Most Americans oppose late-term abortions after an unborn baby is viable.
Numerous polls over the years have shown this to be true. Yet, several states still allow abortions for basically any reason up to birth, and Colorado is one of them.
On Thursday, the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office approved a petition for a ballot measure that would prohibit abortions after 22 weeks in the state, the Colorado Sun reports.
If pro-life advocates collect 124,632 valid signatures from Colorado voters by March 4, 2020, Coloradans could vote on the common-sense restriction in November 2020, according to the report.
The measure, Initiative 120, would prohibit abortions after 22 weeks of pregnancy in the state. Exceptions would be allowed if the mother’s life is at risk. If enacted, doctors who violate the late-term abortion ban could have their license suspended and face felony charges; however, women would not be punished.
The Coalition for Women and Children is collecting signatures for Initiative 120, also named Due Date Too Late in reference to the current law allowing abortions up to an unborn baby’s due date.
Previously, Keri Ebel, a volunteer with the coalition, told the Catholic News Agency that she would like to see every unborn baby’s life protected, not just after 22 weeks.
However, Colorado is very liberal politically, and pro-life advocates have had a difficult time passing even moderate abortion regulations in the state. A 22-week abortion limit could gain the support of moderates who do not think abortions should be outlawed but do support modest restrictions. Polls consistently show that most Americans oppose late-term abortions after the baby is viable.
Colorado is a destination spot for late-term abortions because most states limit abortions after viability. Women travel from all across the country to Warren Hern’s late-term abortion business and spend tens of thousands of dollars to have their viable unborn babies aborted.
Follow LifeNews.com on Instagram for pro-life pictures and videos.
Abortion activists already are trying to stop the common-sense effort. Karen Middleton, the executive director of NARAL Colorado, said they will fight to keep late-term abortions legal in Colorado.
“Colorado voters have repeatedly defeated efforts to ban abortion and restrict our Constitutional rights, and we are confident they will do so again,” Middleton said in the statement. “Coloradans strongly believe that decisions on abortion belong between the patient and their doctor, not with politicians.”
Planned Parenthood also may be trying to cash in on the state’s liberal abortion laws.
As The Denver Post reported earlier this summer: “… Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains is considering expanding both its numbers of Colorado clinics and abortion services to those seeking the procedure later in pregnancy. The nonprofit told The Denver Post earlier this month that there has been a steady increase in women traveling from other states for abortions.”
If the ballot measure passes, it could protect thousands of viable, late-term unborn babies from abortion. In 2015, there were 5,597 abortions after 21 weeks of pregnancy in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control. However, the number almost certainly is higher. There are 11 states that do not report gestational age abortion data to the CDC.
Abortion lobbyists admit that most late-term abortions are done on healthy mothers carrying healthy babies. Guttmacher Institute statistics also confirm that “most women seeking later terminations are not doing so for reasons of fetal anomaly or life endangerment.”
Pro-life advocates said the 22-week limit is a “common sense” measure that will put Colorado laws in line with the rest of the country. To learn more, visit DueDateTooLate.com.
Please click here to read the full story.
Author: Micaiah Bilger
