Statement from Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains CEO & President Vicki Cowart on the Indefinite Postponing of HB 1256

DENVER – “It is disappointing that the State House leadership felt compelled to pull this bill based on a vocal minority of anti-abortion extremists.  Furthermore, any contentions that ‘those in the abortion debate cannot come together to find common ground’ are absolutely insincere and untrue.
 
“Planned Parenthood came to the table in good faith with multiple, thoughtful solutions to address everyone’s needs in this complex area of law.  The text of the bill itself made it clear from the beginning that this bill was not about abortion.  In fact, the abortion exclusion was necessary to ensure that this bill remain a criminal justice statute.  It is evident that anti-choice extremists were successful in hijacking what began as a bipartisan bill, pushing an ideological, dogmatic agenda, and turning this into a denunciation against women and reproductive health.

"Once again, Colorado's extreme anti-abortion base is placing their own radical agenda above women's health and safety, including pregnant women.  The fact that this small, vocal minority was able to put enough pressure on House members to surrender this bill because it had a protection against the creation of fetal personhood shows once again their utter lack of respect for Colorado voters.  HB 1256, as introduced, was entirely consistent with the will of Colorado voters who have rejected fetal personhood measures by a 3-to-1 margin in both the 2008 and 2010 election cycles.  In every county in Colorado, Amendments 48 and 62 were defeated.  The will of Colorado voters on the fetal personhood issue is clear and should not be contravened by a piece of legislation intended to address crimes against a pregnant woman.

“It is a tragedy when pregnant women are the victims of crime.  It is troubling that anti-choice hardliners who have views out of touch with mainstream Colorado were able to advance their agenda at the expense of women, particularly pregnant women.”