The Wyoming House of Representatives voted to override Governor Mark Gordon’s veto on House Bill 64, which mandates a transvaginal ultrasound and a 48-hour waiting period before a patient can access abortion medication.
The decision now rests with the state Senate, which has until the end of the legislative session to weigh in on the bill’s future.
Governor Gordon vetoed the bill, citing concerns over its invasive nature, particularly its lack of exceptions for victims of rape and incest. In his veto letter, Gordon emphasized the emotional and physical trauma the procedure could impose on survivors of sexual violence, calling the bill “intimate, personally invasive, and often medically unnecessary.”
While House members debated the merits of the bill, Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, highlighted the lack of exceptions for rape and incest victims, stating that the requirement for a transvaginal ultrasound would further traumatize women already facing difficult circumstances. In response, Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, R-Cody, clarified that the procedure in question, a “transvaginal transducer,” was medically necessary to determine gestational age, despite debates over its invasiveness.
The bill’s supporters, including Speaker of the House Chip Neiman, argued that the legislation was necessary for the safety of women, with Neiman emphasizing that the bill could potentially prevent abortions and save unborn lives.
The debate also included technical points, such as the bill’s language, which refers to ultrasound technology but does not specifically mention the transvaginal procedure. Despite this, Rep. Yin contended that a transvaginal ultrasound would be required to meet the bill’s criteria, as it provides clearer images in early pregnancy.
The House voted 45-16 in favor of overriding the veto. The matter now heads to the Senate, where a two-thirds majority vote would be required to override the veto and enact the bill into law.
Governor Gordon’s veto comes amid ongoing debates about abortion rights in Wyoming. Although abortion remains legal in the state, new laws, including restrictions on surgical abortion clinics, have caused access to abortion services to diminish. Advocacy groups, including Wellspring Health Access, have opposed these restrictions, with President Julie Burkhart commenting that the vetoed bill would unnecessarily complicate access to abortion care in the state.
With input from Wyo File, Oil City News, Sheridan Media, the Associated Press.
