News & Updates - Chelsea's Fund

Complaint filed to enjoin enforcement of bills intended to hinder abortion in Wyoming.

February 28, 2025/in Abortion Ban Litigation

On February 28, 2025, Chelsea’s Fund, along with Wellspring Health Access, Just the Pill, Dr. Rene Hinkle, Dr. Giovannina Anthony, and Danielle Johnson, filed suit to enjoin and find unconstitutional HB 42 and HB 64, two bills the Wyoming Legislature just passed in an effort to impeded abortion care in Wyoming. Chelsea’s Fund is fully committed to taking every action possible to support Wyomingites’ ability to exercise their reproductive freedom, access the abortion care they (not the government) decide they need, and to value the bodily autonomy and dignity of pregnant (or potentially pregnant) Wyomingites.

District Court: Abortion is health care; bans are unconstitutional

November 19, 2024/in Abortion Ban Litigation

On November 18, 2024, Teton County District Court Judge Melissa Owens issued her order finding both the overall criminal abortion ban (“Life is a Human Right Act”) and the medication abortion ban unconstitutional as violating Wyoming Constitution, article 1, section 38 which provides all individuals with the fundamental right to their own personal autonomy when making medical decisions.

In her 35 page order, Judge Owens ruled as follows:

Abortion is essential health care for pregnant women.
Abortion decisions are a pregnant woman’s decision. No other person can make that decision for a competent pregnant woman.
A zygote cannot trump the fundamental right of a living, breathing pregnant woman to make her own medical decisions.
The abortion bans place the health and safety of pregnant Wyoming women in real and present danger.
It is unethical and inhumane to force a woman to carry to term a fetus with lethal fetal anomalies.

We are grateful that Wyoming women’s personal autonomy, health and safety have been unequivocally recognized, valued and upheld. This benefits all Wyomingites (and others, too).

Today, abortion remains legal in Wyoming. We will do everything in our power to uphold this ruling in the Wyoming Supreme Court. Our principles of care and justice in Wyoming demand it.

Judge Owens Rules Abortion Bans Unconstitutional

November 6, 2024/in Abortion Ban Litigation

Teton County District Court Judge Melissa Owens entered her order finding the overall criminal abortion ban and the medication abortion ban unconstitutional. Read the order here.

Importantly, in her 35 page opinion, she found that “[O]nly a pregnant woman can make a decision to have an abortion. No other person can make that decision for a competent pregnant woman.”

The Health Care Amendment cannot be interpreted any other way. “The Health Care Amendment does not include the caveat that it only applies to health care decisions ‘that do not affect others’ or that it applies to medical decisions ‘as long as those medical decisions do not involve abortions.”

Undoubtedly, the State will promptly appeal this ruling to the Wyoming Supreme Court. We will defend Judge Owens’ thorough, sound opinion to the full extent.

Thank you for having stood behind us as we defend Wyoming’s Constitution and reproductive freedom in Wyoming!