Wyoming AG authorizes use of abortion trigger law

Casper Star Tribune ^ | July 21, 2022 | Maya Shimizu Harris

[Morgana]

Attorney General Bridget Hill notified Gov. Mark Gordon on Thursday that Wyoming’s trigger abortion ban “would be fully authorized” under the U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade last month.

That clears the way for Gordon to enact the ban. It is unknown when he will do so.

“I have received the Attorney General’s analysis,” Gordon said in an emailed statement late Thursday afternoon. “I will give it prompt attention, review it overnight, and consult with the Attorney General before proceeding.”

After Roe’s reversal, there was much speculation about when Wyoming’s ban would actually take effect. Hill’s report to Gordon is the first clarifying information on that timeline.

Wyoming passed the abortion trigger ban this spring during the legislative session, and Gordon signed it into law. It was triggered by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Dobbs V. Jackson Women’s Health Organization last month, after which the attorney general had 30 days to review the high court ruling.

Under the law, the governor has five days to enact the ban after the attorney general’s review.

The ban will make nearly all abortions illegal, except in cases involving rape or incest, or if the mother’s life is in danger. Some legislators hope to delete those exceptions in the next session.

[dynachrome]

Has liz cheney started crying yet?