On March 9, 2023, the Colorado General Assembly introduced an abortion legislation package referred to as the “Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA) 2.0,” a series of bills whose predecessor made Colorado one of the most extreme pro-abortion states in the country. Yet, pro-abortion lawmakers are still pushing for more abortion access, including:
• Eliminating a woman’s choice to sustain her pregnancy and save her child’s life through Abortion Pill Reversal treatment;
• Restricting the good work of Pregnancy Resource Centers for our community;
• Circumventing Colorado’s constitutional prohibition against public funding of abortion;
• Increasing access to contraception and abortion referrals to minors;
• Violating First Amendment rights of medical professionals and hospitals that do not provide abortion-related or “gender affirming care”;
• Violating First Amendment rights of employers who do not provide abortion or “gender affirming care” in their insurance plan.
The so-called “Safe Access to Protected Health Care” package of three bills includes:
1. SB23-190 Prohibiting Deceptive Practices at Anti-Abortion Centers 2. SB23-189 Increasing Access to Reproductive Health Care Services 3. SB23-188 Protecting Health Care Patients, Providers, and Assistors
Here is an initial breakdown of RHEA 2.0:
I. SB23-190 Prohibiting Deceptive Practices at Anti-Abortion Centers Sponsors: Sens. Faith Winter and Janice Marchman, and Reps. Karen McCormick and Elisabeth Epps.
If enacted, SB 190 would:
Ban the Abortion Pill Reversal (APR) treatment.
• Pro-Abortion lawmakers are removing the choice of a woman to sustain her pregnancy and save her child’s life.
• Abortion Pill Reversal is a safe and effective way to attempt to reverse the effects of chemical abortion by taking progesterone (a naturally occurring hormone). It is prescribed by a licensed medical provider to outcompete the life-ending effects of chemically induced abortion for the baby. Progesterone, the “pro-gestation” hormone is crucial to sustaining pregnancies and has been widely used for decades by OB-GYNs around the world to help mitigate the threat of a pregnancy loss, whether that be naturally in a miscarriage or electively in a chemical abortion. There are no known side effects for the baby and no adverse effects for the mom. Babies who have been born to mothers who have taken progesterone during pregnancy are healthy and strong. The protocol during Abortion Pill Reversal works to restore the mother’s hormones to reverse the effects of the chemical abortion pill.
•This is a violation of First Amendment freedoms of those who wish to promote the safety and accessibility of Abortion Pill Reversal treatment.
Ban advertising of Pregnancy Resource Centers.
• Pro-Abortion lawmakers are attempting to shut-down life-affirming alternatives to abortion for women experiencing an unexpected pregnancy, again eliminating choice.
• Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRC) are life-affirming centers that provide care and resources to assist women and families with immediate and ongoing needs related to unexpected pregnancy. Their focus and advertisement on alternatives to abortion is designed to empower a woman to welcome her child into the world. Pregnancy Resource Centers outnumber abortion clinics 51-20 in the state of Colorado, which is why the abortion-lobby is pushing Colorado lawmakers to eliminate life-affirming choices for women.
• This is a violation of Pregnancy Resource Centers’ First Amendment rights by compelling state-sanctioned disclosures for pregnancy centers regarding abortion, which has previously been acknowledged as a violation of freedom of speech by the U.S. Supreme Court.[1]
For more information on Abortion Pill Reversal you can visit Bella Health and Wellness explainer here. If you want to learn more about how a chemical abortion works from an OB-GYN and former abortionist click here.
II. SB23-189 Increasing Access to Reproductive Health Care Services Sponsors Sens. Dominick Moreno and Lisa Cutter, and Reps. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, and Lorena Garcia.
If enacted, SB 189 would attempt to circumvent Colorado’s prohibition against public funding of abortion in section 50 of article V of the Colorado Constitution[2] by:
• Requiring for large employer insurance plans to provide coverage for the total cost of an abortion and requiring individual/small group plans to provide abortion coverage if the federal Dept. of Health and Human Services approves it. A religious exemption is not guaranteed but may be determined by the state court system.
• Expanding the state-run “reproductive health-care program” to allow minors under the age of 19 years to apply for and enroll themselves in the state-funded “family planning services” and “family planning related services” program, [3] which includes access to contraception and abortion referrals without parental consent.[4]
III. SB23-188 Protecting Health Care Patients, Providers, and Assistors Sponsors: Sens. Julie Gonzales and Sonya Jaquez Lewis, and Reps. Meg Froelich and Brianna Titone.
If enacted, SB 188 would also contain First Amendment violations, including:
• Restrictions against the ability of medical providers to terminate contracts of employees who violate lawful Ethical Religious Directives by either performing “gender affirming care” (transition surgeries, hormone therapy, etc.) or “abortion related services” (abortion, tubal ligations, etc.). It contains no religious exemption.
• Provisions regarding insurance provider requirements for “gender affirming care.” This is a similar provision to what was in the Obama Admin. Affordable Health Care Act and was subsequently and successfully challenged by Burwell v. Hobby Lobby in 2014 for violating religious liberty.
Here’s how you can help:
Watch and share Pro-Life Colorado’s video of a Colorado mother sharing her story of using the Abortion Pill Reversal process, while a Denver-based Bella Health and Wellness OB-GYN explains the safety, efficacy, and common practice of the treatment for women who choose to preserve the life of their pre-born child after taking chemical induced abortion pill(s).
Write to your representative here: https://cocatholic.org/take-action/action-alerts/
Stay tuned to the Colorado Catholic Conference Action Alerts for updates on the hearing schedule and how to testify.
Sign-up to testify (in-person, via Zoom, or written) here: https://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/signIn.xsp
If you would like assistance in testifying or have questions, please sign-up here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/cocatholic
Call and email bill Prime Sponsors:
Senator Faith Winter faith.winter.senate@coleg.gov; 303-866-4863
Senator Janice Marchman janice.marchman.senate@coleg.gov; 303-866-4853
Representative Karen McCormick karen.mccormick.house@coleg.gov; 303-866-2780
Representative Elisabeth Epps elisabeth.epps.house@coleg.gov; 303-866-2911
Senator Dominick Moreno dominick.moreno.senate@coleg.gov; 303-866-4857
Senator Lisa Cutter lisa.cutter.senate@coleg.gov; 303-866-4859
Representative Dafna Michaelson Jenet dafna.michaelson.jenet.house@coleg.gov; 303-866-2945
Representative Lorena Garcia lorena.garcia.house@coleg.gov; 303-866-2964
Senator Julie Gonzales julie.gonzales.senate@coleg.gov; 303-866-4862
Senator Sonya Jaquez Lewis sonya.jaquez.lewis.senate@coleg.gov; 303-866-5291
Representative Meg Froelich meg.froelich.house@coleg.gov; 303-866-2921
Representative Brianna Titone brianna.titone.house@coleg.gov; 303-866-2962
Finally, MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
RALLY FOR LIFE April 4, 2023 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Colorado Capitol West Steps
Pro-Life Colorado coalition is hosting a rally on the one-year anniversary of Colorado’s horrible abortion law, the Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA), that has claimed the lives of thousands more children in our state in its first year since enactment.
This is an opportunity for Coloradans to let the General Assembly know we do not want RHEA 2.0!
At this rally we will also announce Pro-Life Colorado’s partnership with National March for Life to launch the inaugural Colorado March for Life beginning April 2024.
Since its enactment in 2022, RHEA codified into state law:
• Elective abortion up-to the moment of birth (full 40 weeks of pregnancy);
• Abortion based on discrimination of sex, race, or children with disabilities such as Down Syndrome;
• A so-called “fundamental right” for a woman to receive an abortion, which has impact on other state law, including the parental notification requirement for minors receiving abortion and regulation on abortion for the health and safety of the woman and baby;
• The complete removal of all “independent or derivative rights under the laws” of Colorado for preborn children at all stages of development.
RHEA violates the fundamental human right to life for millions of preborn children, hurts women and families, and it is out-of-touch with the desires of millions of Colorado voters.
[1] Nat’l Inst. of Life & Family Advocates v. Becerra, 2018
[2] https://law.justia.com/constitution/colorado/cnart5.html
[3] https://casetext.com/statute/colorado-revised-statutes/title-255-health-care-policy-and-financing/colorado-medical-assistance-act/article-4-colorado-medical-assistance-act-general-medical-assistance/part-4-providers-reimbursement/section-255-4-412-family-planning-services-family-planning-related-services-rules-definitions
[4] chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF10051