By the end of last week, more than 10 patients had been turned away and two scheduled procedures have been cancelled at the state’s only clinic for medication and procedural abortions.
That’s after Gov. Mark Gordon signed a ban on most abortions on March 9, despite saying in a letter he expects legal challenges could find the new law violates the state’s constitution. The Human Heartbeat Act, which grants exceptions for medical emergencies but not for rape or incest, went into effect immediately.
“We had already started talking to patients about [the ban],” said Katie Knutter, the executive director of the Casper clinic, Wellspring Health Access. “[Saying] ‘Hey, we know that you are in your second trimester. You would be much too far [along] for us to see.’”
Wellspring Health Access is tacking on a challenge to its three other ongoing legal battles to protect abortion services now limited under the latest piece of legislation.
Knutter said plaintiffs in the latest court filing are asking for an emergency pause – or temporary restraining order – on the ban, at least until the courts rule on the case. That court order could come as soon as mid-April, a similar timeline to 2025’s ban that lasted seven weeks last spring. Even with the short-lived ban last year, the clinic still provided over 300 abortions.
In 2012, state legislators passed a constitutional amendment with the Wyoming Healthcare Access Act that has since stood several tests against abortion bans. In January 2026, the state’s highest court again upheld abortion access, affirming a lower court’s ruling that two state bans violated residents’ right to make their own healthcare decisions.
With the latest ban now in place, abortion providers now risk up to five years in prison, a $10,000 fine or both, once a heartbeat can be found on an ultrasound, or around six weeks. Abortion advocates say most women don’t know they are pregnant until after the cutoff required by the new law.
Bill sponsor and House Speaker Chip Neiman (R-Hulett) previously told Wyoming Public Radio he wasn’t surprised by the legal challenges and expects the ban to survive.
Also a plaintiff in the clinic’s lawsuits, Jackson OB-GYN Giovannina Anthony believes the ban won’t stop women from seeking abortion services, but will instead disrupt lives with the need to travel out-of-state for healthcare.
Anthony is also worried that the ban’s short window, between being aware of a pregnancy and seeking care, will make it harder for Wyomingites to receive care in-state.
“Wyoming women will be stocking up on over-the-counter pregnancy tests in light of this bill,” Anthony said. “They’re going to want to know, ‘Gosh, if I have a mishap or my contraceptive fails, I need to be able to make my choice in a timely fashion.’”
Anthony is one of just a handful abortion providers in the state. While her primary practice has shifted toward more exclusive concierge healthcare, she continues to provide medication abortion services to anyone.
Chelsea’s Fund is another plaintiff in the suit. The nonprofit abortion advocate compiles a list of resources, from financial aid to locating providers, with frequent updates to match the latest laws.
“We are working now to fight this in court as well as to continue our unwavering support for the women and families of Wyoming who deserve the freedom to make their own decisions without government interference,” the organization said in a press release.
