Wyoming becomes first US state to outlaw abortion pills

NEW YORK - Wyoming on Friday became the first American state to ban the use of abortion pills, adding momentum to a growing push by conservatives states and anti-abortion groups to target medication abortion, the method now used in a majority of pregnancy terminations in the United States.

“I have acted without bias and after extensive prayer, to allow these bills to become law,” he wrote in a letter to Wyoming’s secretary of state released on Friday evening. Wyoming’s abortion pill law would take effect on July 1 and would make it illegal to “prescribe, dispense, distribute, sell or use any drug for the purpose of procuring or performing an abortion”. Doctors or anyone else found guilty of violating this law would be charged with a misdemeanour, punishable by up to six months in prison and a US$9,000 fine. The law explicitly says that pregnant patients will be exempt from charges and penalties.

A bill introduced in Texas, a state that already bans abortion, includes many provisions that seek to close off any access to pills, including making it difficult for Texas patients to learn about or use abortion services outside of the state. The bill would make it illegal to manufacture, distribute or “provide an abortion-inducing drug in any manner to or from any person or location in this state”.

“We are seeing efforts to further bar access to medication abortion because abortion opponents recognise that even with abortion bans in effect in 12 states and lack of access in an additional two, patients are still able to obtain abortion pills,” said Elizabeth Nash, state policy analyst for the Guttmacher Institute. “Now, abortion opponents have turned to the courts, attorneys general and state legislatures to further limit access to pills.

Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Evening Update: Today's headlines from The Straits Times on March 16Read more at straitstimes.com.
Source: straits_times - 🏆 5. / 69 Read more »

Paris court upholds Malaysia’s stay on Sulu heirs awardThe dispute is linked to the Sulu heirs’ years-long claims to the Borneo state of Sabah. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Source: STForeignDesk - 🏆 4. / 71 Read more »

Penang seeks to emulate Singapore’s NEWater as water feud with Kedah drags onThe state is exploring viability of recycling treated sewage water for industrial use. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Source: STForeignDesk - 🏆 4. / 71 Read more »

'Serious' safety faults in Greek rail network: WatchdogIt blamed a state-owned organisation that owns the network for “inadequate” training of “critical” personnel. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Source: STForeignDesk - 🏆 4. / 71 Read more »

More than 20,000 people displaced by flooding in JohorThe districts in the state comprises Batu Pahat and Segamat. Read more at straitstimes.com. straits_times UMNO political party had 40yrs to fox this flood issues but they didn’t
Source: STForeignDesk - 🏆 4. / 71 Read more »

Mountain forests disappearing at alarming rate: studyMountain forests covering an area larger than the US state of Texas have been lost between 2000 and 2018. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Source: STForeignDesk - 🏆 4. / 71 Read more »