Another state drew its battle line over abortion should the Supreme Court knock down Roe v. Wade later this year. The Colorado House approved a bill on Monday that would codify the right to an abortion in the state.
House members approved the measure 40-24 and moved it on to the Democratic-controlled Senate, where it is expected to pass.
Democratic state Rep. Meg Froelich, who sponsored the legislation, told CNN the vote was a “big win.”
“Across the country, the GOP is introducing and passing extreme laws to criminalize those who seek reproductive healthcare and to ban abortion entirely, with no exceptions,” Froelich said. “We’re here to say that’s not going to happen in Colorado. We’re standing up to protect access to abortion, and I’m thrilled the Reproductive Health Equity Act has passed the House.”
IDAHO LEGISLATURE PASSES TEXAS-STYLE ABORTION BAN AT SIX WEEKS
States across the country have been preemptively passing legislation to cement abortion access or restriction in case the Supreme Court removes the blanket protection. The dual cases of Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey make it nearly impossible for states to outlaw abortion. While Roe established a right to abortion, throwing up roadblocks to states attempting to place restrictions on the procedure, Casey implemented an “undue burden” requirement that stifles most attempts to work around Roe’s restrictions.
Should the court overturn Roe, abortion will not become illegal overnight. Instead, states will have the authority to write and follow their own abortion laws.
Colorado is the latest state to attempt to codify abortion access, joining three other states and Washington, D.C. Several other states have laws that allow abortions prior to viability or when the health or life of the mother is at risk.
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Concerns and hopes about the fate of Roe ramped up last year when the court heard arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case out of Mississippi that would ban abortions after 15 weeks. Court watchers said justices appeared to be leaning toward allowing the law to stand and noted they could cut out the Roe precedent in the process.
