Date: 02/26/2015

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB15-1041

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Postpone House Bill 15-1041 indefinitely. The moti
Refer House Bill 15-1041 to the Committee on Appro		PASS
FAIL



01:48 PM -- HB15-1041

The committee was called to order. A quorum was present. Representatives Ransom and Humphrey, prime sponsors, presented House Bill 15-1041, concerning the protection of human life beginning at conception. Representatives Ransom and Humphrey discussed the merits of the legislation.


01:54 PM

The following persons testified regarding HB 15-1041:

01:54 PM -- Ms. Christy Rodriguez, representing the Colorado Campaign for Life, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Rodriguez discussed her experience in obtaining an abortion, and spoke to the merits of the legislation.

02:01 PM -- Mr. Rick Theilen, representing Life Choices, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Theilen discussed the work of his organization, and discussed the stages of development of the human fetus. He compared the value of the unborn to those of the old or infirm. He read a statement from a doctor about human development.

02:05 PM -- Ms. Lisa Koets, representing Life Choices, testified in support of HB 15-1041. Ms. Koets discussed the decisions she faced when she was pregnant, and the effect having an abortion had on her life. She discussed the factors that determine the traits of a child, and read a passage authored by the plaintiff in the Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court case.

02:09 PM -- Ms. Kathy Roberts, representing Life Choices, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Roberts discussed her pregnancy and subsequent abortion, and the impact the incident had on her life. Mr. Theilen responded to questions regarding the penalties imposed by the bill. Ms. Koets responded to questions regarding outlawing abortion in cases of rape or incest. Ms. Roberts weighed in on these questions.

02:18 PM -- Ms. Constance Snow, representing Students for Life, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Snow compared the anti-abortion movement to the abolitionist movement, as well as other historic episodes of oppression. She said protecting the pre-born is a duty. Ms. Snow responded to questions regarding the potential for women who have miscarriages to be investigated for the possible commission of a felony under the bill.

02:26 PM -- Mr. Ed Hanks, representing Colorado Right to Life, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Hanks discussed the abolition movement, and the rights of human beings. He appealed to the values of the Democrats on the committee.

02:32 PM -- Ms. Leslie Hanks, representing American Right to Life, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Hanks read a resolution in opposition to abortion. Mr. Hanks and Ms. Hanks agreed that a ban on abortion should allow for no exceptions. Mr. Hanks and Ms. Hanks provided their positions on certain types of contraception.

02:41 PM -- Ms. Kira Combs, representing herself, testified in support of HB 15-1041. Ms. Combs discussed the pressure her mother experienced to abort her, and explained why she is pro-life.

02:44 PM -- Mr. Scott Horack, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Horack compared historical instances of oppression to abortion, and discussed the right to life. He discussed the propagandistic elements associated with abortion, and his work praying in front of abortion clinics. Mr. Horack discussed current technology associated with the nature of life.

02:52 PM -- Ms. Gina Glockner, representing the Colorado Women's Bar Association, testified in opposition to HB 15-1041. Ms. Glockner explained how the bill would work contrary to the best interests of women, discussed the bill's potential unconstitutionality, and discussed the penalties that would be imposed under the bill. Ms. Glockner responded to questions regarding earlier testimony that compared abortion to slavery.

02:58 PM -- Ms. Corrine Rivera-Fowler, representing the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Rivera-Fowler explained how the bill abridges self-determination, and discussed the opinion of the public in Colorado on abortion bans. She discussed pregnancy and abortion in minority communities.

03:03 PM -- Ms. Karen Middleton, representing NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Middleton read the testimony of Dr. Jennifer Hyer (Attachment A).

15HouseJud0226AttachA.pdf15HouseJud0226AttachA.pdf

03:07 PM -- Mr. Stephen Meswarb, representing the ACLU of Colorado and the Vote No on 67 campaign, testified in opposition to the bill. Committee members received a list of organizations that were against Amendment 67 (Attachment B). Mr. Meswarb discussed the effect of the bill, and public opinion in Colorado on abortion bans.

15HouseJud0226AttachB.pdf15HouseJud0226AttachB.pdf

03:10 PM -- Ms. Andrea Shpall, representing the Anti-Defamation League, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Shpall explained that the bill would be unconstitutional, and does not contain enough exceptions to the ban on abortion. She discussed the abridgement of religious freedom by the bill. Ms. Shpall discussed the prohibitions in the bill. Discussion ensued regarding the civil rights aspects of the abortion debate, and earlier testimony comparing abortion to slavery and the Holocaust.

03:18 PM -- Ms. Amanda Henderson, representing the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Henderson explained how the bill would abridge religious freedom, as well as personal freedoms. Ms. Henderson discussed the membership of her organization. Ms. Henderson responded to questions regarding the alliance's position on when life begins, as well as other issues associated with abortion.

03:22 PM -- Mr. Kevin Paul, representing Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Paul discussed potential constitutional issues associated with the bill, as well as other issues of jurisprudence. He discussed the potential for the bill to nullify eligibility for certain federal funding sources, and abridgements of doctor-patient relationships. Discussion ensued regarding the process by which certain contraceptives prevent pregnancy. Mr. Paul responded to questions regarding jurisprudence surrounding the concept of viability.


03:30 PM

No amendments were offered to HB 15-1041. The committee recessed.


03:41 PM

The committee returned to order. Representatives Humphrey and Ransom presented closing remarks in support of HB 15-1041, and addressed earlier testimony. Various committee members provided their positions on the bill.
BILL:HB15-1041
TIME: 03:51:14 PM
MOVED:Neville P.
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1041 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion failed on a vote of 6-7.
SECONDED:Van Winkle
VOTE
Buckner
No
Court
No
Dore
Yes
Foote
No
Lawrence
Yes
Lundeen
Yes
Neville P.
Yes
Pettersen
No
Salazar
No
Van Winkle
Yes
Willett
Yes
Lee
No
Kagan
No
YES: 6 NO: 7 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL


BILL:HB15-1041
TIME: 03:53:39 PM
MOVED:Court
MOTION:Postpone House Bill 15-1041 indefinitely. The motion passed on a vote of 7-6.
SECONDED:Buckner
VOTE
Buckner
Yes
Court
Yes
Dore
No
Foote
Yes
Lawrence
No
Lundeen
No
Neville P.
No
Pettersen
Yes
Salazar
Yes
Van Winkle
No
Willett
No
Lee
Yes
Kagan
Yes
Final YES: 7 NO: 6 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS