On the Issues

My Position on Life, Free Agency, and Constitutional Legislation

I am pro-life. Like many of you, I believe that abortion is wrong. I strongly oppose taxpayer dollars being used to fund abortions. Hard-working Wyoming citizens should never be forced to pay for procedures that violate their core moral beliefs.

At the same time, as a conservative, I believe our nation was founded on fundamental principles: that God granted us free agency and the right to think for ourselves. One of God’s fundamental commandments is, “Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13). It deeply concerns me that our nation sees so many unwarranted abortions driven by convenience or selfishness.

Recent flyers circulated in our district have tried to label me as “pro-choice.” Let me be clear: I cherish the God-given right to free agency and choice in our daily lives, a principle woven into the fabric of our founding documents (“We hold these truths to be self-evident”). But do not believe for a moment that I support or encourage abortions in our state or our nation.

If my own teenage son or daughter were facing a difficult, unplanned situation, my advice and support would be immediate: carry the baby to full term and choose life or place the child up for adoption. As parents, we would support them in every way possible if they chose to keep the baby, while praying that abortion would never even be considered as an option. Ultimately, God gave each individual free agency, but our personal hope and guidance will always point toward choosing life.

Why Quality Legislation Matters

When you sit in a legislative chair, whether in the House or the Senate, you take an oath to uphold the Constitution and write laws that actually work for the people of Wyoming. I voted against a past abortion bill not because I oppose life, but because it was a poorly written bill that was not ready to become law and has been repeatedly ruled unconstitutional.

Passing bad bills, even for good causes, does not serve Wyoming. It creates legal chaos, wastes taxpayer money, and fails to protect the very lives we are trying to save.

I remain committed to supporting meaningful, lasting efforts to protect unborn children in Wyoming. However, any serious legislative draft must answer critical real-world questions before it becomes law:

Implementation: How will the law be executed and enforced across state agencies?

Penalties & Fines: What specific penalties will apply to those who break the law?

Legal Alignment: If the law treats the act as murder, are the legal penalties consistent with existing statutory murder penalties?

Medical Providers: What specific punishments or regulatory revocations will apply to doctors performing illegal abortions in Wyoming?

Funding & Adoption: If state policy encourages carrying to full term and adoption, does the state have a role in funding supportive adoption infrastructure?

Enforcement Agency: Which department will manage prevention, reporting, and enforcement?

Budgetary Impact: What fiscal budget will be required for administrative staff and necessary services?

Accountability for Men: How will the law enforce responsibility for the men involved in the pregnancy, rather than placing the entire burden solely on the woman?

Exceptions & Hard Cases: How will tragic situations involving rape or incest be handled under the law?

Prevention & Education: Will parents and communities be offered or required to take classes focused on prevention and awareness of pregnancy risks?

These are practical, essential concerns that must be resolved in any effective bill draft. When drafting laws that directly impact Wyoming families, we must ensure they are right in every way.

I will always work to pass solid, constitutional laws that stand up in court and serve Wyoming for generations. When a bill is flawed or ignores critical legal questions, I will not support it because bad bills, even for good causes, are not good bills.

R.J. Kost
Candidate for Wyoming State Senate, District 19