Abortion Reporting Bill Faces Decisive Wyoming Senate Vote
A bill that would strive to enforce existing state law on reporting abortions faces a third and decisive vote in the Wyoming Senate on Monday.
House Bill 103 would add a provision to state law to allow reporting doctors who fail to report performing an abortion to the state medical board.
That board could potentially levy fines of up to $25,000 on doctors who fail to report performing the procedure. The names of women who have abortions performed would not be included in the report, and supporters of HB 103 say it would actually do more to protect their privacy than does existing state law.
Supporters of the measure, like Senator Bo Biteman [R-Sheridan County], say it isn't an anti-abortion bill at all, but simply an attempt to gather statistics on a medical procedure. Biteman, in floor debate on the bill last week said it doesn't do anything to hinder access to abortions, but simply attempts to upgrade existing state law requiring abortions to be reported.
But Sen. Mike Girau [D-Teton County}, said he finds it ironic that a body which constantly decries government overreach suddenly wants to intrude into another area "so we can go out and find these perpetrators, wherever they may lurk."
The bill has already passed the Wyoming House of Representatives.