ABC News reports that Wyoming has just put a new law on the books that places a ban on pills used to commit an abortion. 

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon (R) signed the bill into law on Friday night.

First in the nation

Significantly, ABC News reports that the new law makes Wyoming the first state in America to place an "explicit ban on abortion pills."

The outlet reports:

The pills are already banned in 13 states that have blanket bans on all forms of abortion, and 15 states already have limited access to abortion pills. Until now, however, no state had passed a law specifically prohibiting such pills, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights.

Republican state Sen. Tim Salazar, the bill’s sponsor, celebrated the signing of the bill.

He said:

Wyoming is the first in the nation to ban chemical abortion. Over 90% of abortions in Wyoming are chemical abortions. The help received by so many involved made this possible. Thank you.

Background

The signing of this law comes as a legal battle is taking place in the federal courts over the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval, in 2000, of mifepristone, which is part of a two-pill abortion method.

Oral arguments in the case, which is taking place in Amarillo, Texas, were heard last week by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk.

A decision in the case is expected to be released any day now.

There's more

In addition to the ban on abortion pills, Gordon, on Friday, allowed another anti-abortion measure to become law, albeit without his signature.

Currently, in Wyoming, abortion is allowed up to the point of viability, that is, up to the point when the fetus could survive outside of the womb. The bill that Gordon allowed to become law - known as the Life is a Human Right Act - would ban most abortions.

There are other abortion bans in Wyoming that are currently being decided by the courts. And, Gordon has expressed concern that the Life is a Human Right Act would also face a lawsuit and that such a lawsuit might "delay any resolution to the constitutionality of the abortion ban in Wyoming.”

A date has yet to be set for the implementation of the Life is a Human Right Act.

Wyoming's ban on abortion pills is scheduled to take effect in July. If the ban is challenged legally, then that date could be delayed.