Wyoming Becomes a Destination for Abortion Tourism: Is This the Future We Want?

Wyoming Becomes a Destination for Abortion Tourism: Is This the Future We Want?

A recent search on AbortionFinder.org reveals that at least three private foundations are currently offering financial assistance to women from other states to travel to Wyoming for abortion services. This development raises important questions about Wyoming’s legal stance 

Wyoming law permits abortions up to the point of viability, which can be as late as 26 weeks into a pregnancy. This legal framework places Wyoming among a small number of states where abortion access is relatively unrestricted, comparable to states like California and New York, which are known for their pro-abortion laws. As a result, Wyoming has become a destination for women from states with stricter abortion laws seeking access to the procedure.

After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, returning the authority to regulate abortion to the states, Wyoming lawmakers acted swiftly. They passed HB 152, known as the Life is a Human Right Act, with overwhelming support (81%). This bill repealed existing viability laws and aimed to protect unborn children while leaving exceptions for cases of rape, incest, and when the life of the pregnant woman is at risk.

However, this legislation was quickly challenged in court. A lawsuit was filed by a group of pro-abortion advocates, including:

The lawsuit was strategically filed in the 9th District Court of Teton County, known for its more liberal leanings. Nearly a year and a half later, Judge Melissa Owens has yet to rule on the constitutionality of the Life is a Human Right Act. In the meantime, the law remains in legal limbo, and Wyoming has become a haven for abortion tourism.

As the debate over abortion continues to unfold in Wyoming, many are left asking: Is this the future we want for our state? The delay in the judicial process has created a situation where Wyoming is increasingly seen as a destination for abortion, raising concerns among pro-life advocates and lawmakers who want to see stronger protections for unborn children.

If you believe that Wyoming should prioritize the protection of unborn children and reexamine its abortion laws,  consider sharing this information with others in your community.

Is the Cowboy State Daily Showing Political Bias? Evidence Suggests Yes

Independent research has revealed that the Cowboy State Daily, one of Wyoming’s largest news outlets, may be providing biased political coverage, favoring politicians who receive donations from its owner, Wayne Hughes.

Wayne Hughes, a California businessman, relocated to Wyoming in 2017 and quickly became a major player in state politics. Records from the Wyoming State Campaign Finance database show that Hughes contributed more than $595,000 to various political campaigns during the 2020 and 2022 election cycles. Then, in February 2022, Hughes acquired the Cowboy State Daily, a prominent Wyoming publication. Since then, concerns about potential political bias in the newspaper’s reporting have emerged among Wyoming residents.

An independent analysis conducted on 562 articles published by the Cowboy State Daily after Hughes assumed ownership reveals a significant disparity in how the publication covers Wyoming lawmakers and political candidates. The study found that:

Media outlets like the Cowboy State Daily are not required to report positive coverage as a political contribution, nor are they obliged to disclose that their ownership has made financial donations to the figures they cover. This raises ethical questions about transparency in media, particularly when coverage can influence public perception.

Wyoming voters deserve transparent reporting from their media, especially when there may be a conflict of interest. A simple solution would be for the Cowboy State Daily to include disclaimers in articles that mention political figures who receive support from Wayne Hughes or his political action committee (PAC). This would give readers a clearer understanding of any potential bias in the coverage.

If you believe that Wyoming citizens deserve more transparency from one of their largest news outlets, consider sharing this information with others in your community. In an era where media influence can shape elections and policy, it’s crucial that voters are well-informed and aware of potential biases in the news they consume.

Wyoming families carrying burden of energy taxes and incentives

By the time you get your bill, it’s too late. Wyoming customers of Rocky Mountain Power are reeling after the company requested a 14.7% rate hike, following earlier increases this year of 5.5% and 9.3%. The company attributes the latest hike to wildfire risk and investments in renewable energy, offering little comfort to the thousands of customers watching their electric bills soar.

Governments at all levels are spending trillions of dollars to transition the country to so-called renewable energies like wind and solar. They justify this investment by citing statistics that claim these sources are cheaper than fossil fuels, but these numbers are often criticized as only applying when the wind is blowing or the sun is shining. To provide the consistent energy Wyoming residents need, coal remains essential.

The fact that Rocky Mountain Power customers are seeing higher rates as the company invests in renewable energy reveals the fallacy of thinking these technologies will lower costs. On the other hand, Wyoming exports more electricity than it consumes, raising the question: why are residents being subjected to rising rates?

Decisions about divesting from fossil fuels, how much electricity to export, and even how to manage wildfire risks are made by politicians and the bureaucrats who serve them. Yet, voters rarely consider their electric bills when casting ballots. Is the candidate you’re voting for in the Legislature likely to support policies that increase your bills? Will the governor’s political appointees choose to export more electricity while charging you to build additional wind and solar farms?

Last year, several bills aimed at increasing taxes on wind companies failed to pass the Wyoming Legislature. One bill sought to repeal a three-year tax exemption for the industry. Currently, wind companies are charged $1 per megawatt hour of generated electricity, but only starting in their fourth year of operation. Industry leaders argued that such measures would reduce investment in Wyoming’s wind sector, even though these companies already receive $27.50 in federal credits for every megawatt hour produced in their first ten years.

The energy industry operates under a Byzantine system of taxes and incentives, with governments at every level distorting the economic playing field. In the end, it’s the citizens who lose—paying for this social engineering both directly, through their electric bills, and indirectly, through taxes that subsidize these industries.

We need leaders at the state and national levels who will put citizens first — not green energy schemes that only seem to drive prices higher.