Colorado has passed a trio of health care bills that enshrine access to abortion and gender-affirming procedures and medications. The state is hoping to make itself a safe haven for people from neighboring states, where Republican leaders have restricted access to care. The main goal of this legislation is to ensure that people in neighboring states and beyond can travel to Colorado to have an abortion, begin puberty blockers or receive gender-affirming surgery without fear of prosecution.
The contradicting laws of different states are creating a situation that is setting the stage for interstate disputes similar to the patchwork of same-sex marriage laws that existed until 2015. Bordering states of Wyoming and Oklahoma have passed abortion bans, and Utah has severely restricted transgender care for minors. Many states with abortion or transgender care bans are also criminalizing traveling to states for the purpose of accessing legal health care.
With the new laws, Colorado joins Illinois as a progressive peninsula offering reproductive rights to residents of conservative states on three sides. Illinois abortion clinics now serve people living in a 1,800-mile stretch of 11 Southern states that have largely banned abortion.
The governor’s office was packed with lawmakers, advocates and health care providers, many of them women, for a ceremony with a celebratory feel that resembled a rally at times with loud applause and call-and-response chants. The bills have provided a real comfort to people across the country, including those who may not have access to care in their own states, and will help them if they visit or move to Colorado.
The Colorado law comes as medication abortions are in limbo across the U.S. and mail-order prescriptions of a crucial abortion drug are virtually banned pending the outcome of a federal court case. In addition to this, the state has also signed a measure that outlaws “deceptive practices” by anti-abortion centers, which are known to market themselves as abortion clinics but do not actually offer the procedure.
The legislation ensures that Colorado offers protection for transgender patients who are unable to access care in their own states, where minors are barred from accessing gender-affirming health care, even with parental consent. Hospitals in some of those states say gender-affirming surgeries are rarely recommended for minors anyway, while puberty blockers are more common. Conservative states have pushed back, such as Idaho passing a bill that outlaws providing a minor with abortion pills and helping them leave the state to terminate a pregnancy without their parents’ consent.
In conclusion, these laws represent a step towards inclusivity and progress in Colorado. By providing access to reproductive health care, the state is offering a safe haven for people who may not have access to care in their own states, and is making a strong statement in support of LGBTQ+ rights. These bills are significant, and they will continue to be celebrated and supported by advocates and health care providers in the state and beyond.
