A legislative panel on Wednesday advanced a bill aimed at protecting pregnancy centers despite concern that the measure is unnecessary and would create special considerations not afforded to comparable facilities.
Pregnancy centers promote alternatives to abortion and typically discourage women from seeking the procedure. House Bill 3, “Wyoming pregnancy centers-autonomy and rights,” would prohibit the state or any municipality from compelling a pregnancy center to perform abortions, provide abortion medication or counsel in favor of abortion, among other acts.
The bill was the first item of the 2026 session considered by the House Labor, Health and Social Services Committee. Several people testified that although they believe abortion centers have a right to operate, they don’t see why Wyoming would give the facilities exclusive considerations.
“I do not see why this particular group of nonprofits should be afforded special protections under the law,” said Britt Boril, executive director of WyoUnited.
Others argued that House Bill 3 is not a meaningful solution to Wyoming’s maternity care gaps as advertised and is little more than an anti-abortion political gesture. The House Labor, Health and Social Services Committee advanced the bill on a vote of 6-3. The bill now heads to the House floor.
The committee also passed a measure that would authorize freestanding birth centers to be covered by Medicaid for births. House Bill 4, “Birthing centers-Medicaid coverage,” brings the state into compliance with federal law and the Affordable Care Act and saves the state money, supporters said.
While Medicaid covers a range of medical services, birthing centers are not explicitly included in the current list. The bill would amend state statute to add birthing center services to the list of authorized Medicaid services.
Until recently, no birthing centers operated in the state, said Sarah Morey, CEO and cofounder of Earthside Birth and Wellness Center in Cheyenne — Wyoming’s first such facility. Because of that, the service’s exclusion from the list went unnoticed, she said.
“This bill should have been introduced several years ago,” Morey said. “When the state regulated birth centers a few decades ago, the step was just not completed.”
Freestanding birth centers are state-licensed outpatient health care facilities that specialize in pregnancy, birth and postpartum care and are not part of a hospital.
The bill represents a tangible step toward addressing Wyoming’s maternal health gaps, Earthside Birth and Wellness Center co-founder Allison Hayek testified.
“New birth centers across the state are poised to be a small business or a nonprofit answer to our maternal health deserts,” she said. “This bill stands as the first and only recent meaningful legislative action in answer to widening maternal health deserts. Let’s address this now and move forward together.”
The committee voted 8-1 to advance the bill, with Rep. Paul Hoeft, a Powell Republican, casting the lone no vote.
The problem
An erosion of maternal health care services has made pregnancy and childbirth increasingly tricky in widening swaths of Wyoming. That means families traveling farther to deliver babies, doctors being spread thin and hospitals juggling complicated cost formulas in order to maintain labor wards. Five hospitals have closed down labor and delivery wards in recent history.
If the trend continues, experts worry that mothers will put off or forgo prenatal care or give birth in emergency rooms with nurses who aren’t trained in labor and delivery, which could have dangerous or even deadly results. Births in the state, meanwhile, have been falling.
In response, lawmakers, stakeholders and health care experts have been studying the issue and attempting to find solutions. The Legislature’s joint labor committee made maternity care a priority in the legislative offseason, and ultimately advanced these two bills to address it.
When the committee discussed protecting pregnancy centers in October, the topic incited lengthy debate. One lawmaker wondered if the 12-page bill was copied from a national template, as it featured a lengthy preamble and litany of definitions. Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, a Cody Republican and chair of the House Freedom Caucus, defended the draft, which she introduced.
As it stands, House Bill 3 aims to create specific protections for pregnancy centers — private nonprofit organizations that provide people with counseling, resources and referrals related to pregnancy, adoption and parenting. It prohibits the government from requiring the facilities to perform a range of actions, including counseling in favor of abortions, posting signs related to abortion or making certain hiring decisions. It also lays the groundwork for a facility to commence a civil action for damages not less than $5,000, and grants immunity from tort liability.
Valerie Berry, executive director of LifeChoice Pregnancy Center in Cheyenne, said it’s important for Wyoming to be proactive in this realm.
“Across the country, government officials are increasingly targeting pregnancy care centers,” she said. “House Bill 3 … is critically important because it protects pregnancy care centers from compelled speech and discrimination based on their pro-life beliefs and ethical admission.” Wyoming currently does not have instances of these types of attacks on pregnancy centers, she told lawmakers.
Others on Wednesday pointed out that pregnancy care facilities already enjoy the types of protections the bill lays out. They have recourse in the instance of violence or physical attacks, for example, and the government cannot interfere with actions like hiring or providing abortions.
“I think all healthcare providers should be on the same level playing field, and that’s what I’m concerned about, is we’re creating an unequal playing field,” said Cheyenne resident Wendy Volk.
Committee member Rep. Ken Clouston, R-Gillette, also expressed concerns about special protections. He suggested an amendment that would remove the tort immunity and other protections.
“It’s the special protections that give me problems with this bill,” Clouston said. “I think this is causing some legal constitutional problems. Again, we’re giving special protections to one group that I don’t see anywhere else in Wyoming statute.”
His amendment failed.
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Another effort from the fake christians to control your Mother, Wife, Sister, Daughter.
The purpose of so-called “pregnancy centers” is to deceive and bully women into carrying pregnancies to term against their better judgment. They are often outright fraudulent. They deserve no special protection.
Pregnancy centers are not and have never been at risk of the government forcing them to have any thing to do with abortions. The same can not be said about those places that do provide abortions. Just because the public makes demands of transparency from a business does not mean it’s the governments doing.