Colorado House Democrats passed three pro-abortion bills Wednesday to expand abortions and limit pregnancy resources that help mothers choose life for their unborn babies.
Colorado Politics reports the Senate debated the abortion bills for 11 hours before passing all three in a 22-13 vote; one Democrat joined Republicans in voting no.
Pro-life advocates and lawmakers spoke out strongly against the abortion expansion, saying Colorado already is a destination state for women to abort their unborn babies.
“We are signaling to the rest of the union and the rest of the world that … Colorado will proudly end the life of any unborn child at any time during pregnancy,” said state Sen. Kevin Van Winkle, R-Highlands Ranch, according to the report. “It seems to invite anyone wanting an abortion to come to our state to end the life of a child. … It is wrong. It promotes a culture of death.”
The bills now head to the state House, which Democrats also control.
One, Senate Bill 189, would force employers to cover elective abortions without copay or deductibles in their employee health plans. Exceptions would be allowed for religious employers who believe abortions are wrong; however, it is not clear if non-religious employers, such as pro-life organizations, that morally oppose abortion would be exempted.
ACTION ALERT: To oppose this legislation, Contact Colorado House lawmakers.
Republican lawmakers also raised concerns about the bill forcing taxpayers to fund elective abortions, and criticized a section that strips parents of their right to be involved when their underage daughter receives contraception; currently, the law requires parents to be notified, the report continues.
Another, Senate Bill 190, would censor pregnancy resource centers and deny women the choice of the life-saving abortion pill reversal treatment. The bill claims the abortion pill reversal treatment is “unprofessional conduct” even though studies show it is safe and effective, saving at least 4,000 babies’ lives.
Writing for BreakPoint.org, pro-life columnist John Stonestreet explained more about the bill:
One of the bills, named “Prohibiting Deceptive Practices at Anti-Abortion Centers,” takes direct aim at pregnancy resource centers, which have been serving women across the country for decades with free pregnancy tests, prenatal care, parenting classes, baby clothes, diapers, and more. Referring to these centers as “anti-abortion” is an attempt to paint them as shadowy fronts for nefarious political action.
Initially, the bill referred to pregnancy centers as “fake clinics,” but lawmakers amended the bill, according to Colorado Politics.
On the state Senate floor, state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Brighton, criticized pro-abortion lawmakers for trying to limit support to pregnant mothers and babies.
“This bill seeks to eliminate alternatives to abortion,” Kirkmeyer said. “It is a woman’s right to choose life for her child. … For some women, that means she should be able to choose the abortion reversal pill. It is her right to make that choice. It should be her choice.”
The third bill, Senate Bill 188, would protect abortionists in Colorado who abort unborn babies in violation of other states’ laws.
Colorado allows unborn babies to be aborted for any reason up to birth, and pro-abortion groups have been paying women to travel there from pro-life states to abort their unborn babies. According to Colorado Politics, 750 pregnant women traveled from out of state to Planned Parenthoods just in January; in comparison, there were 1,500 out-of-state abortion patients in 2021.
As lawmakers began their debate this week, pro-life advocate Jeff Hunt said he was kicked out of the state Senate gallery for wearing a “Pro-Life U” sweatshirt. He said the Sergeant at Arms said the gallery has a rule against clothing with political messages. However, afterward, Hunt said he found other examples of people wearing shirts with political messages in the gallery. For example, a few weeks ago, he said students wearing red shirts advocating for gun control were allowed in the gallery.
“Makes you wonder if someone wearing a Planned Parenthood shirt would also be asked to leave? How about an ACLU shirt?” Hunt said.
ACTION ALERT: To oppose this legislation, Contact Colorado House lawmakers.
