Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon has signed on Wednesday the Born Alive Act, also known as Senate File 0034, that protects babies who survive botched abortions.
"Today's bill signings included legislation to protect Wyoming businesses and our healthcare industry from frivolous lawsuits; bills that support our coal industry; expand higher education opportunities; and continue our tradition of safe and secure elections" Gordon tweeted referring to the Born Alive Act for healthcare.
According to the State of Wyoming 66th Legislature website, Senate File 0034 is "an act relating to public health and safety; requiring the commonly accepted means of care to be employed in the treatment of any infant born alive; imposing duties on physicians performing abortions; and providing for an effective date."
The Born Alive Act specifies the manner in which treatment for "viable abortion" should be done, which is what is normally administered to a regularly-born infant.
"The commonly accepted means of care that would be rendered to any other infant born alive shall be employed in the treatment of any viable infant aborted alive. Any physician performing an abortion shall take medically appropriate and reasonable steps to preserve the life and health of an infant born alive," the bill said.
The website showed that the bill, which will be in effect come July 1, was introduced by sponsor Senator Cheri Steinmetz in January of this year. The bill is also co-sponsored by 13 senators and 16 representatives.
Steinmetz previously said that her "bill sponsorship and voting record reflect my commitment to traditional family values" out of her desire to keep the state "family friendly."
"In order to be successful in all areas, Wyoming must respect the basic building block of society and government which is the family. State law should not threaten or harm traditional family values, personal or cultural virtue, or freedom of conscience as we govern our society and educate our children," she said.
Local news station KGAB reported that the bill actually passed the Senate on March 5 with a 26-4 vote. The media outlet added that abortion of babies 23 weeks of gestation is banned in Wyoming and that "any abortion in which a baby survived in Wyoming would already be illegal unless it was an emergency procedure to save the life of the mother."
As per the Daily Caller, the governor has vetoed a similar bill the previous year. This bill he signed was amended to remove the clause "with any chance of survival" that came as the last part of the clause, "The commonly accepted means..." and before the sentence "Any physician..."
The Daily Caller cited the governor in explaining that "last year's Born Alive bill was different from the one brought this year" because the older one could "harm people it never intended to harm" based on the receipt of "the devastating news that their pregnancy is not viable." This excludes the fact, the governor said that there is an existing law that protects "children from being denied lifesaving care simply because they were born as a result of an abortion."
"In the Governor's opinion, this bill met with the Governor's pro-life and pro-family convictions," stressed Communications Director Michael Pearlman in behalf of Gordon during an interview with Daily Caller.
