By Editorial Board | Editorial, Rocky Mountain Voice
Ballot language: Shall there be a change to the Colorado Constitution recognizing the right to abortion, and, in connection therewith, prohibiting the state and local governments from denying, impeding, or discriminating against the exercise of that right, allowing abortion to be a covered service under health insurance plans for Colorado state and local government employees and for enrollees in state and local governmental insurance programs?
How it reached the ballot: Citizen signature petition, designated agents Dusti Gurule and Dani Newsum.
Background: This measure seeks to add the following language to the Colorado Constitution: “The right to abortion is herby recognized. Government shall not deny, impede or discriminate against the exercise of that right, including prohibiting health insurance coverage for abortion.” The text of the initiative makes several notations, including that, in 1984, the adoption of Amendment 3 denied health insurance coverage of abortion services for state and local public employees. The initiative compares the measure to other equal access, “such as the right to vote.” The measure would repeal Section 50 of Article V of the Constitution. The amendment to the Colorado Constitution requires 55% support to pass.
Our take: This measure is mistitled. It should read: “Taxpayers paying for abortions”. This may be the most egregious and extreme measure on the ballot, not necessarily because of any position we hold against abortion, but for the reason the measure would require taxpayers to fund abortion in state and local insurance offerings. Not only would it affirm abortion as a “right” in the Colorado Constitution, it would cause many Colorado taxpayers to pay for procedures with which they fundamentally and morally disagree. Colorado already has one of the more extreme abortion laws in the nation, so the failure of this measure would not alter a nearly unrestricted abortion policy. We ask you to oppose this on the liberty position, that taxpayers who disagree fundamentally and morally with abortion shouldn’t be asked to fund abortion.
Our guidance: No, emphatically.