Turnout Heaven: Abortion Rights Headed For Your Ballot

5 thoughts on “Turnout Heaven: Abortion Rights Headed For Your Ballot”

1. The 55% is always a hurdle problem.

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2. Get out and sign the petition : 

   INITIATIVE 89

   “STATE OF COLORADO
   Colorado General Assembly
   Natalie Castle, Director
   Legislative Council Staff
   Colorado Legislative Council
   200 E. Colfax Ave., Room 029
   Denver, Colorado 80203-1716
   Telephone 303-866-3521
   Facsimile 303-866-3855
   Email: lcs.ga@coleg.gov
   Edward A. DeCecco, Director
   Office of Legislative Legal Services
   Office of Legislative Legal Services
   200 E. Colfax Ave., Room 091
   Denver, Colorado 80203-1716
   Telephone 303-866-2045
   Email: olls.ga@coleg.gov
   MEMORANDUM
   TO: Dusti Gurule and Dani Newsum
   FROM: Legislative Council Staff and Office of Legislative Legal Services
   DATE: September 29, 2023
   SUBJECT: Proposed initiative measure 2023-2024 #89, concerning the right to
   abortion
   Section 1-40-105 (1), Colorado Revised Statutes, requires the directors of the Colorado
   Legislative Council and the Office of Legislative Legal Services to “review and
   comment” on initiative petitions for proposed laws and amendments to the Colorado
   constitution. We submit our comments to you regarding the appended proposed
   initiative.
   The purpose of this statutory requirement of the directors of Legislative Council and
   the Office of Legislative Legal Services is to provide comments intended to aid
   proponents in determining the language of their proposal and to avail the public of
   knowledge of the contents of the proposal. Our first objective is to be sure we
   understand your intent and your objective in proposing the amendment. We hope that
   the statements and questions contained in this memorandum will provide a basis for
   discussion and understanding of the proposal.
   Purposes
   The major purposes of the proposed amendment to the Colorado constitution appear
   to be:
   1. To ensure the right to abortion;
   2. To allow abortion to be a covered service under health insurance; and
   3. To allow public funding for abortion.
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   Substantive Comments and Questions
   The substance of the proposed initiative raises the following comments and questions:
   1. Article V, section 1 (8) of the Colorado constitution requires that the following
   enacting clause be the style for all laws adopted by the initiative: “Be it Enacted
   by the People of the State of Colorado.” To comply with this constitutional
   requirement, this phrase should be added to the beginning of the proposed
   initiative.
   2. Article V, section 1 (5.5) of the Colorado constitution requires all proposed
   initiatives to have a single subject. What is the single subject of the proposed
   initiative?
   3. Article V, section 1 (4)(a) of the Colorado constitution states that all approved
   ballot measures shall take effect on the day of the proclamation by the
   governor. Is this the intended effective date of the initiative? If not, what is the
   intended effective date?
   4. Section 1 of the proposed initiative is a legislative declaration, but there is no
   indication whether it is intended to be part of the new section 32 to article II of
   the Colorado constitution or if it is intended to be non-statutory. If it is part of
   the new section 32, it needs be included in that section. If it is intended to be
   non-statutory, then the language is shown in regular type not small capital
   letters.
   5. What does it mean to recognize the right of abortion?
   6. What entities are covered by the term “government”? Would the proponents
   consider defining “government”?
   7. Sections 10-16-104 (26)(d)(II); 25-20.5-503 (2)(a); 25.5-3-106 (8) and (9); 25.5-4-
   412 (1); 25.5-4-415 (1), (8), and (9); and 25.5-5-103 (2) refer to section 50 of
   article V of the Colorado constitution. What will be the effect of those sections
   if the proposed initiative is adopted?
   Technical Comments
   The following comments address technical issues raised by the form of the proposed
   initiative. These comments will be read aloud at the public meeting only if the
   proponents so request. You will have the opportunity to ask questions about these
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   comments at the review and comment meeting. Please consider revising the proposed
   initiative as suggested below.
   1. Use semicolons at the end of paragraphs in the legislative declaration, unless
   the paragraph contains more than one sentence. In paragraphs that contain
   more than one sentence, use a period at the end of each sentence.
   2. Although the text of the proposed initiative should be in small capital letters,
   use a large capital letter to indicate capitalization where appropriate. The
   following should be large-capitalized:
   a. The first letter of the first word of each sentence;
   b. The first letter of the first word of each entry of an enumeration
   paragraphed after a colon; and
   c. The first letter of proper names.
   3. The “finds and declares” clause and the “therefore, finds” clause in the
   legislative declaration should be numbered as separate subsections. For
   example:
   “Section 1. Legislative declaration. (1) WE, THE VOTERS OF THE STATE OF
   COLORADO, HEREBY FIND AND DECLARE THAT . . .
   (2) THEREFORE, THE VOTERS OF THE STATE OF COLORADO FIND THAT…”
   4. References to case names should include the full case citation. For example:
   The case reference to “Roe v. Wade” should read: “Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113
   (1973).”
   5. A proposal to amend the state constitution should specify the article and
   section to be modified or added. When amending a constitutional section, the
   “amend” or “add” instruction precedes the provision number. For example:
   “In the constitution of the state of Colorado, add section 32 to article II as
   follows:”
   6. If an entire section or other subdivision is deleted by a proposed measure, a
   “repealer clause” may be used instead of an amending clause. The repealer
   clause may simply refer to the deleted provision, or the repealed language may
   be shown in strike type. For example:
   “In the constitution of the state of Colorado, repeal section 50 of article V.”
   or
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   “In the constitution of the state of Colorado, repeal section 50 of article V as
   follows:
   Section 50. PUBLIC FUNDING OF ABORTION FORBIDDEN. No
   public funds shall be used by the State of Colorado, its agencies or political
   subdivisions to pay or otherwise reimburse, either directly or indirectly, any
   person, agency or facility for the performance of any induced abortion,
   PROVIDED HOWEVER, that the General Assembly, by specific bill, may
   authorize and appropriate funds to be used for those medical services necessary
   to prevent the death of either a pregnant woman or her unborn child under
   circumstances where every reasonable effort is made to preserve the life of
   each.”

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3. "Colorado voters approved the public fund ban in 1984, when Amendment 3 passed with just 50.39% of the vote."

   That just barely passed during the tidal wave that was the Reagan landslide of 1984.

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   1. Goes to show you how bad a tiny majority can fuck over the future with a bad constitutional amendment.

      Here’s looking at you, TABOR.

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      1. That's the same lovely election that gave Colorado the black mark of Amendment 2. 

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