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Wyoming senator who supports an end to abortion applauds the Supreme Court decision

Following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, abortion will effectively be illegal in Wyoming in about a month, and those who do not support abortion rights are celebrating the outcome.

Wyoming put into law a "trigger" bill, known as House Bill 0092, earlier this year, anticipating the Supreme Court decision.

Senator Tim Salazar was a co-sponsor of that bill.

"For those of us who have prayed for this day as a matter of faith, we thank the Savior for hearing our prayer," he said. "And now each state can determine through its elected state legislature their own laws on abortion."

Salazar said he is interested to see what laws other states put into place going forward. Twenty-two states have lawssimilar to Wyoming that will ban or severely limit abortion going forward.

Wyoming's law does allow for some exceptions if the mother's life is in danger, or in cases of rape or incest.

Salazar said for now he is okay with these exceptions.

"I don't think there's any question that Wyoming is a pro-life state," he said. "So, I'm right now, simply trying to take in the Supreme Court's massive decision. But I think that what we have right now with regard to House Bill 92 effectively takes care of convenience abortions."

House Bill 92 would mean providing an abortion in Wyoming could result in a felony, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Caitlin Tan is the Energy and Natural Resources reporter based in Sublette County, Wyoming. Since graduating from the University of Wyoming in 2017, she’s reported on salmon in Alaska, folkways in Appalachia and helped produce 'All Things Considered' in Washington D.C. She formerly co-hosted the podcast ‘Inside Appalachia.' You can typically find her outside in the mountains with her two dogs.
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