Wyoming Initiative 1, Abortion Ban Measure (1994)

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Wyoming Initiative 1
Flag of Wyoming.png
Election date
November 8, 1994
Topic
Abortion
Status
Defeatedd Defeated
Type
State statute
Origin
Citizens

Wyoming Initiative 1 was on the ballot as an initiated state statute in Wyoming on November 8, 1994. It was defeated.[1]

A "yes" vote supported this law to prohibit abortion except in the cases of rape, incest, and threat to the mother's life.

A "no" vote opposed this law to prohibit abortion except in the cases of rape, incest, and threat to the mother's life.


Election results

Wyoming Initiative 1

Result Votes Percentage
Yes 78,978 39.94%

Defeated No

118,760 60.06%
Results are officially certified.
Source


Measure design

See also: Text of measure

The initiative was designed to prohibit abortion except in the cases of rape, incest, and threat to the mother's life. It would have penalized physicians or other persons performing an abortion, not the mother, for violating the law. It would have required that the sexual assault or incest be reported to law enforcement before the abortion. The initiative also would have defined an unborn child as "an individual organism of the species homo sapiens from conception until birth."[2]

It was referred to as the "Human Life Protection Act" by supporters.[2]

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Initiative 1 was as follows:

This bill would prohibit any person from intentionally performing an abortion upon a pregnant woman unless her attending physician reasonably determines that the pregnancy endangers the mother's life, or the pregnancy is the result of a sexual assault or incest reported to a law enforcement agency before the abortion. Pregnancy is defined as beginning with conception. A physician or other person performing an abortion under any circumstances would be subject to the existing felony penalty for illegal abortions. The woman procuring the abortion would not be subject to prosecution. 


Support

Supporters

Organizations

  • Unseen Hands Prayer Circle

Arguments

  • Colleen Enos, a spokesperson for the Unseen Hands Prayer Circle: "Opponents of Initiative #1 have propagated numerous fabrications for the purpose of clouding the issue involved. This initiative has nothing whatsoever to do with contraceptives."


Opposition

Arguments

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing the initiative process in Wyoming

The signature requirement in Wyoming is based on the number of votes cast in the state's most recent general election – held every two years. Initiated state statutes and veto referendums require signatures equal to 15 percent of the total ballots cast in the previous general election.

The principal sponsor of the initiative was Richard Grout of Bar Nunn, Wyoming. He filed the initiative on August 8, 1991. On December 8, 1992, the secretary of state announced that the initiative campaign had submitted at least 24,646 valid signatures, the minimum number of required signatures.[1]

See also


Footnotes