Antiabortion-Rights Groups To Reintroduce Colorado Personhood Initiative

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 02 Jul 2009 - 5:00 PDT

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Colorado Right to Life and Personhood USA are proposing a 2010 state ballot initiative with a different version of 2008's defeated "personhood" amendment to the state constitution, the Colorado Springs Gazette reports. The groups intend to submit their proposal to the Colorado Legislative Council this week. In the November 2008 election, 73% of state voters opposed the previous version, known as Amendment 48, which was sponsored by Colorado for Equal Rights.

The new version includes modified language that its supporters say will clarify its intent. Rather than defining a person as "any human being from the moment of fertilization," the new version would establish personhood as "every human being from the beginning of the biological development of that human being." The initiative's sponsors also said that they will be better funded and articulate a clearer message than in 2008, when a college student launched the campaign.

According to the Gazette, abortion-rights supporters "weren't overly concerned" about the new initiative. Jacy Montoya, head of the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights, said that the 2008 vote demonstrated that Colorado residents are "uncomfortable with the government and strangers making personal decision for families." Lynn Paltrow, executive director of National Advocates for Pregnant Women, said that the new attempt "gives us another opportunity to explain how personhood amendments threaten all pregnant women, including those going to term" (Barna,Colorado Springs Gazette, 6/29).

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