Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon on Friday afternoon announced his veto of a bill that would have mandated life-saving actions for any infant that was still alive following an abortion in Wyoming.

The governor's office released this statement in announcing the veto:

For SEA 52 Governor Gordon, who is pro-life, made this statement: “Laws already in place protect children from being denied life-saving care simply because they were born as a result of an abortion. This bill will not do anything to improve on those laws which already exist. Instead, this bill will harm people it never intended to harm - parents who want a child, but have received the devastating news that their pregnancy is not viable. The State should not seek to make that moment for parents any more tragic than it already is. For this reason, I am vetoing this bill.”

The bill had passed the Wyoming Senate by a margin of 23-7 and the House on  44-16 vote.

Opponents of the bill had argued that it was unneeded and intrusive, in part because Wyoming law already bans abortions at which point the fetus could survive outside of the womb except in cases where the mother's life is in danger. They also argued that all such decisions should be in the hands of the pregnant woman and her doctor(s).

Supporters of the bill argued that it was needed as a proactive measure to prevent the implementation of laws such as those in place In New York and Virginia which they say allows for the killing of any infant/fetus right up until the times of birth. They also pointed out that emergency abortions can be performed for medical reasons after the time in which abortions are normally banned in the state.

The governor also announced his vetoes of the following bills:

SF014/SEA006 Banking division-classification and salary exemptions.

SF0138/SEA0069 Investment of state funds-2.

HB011/HEA0046Medicaid billing for school-based services.

Meanwhile, the governor signed the following bills into law:

HB0137/HEA0054 Worker's compensation-legislators.

HB0243/HEA0097 Oil and gas tax-new production.

And the governor allowed the following bills to become law without his signature

HB0174/HEA0059Kindergarten start date.

HB0162/HEA0083State trust lands-proposals and study.

HB0040HEA0096School finance - model recalibration.

SF0117/SEA0056 First responder workplace mental injury coverage.

SF0134/SEA0061Special event liquor licenses.

All of the bills the governor acted upon Friday had been approved by lawmakers in the 2020 Legislative session. The bills acted upon Friday were the last 11 from the session that awaited his action.

You can read a letter from the governor explaining his actions on each of these bills on his website.

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