Casper Abortion Clinic Still Plans to Open After Leaked Abortion Decision

In a post to the Circle of Hope Health Care Services Facebook page, Julie Burkhart released a statement on the recent leak that the Supreme Court will overturn Roe v. Wade.

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While the leak of the draft opinion by Politico shows the court's intention to overturn the current abortion rules in the U.S., the actual decision will not be handed down for a few months.

The Facebook page currently lists the group as Circle of Hope, however, Elliot Levy, account director of Public Relations for the group, said that they now have a new name, Wellspring Health Access.

Burkhart, CEO of Wellspring Health Access, said in the statement:

"Abortion remains legal in Wyoming. While the Supreme Court may be poised to strike a devastating blow to abortion access in Wyoming and across the country, we firmly maintain our resolve to ensure that the people of this state can get the health care they need. We are staunchly and fully committed to offering the full spectrum of reproductive health care, including abortion, at our new Casper clinic opening next month. The Wyoming constitution has strong protections for Wyomingites’ bodily autonomy. We will fight tooth and nail to protect this fundamental right for the people of Wyoming regardless of what the Supreme Court does this summer. Women and all people must be allowed to make decisions about their bodies, their families, and their health without interference from politicians."

The Supreme Court case that would overturn abortion rights, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which began back in 2020, relates to the constitutionality of a 15-week abortion ban.

At the most recent legislative session, the Wyoming legislature passed a bill, House Bill 92, that would make abortion illegal in Wyoming, except in cases of incest, sexual assault, to save the life of the mother, or because there is a threat to a "major bodily function."

The bill would go into effect five days after a decision overturning Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court is certified by Wyoming's governor to the secretary of state.

Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah, like Wyoming, have also passed trigger laws that would ban abortion if the Supreme Court overrules Roe v. Wade.