In Wyoming, a judge stood by a women’s health clinic that burned down, and a group of people argued the ban would harm health workers and patients. In North Dakota, a magistrate ruled in favor of Red River Women’s Hospital in Fargo, the state’s only abortion clinic.
Anti-abortion laws were set to take effect in Wyoming and North Dakota on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
Meanwhile, in West Virginia, legislators passed a ban on voluntary abortions amid protests.
Anti-abortion chants and chants rang out during the debate that led to the passage of the legislation by a 69-to-23 vote in a Republican-dominated midterm.
“Face us,” the crowd shouted.
The suspension of the new law in North Dakota and Wyoming includes states like Kentucky, Louisiana and Utah – where judges have temporarily blocked implementation of the laws while court proceedings are underway.
On June 24, the Supreme Court, with a conservative majority, struck down a constitutional right to abortion that has existed nationwide since 1973, sparking a wave of legalization in the most conservative half of the country.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has signed an executive order ensuring women can cross state lines to obtain legal abortions.
