Wyoming lawmakers override veto on law requiring ultrasound for pill abortions

Women trying to get the abortion pill in Wyoming now need to undergo an ultrasound after state lawmakers overrode the governor’s earlier veto of a bill requiring the procedure.

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon (R) vetoed the “Chemical abortions-ultrasound requirement” bill earlier this week citing concerns over its invasive nature and the bill's lack of exceptions for victims of rape or incest.

“It creates the prospect of an unnecessary, intimate, and invasive procedure (transvaginal ultrasound) which subjects women to an uncomfortable and potentially traumatic experience in what may already be a very overwhelming situation,” Gordon wrote in a letter to Wyoming House Speaker Chip Neiman (R), the bill’s main sponsor.

Under the bill, women seeking to end a pregnancy using abortion medication need to receive a transvaginal ultrasound at least 48 hours before receiving the necessary pills.

During the procedure, a health care provider inserts a device called a transducer into the vagina to record images of the cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries.

State senators voted to override Gordon’s veto of the bill in a 22-9 vote on Wednesday following a House vote in which members voted 45-16 to do the same.

Wyoming became the first state to try to outlaw abortion medication in 2023, but both surgical and chemical abortions remain legal as multiple bans on the procedure remain tangled in court.

There are 10 other states that require an abortion provider to perform an ultrasound on a person seeking an abortion, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Among those states, eight require the provider to offer patients the chance to look at the image of their ultrasound.

Reproductive rights advocates in the state called the move by the Legislature "cruel."

"We are saddened so many legislators lack empathy for women seeking abortion care and fundamental respect for women’s decision-making ability," Christine Lichtenfels, executive director of the reproductive access nonprofit Chelsea's Fund, said in a statement.

"Chelsea’s Fund is already challenging this unconstitutional, unnecessary and demeaning bill in court, and stands ready to help every Wyomingite who needs assistance accessing abortion care," she added.

Topics

Ultrasound now needed for pill abortions in Wyoming after lawmakers override veto

Women planning pill abortions in Wyoming will need to get an ultrasound after lawmakers overrode the governor's veto of the new measure
ABC News - 22h
Wyoming adds new regulations for abortion clinics

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon (R) signed a new bill into law regulating surgical abortions in the state. Gordon signed House Bill 42 late Thursday night which adds “additional safety requirements” to ...
The Hill - 6d
Senators Press Marty Makary on Abortion Pills and Vaccines

At a hearing, Dr. Marty Makary, the nominee for F.D.A. commissioner, fielded questions focused on whether he would review or reopen certain policy areas.
The New York Times - 2h
New York doctor faces criminal charges in Louisiana for prescribing abortion pills

Dr. Margaret Carpenter, who legally practices in New York, is fighting extradition after Louisiana officials charged her for mailing abortion pills. As restrictive state laws clash with legal ...
CBS News - Feb. 21
Abortion Pill Maker Enters Legal Fight Over F.D.A. Rules

GenBioPro, a leading manufacturer of abortion medication, is preparing to go to battle with the Trump administration.
The New York Times - Feb. 25
Abortion pill maker enters legal battle over FDA rules

The country’s only manufacturer of generic abortion medication asked to be a part of the first legal fight over the procedure since President Trump returned to office. The company, GenBioPro, ...
The Hill - Feb. 26
Missouri lawmaker proposes registry of pregnant women ‘at risk’ for abortions

Dubbed ‘eHarmony for babies’, bill would create connected databases for pregnant women and those looking to adopt. A Republican lawmaker in Missouri has introduced legislation to create a ...
The Guardian - Feb. 22
Trump's FDA pick says he'll review whether abortion pill must be dispensed in person again

Dr. Marty Makary, Trump's nominee to lead the FDA, said he would review a Biden-era rule that allowed patients to obtain mifepristone without seeing a health care provider in person.
NBC News - 56m
Supreme Court rejects challenges to abortion clinic 'buffer zone' laws that restrict protesters

The Supreme Court declined to consider overturning a 24-year-old precedent that upheld "buffer zone" laws limiting how close protesters can get to abortion clinic entrances.
NBC News - Feb. 24
'Review' time: Congress looks to its own regulatory veto process

Congress has a process called the Congressional Review Act (CRA) that allows it to disapprove proposed federal regulations, and while it has been used once prior to 2017, it was only utilized once ...
The Hill - 10h
Trump Administration Plans to Require Undocumented Immigrants to Register

The move, which could expose unregistered migrants to criminal prosecution, represents a drastic escalation of the administration’s efforts to push millions of immigrants to leave on their own.
The New York Times - Feb. 26
Increasing defence budget will require tough trade-offs

If Labour will not budge on tax, inflation and a persistent deficit may be the result
Financial Times - Feb. 26
How return-to-office requirements impact employees

Employees being asked to return to the office after years of remote work may be experiencing anxiety over the changes. Author Daniel Pink joins CBS News with more on the effects.
CBS News - Feb. 26
Scattered Pills Found Near Body of Gene Hackman’s Wife as Inquiry Continues

The sheriff’s office in Santa Fe County, N.M., is investigating after the actor Gene Hackman, his wife and one of their dogs were found dead inside their home.
The New York Times - 6d
Mexico seizes 275,000 fentanyl pills from cactus bound for Arizona

Authorities found 70 pounds of fentanyl hidden inside boxes of slices of cactus, a Mexican food stable known as nopales.
CBS News - 7h
Mexico seizes 275,000 fentanyl pills from cactus bound for Arizona

Authorities found 70 pounds of fentanyl hidden inside boxes of slices of cactus, a Mexican food stable known as nopales.
CBS News - 7h
Abortion medication faces RFK Jr. scrutiny

Click in for more news from The Hill {beacon} Health Care Health Care The Big Story How RFK Jr. could restrict abortion medication Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ...
The Hill - 6d
Josh Uduje scores 29 and San Jose State beats Wyoming 82-73

Led by Josh Uduje's 29 points, the San Jose State Spartans defeated the Wyoming Cowboys 82-73
ABC News - Feb. 22
Wyoming billionaire says his team has been in touch with White House over TikTok bid

Wyoming entrepreneur Reid Rasner, the latest U.S.-based suitor vying to purchase TikTok from its China-based parent company, said the Trump administration has reviewed his bid for the platform and ...
NBC News - 2h
Lawmakers skeptical of Trump's Ukraine deal

Lawmakers in both parties are expressing skepticism of President Trump’s expected deal to share Ukraine’s mineral wealth, warning it will need a strong buy-in from Ukrainian President Volodymyr ...
The Hill - 6d
Lawmakers react to Trump's address to Congress

Several Democrats walked out of President Trump's mostly-partisan address to Congress Tuesday night. CBS News congressional correspondent Nikole Killion has more on how lawmakers reacted to Mr. ...
CBS News - 1d
Republicans consider cuts and work requirements for Medicaid, jeopardizing care for millions

Republicans are weighing billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid, jeopardizing health care coverage for some of the 80 million U.S. adults and children enrolled in the safety net program
ABC News - Feb. 18
Texas AG asks court to require NCAA to begin gender testing

The Republican attorney general in Texas wants the NCAA to take its transgender policy a step further and require gender testing for athletes who compete in women’s sports
ABC News - Feb. 20
Pope rests after setback in recovery — a bronchial spasm requiring further ventilation

Pope Francis is resting after an alarming setback in his two-week recovery from double pneumonia
ABC News - 5d
Pope Francis no longer requires mechanical ventilation after respiratory crisis

Pope Francis has stabilized enough after two respiratory crises to be taken off noninvasive mechanical ventilation and resume receiving just high flows of supplemental oxygen via a nasal tube to ...
ABC News - 2d
GOP senators tell Musk DOGE actions will require their votes

Republican senators told tech billionaire Elon Musk at a closed-door meeting Wednesday that his aggressive moves to shrink the federal government will need a vote on Capitol Hill, sending a clear ...
The Hill - 23h
Trump says Mexico will not be required to pay tariffs items in USMCA agreement

President Trump posted on social media that Mexico will not be required to pay tariffs on anything that falls under the USMCA agreement until early April.
NBC News - 6h
House GOP budget goals would require Medicaid cuts, analysis finds

An analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office showed that House GOP budget goals could not be reached without reducing spending on Medicaid.
CBS News - 4h
House GOP budget goals would require Medicaid cuts, analysis finds

An analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office showed that House GOP budget goals could not be reached without reducing spending on Medicaid.
CBS News - 4h
The Watergate-Inspired Law That’s Being Used to Fight DOGE

Here's how the 1974 Privacy Act is being used in legal battles against DOGE—and how you can protect yourself from government surveillance.
Wired - Feb. 20
Trump Claims Power to Fire Administrative Law Judges at Will

The Justice Department said a law protecting the officials from arbitrary removal is an unconstitutional intrusion on presidential authority.
The New York Times - Feb. 21
New law to tackle goalkeeper time-wasting approved

A goalkeeper holding the ball for more than eight seconds will be punished with a corner for the opposition from this summer.
BBC News - 5d
The EU law that’s threatening to up-end the antiquities market

New rules designed to combat terrorism risk consigning artefacts to legal purgatory
Financial Times - 1d
It’s in the interest of US business to stand up for the rule of law

Executives should not rely on the markets to persuade the Trump administration to change course
Financial Times - 8h
Southwest Airlines plane aborts landing after close call at Chicago airport

A Southwest flight had to quickly abort its landing to avoid a potential collision with a private jet on the runway at Chicago's Midway Airport.
CBS News - Feb. 25
Southwest Airlines plane aborts landing to avoid collision on Chicago runway

A Southwest Airlines plane aborted its landing after spotting a private business jet on a Chicago Midway Airport runway, CBS News has confirmed.
CBS News - Feb. 25
Why a Southwest Airlines plane aborted landing on Chicago airport runway

A Southwest Airlines plane aborted landing at the Chicago Midway International Airport as a business jet crossed the runway. Todd Yeary, a former FAA air traffic control specialist, joins CBS News ...
CBS News - Feb. 25
Flight from Boston aborts landing at D.C. airport to avoid plane

An American Airlines flight from Boston aborted its landing in Washington, D.C. Tuesday to avoid another plane.
CBS News - Feb. 26
Two Planes, in Washington and Chicago, Abort Landings to Avoid Collisions

The near misses on Tuesday came after a string of aviation disasters, including the midair collision between an Army helicopter and a passenger jet last month that killed 67 people.
The New York Times - Feb. 26

More from The Hill

Social Security Administration bans reading 'general news' at work

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has banned reading “general news” websites at work, The Hill has learned. "Social Security employees should be focused on mission-critical work and serving ...
The Hill - 28m
AI chatbots infected with Russian disinformation: Study

The world’s most popular artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots are infected with Russian disinformation, according to a new study that was published Thursday. The research done by the news ...
The Hill - 41m
GOP signals CHIPS Act not going anywhere

Welcome to The Hill's Technology newsletter {beacon} Technology Technology The Big Story Trump's call to repeal CHIPS Act faces GOP scrutiny Republican lawmakers say President Trump's call for ...
The Hill - 44m
Second measles death reported as outbreak grows in Southwest

A second person has died from measles as the outbreak of the disease in Texas and New Mexico continues to grow, according to the New Mexico Department of Health. The person was unvaccinated and a ...
The Hill - 54m
Dems draft resolution to condemn GOP leaders over ‘illegal immigrant’ smear against Hispanic Caucus chair

House Democrats have drafted a resolution to condemn Republican leaders after the GOP’s campaign arm falsely portrayed a Hispanic lawmaker as an “illegal immigrant.” Led by Rep. Sylvia Garcia ...
The Hill - 1h