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Funding Abortion, Gender Affirming Care & Parental Rights, Legislators Meet on a Rare Sunday to Discuss



Republican legislators stood on the Colorado House Floor Sunday to say they felt the bills before them are not what their constituents want and even tried to ask for a special session later in the summer to talk more on the bill.


Democrats countered that they believed the bills gave Coloradans choices.


Four bills were the subject of debate. Senate Bill 25-183, would fund abortion services. According to the bill's text summary:



During the 2024 general election, Colorado voters approved Amendment 79, which:


  • Repealed the state constitutional amendment prohibiting the use of public funds to pay for abortions; and

  • Added a state constitutional amendment recognizing the right to an abortion and prohibiting Colorado state and local governments from denying, impeding, or discriminating against the exercise of that right, including prohibiting health insurance companies from excluding coverage for abortion.


Representative Jarvis Caldwell, a Republican from El Paso county, argued that the bill calling abortion services family planning is actually the opposite of what he envisions. He mentioned that places that offer free pre-natal care and baby clothes are what he thinks of when he hears the term "family planning."


Representative Brandi Bradley from Douglas County went to the mic to talk about the fiscal impact on the state.


"Our state budget is more than a billion dollars in the red, Medicaid is the biggest driver in this deficit, with almost half of it going to Medicaid, this bill will insure that we spend millions of precious Medicaid dollars on elective abortions according to the fiscal note." Bradley finished there are so many other things that people are begging them to spend money on.

Bradley said it's a deceitful bill.

"It's absolutely ridiculous to make taxpayers fund the feticide of our babies."


Southeast Colorado Representative Ty Winter, of District 47, said he feels it's not just to make taxpayers foot the bill for something that they are against.


"This bill will effectively force taxpayers to pay for abortions and that's something that the majority in my district and in rural communities, cannot support."


Democrat Representative Lorena Garcia went to the mic to say she knows there are more than 300 children in foster care right now so there are children who need homes.

She stated that the voters voted for Amendment 79 and it should be adopted.


"A right is only a right if it is actually accessible and in my opinion and it is only mine, we are only able to fully realize a constitutional right when we do not allow for barriers that get in the way of certain individuals to access that right. And I get that many did not vote for this, but yes, the vast majority did, but is that not what a democracy is?"


Garcia finished by saying that the basis of freedom is being able to live your life.

"The basis of freedom is that no one can tell you what to do with your body, no one can compel you to have kids."


The bill passed with 40 voting yes, 21 voting no, with four legislators excused on the vote.


The bill is expected to go to Governor Jared Polis' desk for signature.


(from the Colorado House Republican Facebook page)

(from the Colorado House Democrat Facebook page)




Other bills that were discussed on Sunday included:


 • HB25-1309-Protect Access to Gender-Affirming Health Care

Concerning protecting access to gender-affirming health care.


 • HB25-1312-Legal Protections for Transgender Individuals

Concerning legal protections for transgender individuals.


 • SB25-129-Legally Protected Health-Care Activity Protections

Concerning protections related to a legally protected health-care activity.


On Friday Democrats used Rule 14 to limit debate to two hours per bill—then Rule 16 on Sunday. The House rules are posted below.





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