several endorsements in hand, a judge temporarily blocked Wyoming’s ban on abortion pills. Wyoming was the first in the nation to pass a ban that specifically targeted abortion pills.

The ban was set to take effect July 1. However, Teton County Judge Melissa Owens put it on hold while a lawsuit proceeds.

Four women, including two obstetricians, and two nonprofit organizations are challenging the Wyoming abortion pill ban. Lawyers for the plaintiffs argued banning abortion pills would require women to get more invasive surgical abortions instead.

“It effectively tells people you must have open-heart surgery when a stent would do,” Marci Bramlet, an attorney for the ban opponents, argued at a hearing on Thursday, June 22.

The plaintiffs are also suing to stop a near-total ban on abortion enacted in Wyoming in March. It allows exceptions for the life of the mother and for cases of rape or incest that are reported to police. Attorneys for the state argued abortion for other reasons isn’t health care.

“It’s not restoring a woman’s body from pain, injury or physical sickness,” Jay Jerde, an attorney for the state, said. “Medical services are involved, but getting an abortion for reasons other than health care, it can’t be a medical decision.”

The Wyoming abortion pill ban ruling came just a couple days before the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe V. Wade. President Biden was set to mark the occasion Friday, June 23, by hosting a rally and issuing an executive order to bolster access to contraception.

“It’s going to continue to be a big week. The administration is, you know, literally all four of the principals, the president, vice president, second gentleman and first lady are all engaged,” White House Gender Policy Council Director Jennifer Klein said Wednesday, June 21. “And I really think you’re seeing that not only here in this administration, but really across the country. People are really galvanized and motivated.”

It appears Biden will lean on abortion rights throughout his reelection campaign. He has already scored endorsements from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, NARAL Pro-Choice America and Emily’s List.

“I think that President Biden has been an incredibly valuable partner, along with Vice President Harris, in fighting back against the onslaught of attacks that we have seen,” Alexis McGill Johnson, president and chief executive of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, said. “We are heading into an election where opposition is very clear — they are pushing for a national ban. And we have an administration that has taken actual steps to protect patients and providers during this health care crisis. The choice is really clear.”

After the overturning of Roe V. Wade, 53% of Americans polled by The Associated Press disapproved of the court’s decision. Abortion measures on ballots during the 2022 midterm elections largely fell in favor of protecting abortion rights.