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Wyoming House approves bill protecting pregnancy centers after rejecting broader amendment
Summary
The House passed House Bill 3 on Feb. 16, which bars government entities from targeting pregnancy centers; an amendment to broaden criminal-protection language for health-care workers failed after floor debate about scope and regulation.
The Wyoming House of Representatives on Feb. 16 passed House Bill 3, a measure described in committee as protecting pregnancy centers from targeted oversight, after rejecting an amendment that would have broadened protections to health-care workers.
Representative Yen offered third-reading Amendment 1, saying the proposal sought to address threats and risks of violence that the bill’s original text did not cover. "The bill, as written, doesn't do anything to protect [pregnancy centers] from threats or risks of violence," Yen said during the floor debate, arguing the amendment would extend protection to health-care providers and reduce chilling effects on service delivery.
Opponents argued the amendment materially changed the bill’s intent. Representative Rodriguez Williams said the bill’s original focus is “to prohibit the state and government entities from adopting any law, any rule, or policy that targets specifically pregnancy centers,” and urged rejection of the amendment on that basis. Other members questioned whether some clinics and personnel are subject to medical regulation and whether the amendment would unintentionally sweep in unregulated actors.
Representative Brown, who supported the amendment, said similar protections had been considered previously for jurors and judges and that protecting health-care workers broadly made policy sense. Representative Provenza highlighted concerns over regulation and patient safety, asking whether the amendment would effectively protect entities that are not health-care providers.
The amendment was put to a vote by voice and was not adopted. Following that vote, House Bill 3 was called for final passage; the chief clerk reported the roll call as 49 ayes, 12 no, and 1 excused, and the bill passed the House.
The bill’s supporters said it is intended to prevent government agencies from enacting rules that single out pregnancy centers for enforcement or regulation. Detractors warned the measure could limit legitimate oversight and noted state regulation and patient-safety questions raised on the floor. The House proceeded next to other third-reading bills and scheduled committee business for the day.
What's next: House Bill 3 passed the House and will proceed through the legislative process toward the Senate or enrollment as the legislative calendar dictates.
