In a plot twist that might make even the most hardened political strategist chuckle (or groan), Wyoming’s anti-Affordable Care Act (ACA) constitutional amendment has unexpectedly thrown a wrench into the state’s push for a near-total abortion ban. Back in 2012, Wyoming voters, eager to thumb their noses at federal overreach, passed an amendment to protect individual healthcare choices from Uncle Sam’s prying eyes. Fast forward to 2023, and that same amendment is being cited as a bulwark against restrictive abortion laws.
On March 2023, Wyoming passed the “Life is a Human Right Act,” a near-total abortion ban, which was swiftly challenged in court. In July 2023, Teton County District Judge Melissa Owens temporarily blocked the ban, arguing that it conflicted with the constitutional healthcare amendment. The amendment, designed as a libertarian ode to personal freedom in healthcare, has now become a lifeline for preserving reproductive rights. Suddenly, the very tool aimed at defending against federal healthcare mandates is shielding abortion access—a development that has left conservatives scrambling to explain how “my body, my choice” applies to vaccines but not reproductive health.
Governor Mark Gordon has doubled down on the abortion ban’s legality, promising a fight to the bitter end. But for now, Wyoming’s ACA-era legacy may be ensuring that healthcare—including abortion—remains a personal decision.
Sometimes, irony is the best medicine.
