MAJOR VICTORY in WYOMING
Governor Mark Gordon has signed House Bill 42 into law, ensuring that all facilities performing surgical abortions in Wyoming meet the same health and safety standards required of other surgical centers.
The Center for Client Safety first identified deficiencies in Wyoming’s licensing code in 2022. We then alerted state authorities to a loophole that allowed facilities to perform surgical abortions without meeting any additional standards beyond those required for a general physician’s office. HB 42 closes this gap by requiring that any facility performing one or more surgical abortions per year be licensed as an Ambulatory Surgical Center. The law took effect immediately upon the governor’s signature on February 27, 2025.
HB 42 strengthens regulatory oversight of abortion facilities, ensuring that women undergoing surgical abortion procedures receive care in properly licensed and inspected settings. Key provisions of the law include:
- Requiring facilities performing surgical abortions to be licensed as Ambulatory Surgical Centers,
- Mandating that all abortion procedures be performed by a licensed physician,
- Requiring state inspections of abortion facilities every three years,
- Establishing mandatory reporting of abortion procedures to the state,
- And ensuring that physicians performing abortions maintain admitting privileges at a hospital within 10 miles of their facility.
After state legislators contacted us for guidance on how to close this regulatory gap, the Center for Client Safety provided expert consultation on policy enforcement best practices. We then directed them to the appropriate policy groups for assistance in drafting legislation.
“This law ensures that women undergoing abortions in Wyoming receive care in facilities that meet the same rigorous safety standards as any other surgical setting,” said Missy Martinez-Stone, President and CEO of the Center for Client Safety. “If a facility is unwilling to meet the same basic health and safety standards as everyone else, it’s their own responsibility for being denied licensure. HB 42 isn’t about shutting down abortion facilities—it’s about ensuring women’s safety and any provider refusing to comply is choosing to put women at risk.”
The urgency for closing this loophole became clear in 2024 when reports surfaced that Wellspring Health Access, a facility providing surgical abortions while being licensed only as a private physician’s office, was transporting patients experiencing medical distress to hospitals using clinic staff vehicles rather than ambulances. These and other concerning reports were brought to the Center for Client Safety by local community members involved in sidewalk counseling and pregnancy resource help, prompting ongoing investigations.
While a similar bill was vetoed in May 2024, HB 42 successfully passed and is now law. As a result of these updated licensing requirements, Wellspring Health Access is currently not performing surgical or medical abortions due to its inability to meet the new licensure standards.
Opponents, including Wellspring Health Access and other plaintiffs, have challenged the law in court. However, HB 42 remains in effect while litigation is pending.
The Center for Client Safety remains committed to advocating for policies that protect patient safety and uphold rigorous medical standards in Wyoming and across the country.
