Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon Signs ‘Heartbeat Bill’ Restricting Abortions After Detectable Fetal Heartbeat

March 17, 2026

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon has signed into law new legislation restricting abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected.

Christianity Daily reports that Gordon signed House Bill 126 into law this week, making Wyoming the latest state to adopt such a measure, following a recent court decision invalidating the state’s near total abortion ban.

In January, the court determined that the ban conflicted with Article 1, Section 38, which protects individuals’ rights “to make his or her own health care decisions.

The new law is structured differently from the earlier ban in order to withstand judicial scrutiny and acknowledges that the state has an interest “in protecting the life that an abortion would end.”

Under the new legislation, individuals who violate its provisions could face penalties including up to five years in prison, fines of up to $10,000 or both, along with the possible loss of their professional license.

The bill was approved in the Republican-led state legislature, where the Wyoming House of Representatives approved the bill in a 51-7 vote, and the state Senate followed with a 27-4 vote.

According to Christianity Daily, the new law also requires that physicians performing abortions offer patients the opportunity to view an ultrasound image of their unborn child and further restricts abortions involving minors.

Wyoming will become the fifth state to enact a heartbeat bill, joining Florida, Georgia, Iowa and South Carolina, assuming the law remains in effect after potential legal challenges.

Twelve states currently prohibit most abortions throughout pregnancy, including Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia.

Photo: top, Credit: Unsplash/Kelly Sikkema