The purpose of this year’s Lobby Day is to give participants an opportunity to meet with their legislator and talk about the importance of protecting access to sexual and reproductive health care for women and men.
Unfortunately, some politicians are proposing onerous restrictions on women, and, in some instances, backdoor bans on women’s access to abortion care in the state through HB1130. The bill would declare a fertilized egg a “person” capable of being the independent victim of a criminal offense.
In 2008 and again in 2010, Colorado voters overwhelmingly rejected the idea that a fertilized egg could be a legal “person.” They recognized that this idea could have far-reaching and undesirable consequences, such as limiting health care services. Creating a new class of victim will not prevent violence against pregnant women. It will, however, open the door to difficult constitutional issues even though Colorado voters have resoundingly rejected “personhood” ballot initiatives – twice.
At the federal level where the future of reproductive health care hangs in the balance; participants will be reminding their lawmakers that they don’t want to see the politics inserted into women’s health in Colorado.
Any interested member of the public who support women’s health and reproductive choice can RSVP online at http://bit.ly/A3P4ig. For more information please contact Mary Bogus at Mary.Bogus@pprm.org or 303-813-7776 .
