On Friday, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, signed three bills into law aimed at protecting abortion access and irreversible transgender health care.
According to the Associated Press, the main goal of the legislation was to create a "safe haven" for people who live in other states to come to Colorado to obtain abortions or undergo "gender-affirming" health care, which includes puberty blockers, hormone therapy treatments, and sex reassignment surgery. Reportedly, states like Wyoming, Utah, and Oklahoma have restrictions on abortion and transgender care.
On Twitter, Polis said that the legislation “[furthers] Colorado’s reputation as a beacon of freedom and choice.”
One of the bills protecting abortion for out-of-state women “extends the protections to transgender patients dodging restrictions in their own states.”
AP added that Polis signed a measure that prohibits pro-life pregnancy resource centers from using “deceptive practices.” An age-old argument from pro-abortion advocates is that crisis pregnancy centers dupe women into entering their clinics thinking they can obtain an abortion. And, the bill prohibits sites from offering abortion pill reversal (APR), which a woman would take if she starts a medication abortion and then regrets it. Pro-life outlet LifeNews reported in December that this method has saved 4,000 unborn babies.
Reportedly, a third bill signed Friday will require “larger employers” to cover abortion costs, with an exception for companies that object on religious grounds.
In Republican-led states, lawmakers are passing legislation to protect unborn lives and outlaw transgender care for minors.
This month, Republican Gov. Brad Little of Idaho signed an “abortion trafficking” bill into law, the first of its kind in the United States. The bill makes it illegal to help a minor get an abortion without parental consent, even out of state, and includes the medication abortion pill method, which Townhall reported.
And, in Florida this month, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a six-week abortion ban into law, protecting unborn lives.