FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) - Abortion will remain legal in Wyoming following a ruling by the state Supreme Court that overturned several laws, including the nation's first explicit ban on abortion pills. The justices announced their decision on Tuesday, declaring that the laws in question violate the Wyoming state constitution.

The court's decision was in favor of the state's only abortion clinic, Wellspring Health Access, as well as Chelsea's Fund, an abortion access advocacy group, and four women, including two obstetricians. These plaintiffs argued that the state's restrictive abortion laws infringe upon a constitutional amendment allowing competent adults to make their own healthcare decisions.

On the other hand, attorneys representing the state maintained that abortion cannot be classified as healthcare under the Wyoming constitution, which they contended allowed their proposed bans to stand. One of the laws aimed to restrict abortion access to situations where a pregnant woman's life is under threat or in cases of rape or incest. The other law would have established Wyoming as the only state with a clear prohibition against the use of abortion pills, although other states have effectively implemented similar bans by broadly restricting abortion access.

Abortion has remained legal in Wyoming since District Judge Melissa Owens from Teton County initially blocked the implementation of the bans while the accompanying lawsuit progressed. In November, Judge Owens ruled the laws unconstitutional, setting the stage for the Supreme Court’s eventual confirmation of her decision.

The legal battles surrounding abortion in Wyoming highlight the ongoing national debate following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022, which previously protected the right to abortion across the United States. The ruling by the Wyoming Supreme Court serves as a significant moment in this landscape, affirming the rights pertaining to abortion access in the state.

This ruling not only maintains the status quo regarding abortion in Wyoming but also reflects broader trends in the legal landscape around reproductive rights in the United States. As states navigate the implications of the post-Roe era, Wyoming's case exemplifies the complexities of balancing state legislation with constitutional rights related to healthcare decisions.