CASPER, WY— Julie Burkhart –a national abortion rights leader and former senior advisor to assassinated Wichita, KS abortion provider Dr. George Tiller— and president of Wellspring Health Access, the only procedural abortion clinic in Wyoming, offered the following statement of reaction to the District Court decision to uphold the Constitutional right to abortion in Wyoming:
“This is a wonderful day for the citizens of Wyoming – and women everywhere who should have control over their own bodies.
“In our case, against the State of Wyoming, which sought to outlaw abortion, we have prevailed today in District Court. It has been determined that by banning abortion in the state of Wyoming, Article 1, Section 38 was violated. This provision of the constitution grants people the right to make their own health care decisions without government interference.
“The judge in our case went on to write, ‘the State has enacted laws that impede the fundamental right to make health care decisions for an entire class of people, pregnant women.’ It has been determined that no person should be denied their rights to bodily autonomy under the State Constitution“So far we have seen over 80 percent of referendums approved in support of abortion rights in this country –and we will continue the fight to ensure all Americans have safe, legal and accessible abortion care across our nation.”
Burkhart was recently profiled by the New York Times as the “only person in America to open an abortion clinic in a state that bans abortion.” She was also featured by US News, “The Lone Surgical Abortion Clinic in Wyoming Has a Message For America,” about her life-long work in abortion care while offering insights into the road ahead following the 2024 presidential election.
She has a long history in reproductive health care advocacy, serving previously as senior advisor to the late Dr. George Tiller, a prominent Wichita, KS abortion provider who was tragically assassinated for continuing to perform abortions. Following his death, Burkhart founded Trust Women to continue his legacy.
Currently, Burkhart serves as president of Wellspring Health Access, which operates its first reproductive health clinic in Casper, Wyoming. She is also the co-owner of Hope Clinic in Granite City, Illinois, and has previously operated clinics in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Washington state.