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2024 Colorado Amendment 79

{{Short description|Proposed amendment to the Colorado Constitution}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{infobox referendum

|name=Amendment 79

|date=November 5, 2024

|country=Colorado

|title=Constitutional Right to Abortion{{cite web|title=Results |url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CO/122598/web.345435/#/summary?category=C_10 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=December 3, 2024}}

|yes=1,921,593

|no=1,179,261

|total=3,100,854

|invalid=

|source=

| map = {{switcher |300px |County results |300px |Congressional district results |300px |Precinct results}}

| mapcaption = {{col-begin}}

{{col-3}}

Yes

{{legend|#2B2457|90–100% |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}

{{legend|#28497C|80–90% |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}

{{legend|#47729E|70–80% |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}

{{legend|#7D9CBB|60–70% |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}

{{legend|#B6C8D9|50–60% |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}

{{col-3}}

No

{{legend|#32320C|90–100% |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}

{{legend|#5D5D2D|80–90% |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}

{{legend|#8B8B54|70–80% |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}

{{legend|#BCBC83|60–70% |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}

{{legend|#DEDEBD|50–60% |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}

{{col-3}}

Other

{{legend|#EBEEED|Tie |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}

{{legend|#808080|No votes |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}

{{col-end}}

}}

{{ElectionsCO}}

2024 Colorado Amendment 79 was a constitutional amendment that appeared on the November 5, 2024 ballot. The amendment established a right to abortion in the Constitution of Colorado and repealed a constitutional ban on public funding for abortions. The amendment passed, surpassing the 55% supermajority vote required for the amendment to be approved.{{cite web |title=Colorado Right to Abortion and Health Insurance Coverage Initiative (2024) |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_Right_to_Abortion_and_Health_Insurance_Coverage_Initiative_(2024) |website=Ballotpedia |access-date=5 June 2024 |language=en}}

Text

In the Colorado Constitution, Article II is amended by the addition of a new section 32 as follows:{{cite web |title=Right to Abortion |url=https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/elections/Initiatives/titleBoard/filings/2023-2024/89Original.pdf |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=5 June 2024}}

The right to abortion is hereby recognized. Government shall not deny, impede, or discriminate against the exercise of that right, including prohibiting health insurance coverage for abortion.

Background

= Colorado's abortion laws =

{{see also|Abortion in Colorado#History}}

In the 19th century, bans by state legislatures on abortion were about protecting the life of the mother given the number of deaths caused by abortions; state governments saw themselves as looking out for the lives of their citizens.{{Cite journal|last=Buell|first=Samuel|date=1991-01-01|title=Criminal Abortion Revisited|url=https://scholarship.law.duke.edu/faculty_scholarship/2174|journal=New York University Law Review|volume=66|issue=6 |pages=1774–1831|pmid=11652642 }} Colorado's first ban on abortion was passed in 1861.Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Org., No. 19-1392, slip op. at 84 (U.S. June 24, 2022). It read:

“[E]very person who shall administer substance or liquid, or who shall use or cause to be used any instrument, of whatsoever kind, with the intention to procure the miscarriage of any woman then being with child, and shall thereof be duly convicted, shall be imprisoned for a term not exceeding three years, and fined in a sum not exceeding one thousand dollars; and if any woman, by reason of such treatment, shall die, the person or persons administering, or causing to be administered, such poison, substance or liquid, or using or causing to be used, any instrument, as aforesaid, shall be deemed guilty of manslaughter, and if convicted, be punished accordingly.”

In 1967, Colorado decriminalized abortions in cases of rape, incest, or in which a pregnant woman would be permanently disabled as a result.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,878789,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101201211449/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,878789,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 1, 2010|title=Medicine: Abortion on Request|date=March 9, 1970|magazine=Time|access-date=2012-10-15}} {{subscription required}} Despite adopting what was considered a more progressive law, elective abortions were still illegal under state law.

= 1984 Colorado Amendment 3 =

In 1984, Colorado voters narrowly approved Amendment 3.{{cite web |title=Colorado Amendment 3, Prohibit Public Funds for Abortions Initiative (1984) |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_Amendment_3,_Prohibit_Public_Funds_for_Abortions_Initiative_(1984) |website=Ballotpedia |access-date=7 June 2024 |language=en}} The amendment effectively banned the usage of public funding for abortions except in certain circumstances. The amendment, which is still a part of the Constitution of Colorado, reads:

"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."{{cite web |title=Colorado Constitution & Statutes |url=https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/info_center/laws/index.html |access-date=7 June 2024}}

= Ballot measure submission =

In 2023, Coloradans for Protecting Reproductive Freedom, the group sponsoring the initiative, filed the amendment with Jena Griswold, the Colorado Secretary of State. The measure was approved for circulation on November 14, 2023.{{cite web |title=Right to Abortion |url=https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/elections/Initiatives/titleBoard/index.html |access-date=6 June 2024}} On April 18, 2024, the group submitted some 225,000 signatures, well over the 124,238 needed to gain ballot access.{{cite news |title= Colorado group says it has enough signatures for abortion rights ballot measure this fall |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/colorado-abortion-access-ballot-measure-signatures/ |access-date=June 6, 2024 |work=CBS News |date=April 12, 2024}} Griswold certified the signatures on May 17, 2024.

Endorsements

{{Endorsements box|title=Yes|list=

U.S. Senators

  • Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator from Colorado (2011-present) ({{font color||#CEE0F2|Democrat}})
  • John Hickenlooper, U.S. Senator from Colorado (2021-present) ({{font color||#CEE0F2|Democrat}}){{cite web|title=Our Coalition|url=https://coloradansforreproductivefreedom.com/our-coalition/|website=Coloradans for Protecting Reproductive Freedom|access-date=June 6, 2024}}

Statewide officials

  • Phil Weiser, 39th Attorney General of Colorado (2019-present) ({{font color||#CEE0F2|Democrat}})
  • Dave Young, 57th Treasurer of Colorado (2019-present) ({{font color||#CEE0F2|Democrat}})

U.S. Representatives

  • Diana DeGette, U.S. representative from CO-1 (1997–present) ({{font color||#CEE0F2|Democrat}})
  • Joe Neguse, U.S. representative from CO-2 (2019–present) ({{font color||#CEE0F2|Democrat}})
  • Jason Crow, U.S. representative from CO-6 (2019–present) ({{font color||#CEE0F2|Democrat}})
  • Brittany Pettersen, U.S. representative from CO-7 (2023–present) ({{font color||#CEE0F2|Democrat}})
  • Yadira Caraveo, U.S. representative from CO-8 (2023–present) ({{font color||#CEE0F2|Democrat}})

State Senators

  • 19 Democratic state senators

State Representatives

  • 31 Democratic state representatives

Labor unions

Organizations

}}

{{Endorsements box|title=No|list=

State Representatives

  • Brandi Bradley, state representative from the 39th district (2023–present) ({{font color||#FFE6E6|Republican}}){{cite web |url=https://coloradotimesrecorder.com/2024/04/inaugural-march-for-life-attacks-colorado-abortion-policy-and-prop-89/61195/ |title=Inaugural March for Life Attacks Colorado Abortion Policy and Prop 89 |last=Beedle |first=Heidi |publisher=Colorado Times Recorder |date=April 15, 2024|website=coloradotimesrecorder.com |access-date=June 13, 2024}}

Organizations

  • Colorado Catholic Conference{{Cite tweet|user=cocatholicconf|number=1748023837734674456|title=@SenadoraJulie announced Nov. ballot prop to "enshrine abortion" -- "Right to Abortion" initiative will make abortion a "fundamental constitutional right" & allow TAX DOLLARS TO FUND ABORTION by removing the 1984 prohibition on public funding for abortion. #coleg #MarchForLife}}
  • Colorado Republican Party{{cite web |url=https://www.cologop.org/2024-colorado-ballot-questions/ |title=2024 COLORADO BALLOT QUESTIONS |publisher=Colorado Republican Party |access-date=October 17, 2024}}
  • March for Life{{cite web |title=MARCH FOR LIFE, PARTNERED WITH PRO LIFE COLORADO ANNOUNCES SPEAKERS FOR THE 2024 COLORADO MARCH FOR LIFE |date=25 March 2024 |url=https://marchforlife.org/coloradospeakers2024/ |access-date=7 June 2024}}

}}

Results

{{Referendum

| title = Amendment 79

| yes = 1,921,593

| yespct = 61.97

| no = 1,179,261

| nopct = 38.03

| total = 3,100,854

| 100%

}}

=By county=

width="60%" class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| County

! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| For

! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Against

! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Margin

! style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| Total votes cast

style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| #

! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| %

! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| #

! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| %

! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| #

! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| %

style="text-align:center;"

| Adams

| 137,794

| 62.01%

| 84,405

| 37.99%

| 53,389

| 24.03%

| 222,199

style="text-align:center;"

| Alamosa

| 3,615

| 50.99%

| 3,475

| 49.01%

| 140

| 1.97%

| 7,090

style="text-align:center;"

| Arapahoe

| 206,611

| 65.36%

| 109,490

| 34.64%

| 97,121

| 30.72%

| 316,101

style="text-align:center;"

| Archuleta

| 4,625

| 51.59%

| 4,340

| 48.41%

| 285

| 3.18%

| 8,965

style="text-align:center;"

| Baca

| 472

| 24.62%

| 1,445

| 75.38%

| -973

| -50.76%

| 1,917

style="text-align:center;"

| Bent

| 883

| 41.77%

| 1,231

| 58.23%

| -348

| -16.46%

| 2,114

style="text-align:center;"

| Boulder

| 153,538

| 80.43%

| 37,361

| 19.57%

| 116,177

| 60.86%

| 190,899

style="text-align:center;"

| Broomfield

| 31,547

| 68.98%

| 14,185

| 31.02%

| 17,362

| 37.96%

| 45,732

style="text-align:center;"

| Chaffee

| 8,864

| 62.83%

| 5,244

| 37.17%

| 3,620

| 25.66%

| 14,108

style="text-align:center;"

| Cheyenne

| 217

| 21.11%

|811

| 78.89%

| -594

| -57.78%

| 1,028

style="text-align:center;"

| Clear Creek

| 3,963

| 67.04%

| 1,948

| 32.96%

| 2,015

| 34.09%

| 5,911

style="text-align:center;"

| Conejos

| 1,526

| 38.26%

| 2,462

| 61.74%

| -936

| -23.47%

| 3,988

style="text-align:center;"

| Costilla

| 1,097

| 56.11%

|858

| 43.89%

| 239

| 12.23%

| 1,955

style="text-align:center;"

| Crowley

| 613

| 36.95%

| 1,046

| 63.05%

| -433

| -26.10%

| 1,659

style="text-align:center;"

| Custer

| 1,528

| 40.38%

| 2,256

| 59.62%

| -728

| -19.24%

| 3,784

style="text-align:center;"

| Delta

| 8,124

| 42.76%

| 10,877

| 57.24%

| -2,753

| -14.49%

| 19,001

style="text-align:center;"

| Denver

| 283,105

| 80.80%

| 67,286

| 19.20%

| 215,819

| 61.59%

| 350,391

style="text-align:center;"

| Dolores

| 505

| 37.16%

|854

| 62.84%

| -349

| -25.68%

| 1,359

style="text-align:center;"

| Douglas

| 129,390

| 54.49%

| 108,063

| 45.51%

| 21,327

| 8.98%

| 237,453

style="text-align:center;"

| Eagle

| 19,284

| 71.67%

| 7,623

| 28.33%

| 11,661

| 43.34%

| 26,907

style="text-align:center;"

| El Paso

| 193,839

| 51.98%

| 179,080

| 48.02%

| 14,759

| 3.96%

| 372,919

style="text-align:center;"

| Elbert

| 7,346

| 36.87%

| 12,580

| 63.13%

| -5,234

| -26.27%

| 19,926

style="text-align:center;"

| Fremont

| 10,907

| 43.67%

| 14,067

| 56.33%

| -3,160

| -12.65%

| 24,974

style="text-align:center;"

| Garfield

| 17,948

| 60.73%

| 11,605

| 39.27%

| 6,343

| 21.46%

| 29,553

style="text-align:center;"

| Gilpin

| 2,656

| 65.79%

| 1,381

| 34.21%

| 1,275

| 31.58%

| 4,037

style="text-align:center;"

| Grand

| 5,805

| 59.86%

| 3,893

| 40.14%

| 1,912

| 19.72%

| 9,698

style="text-align:center;"

| Gunnison

| 7,668

| 71.91%

| 2,996

| 28.09%

| 4,672

| 43.81%

| 10,664

style="text-align:center;"

| Hinsdale

| 322

| 54.67%

|267

| 45.33%

| 55

| 9.34%

| 589

style="text-align:center;"

| Huerfano

| 2,327

| 54.08%

| 1,976

| 45.92%

| 351

| 8.16%

| 4,303

style="text-align:center;"

| Jackson

| 330

| 41.10%

|473

| 58.90%

| -143

| -17.81%

| 803

style="text-align:center;"

| Jefferson

| 232,101

| 65.38%

| 122,900

| 34.62%

| 109,201

| 30.76%

| 355,001

style="text-align:center;"

| Kiowa

| 238

| 28.85%

|587

| 71.15%

| -349

| -42.30%

| 825

style="text-align:center;"

| Kit Carson

| 980

| 27.54%

| 2,579

| 72.46%

| -1,599

| -44.93%

| 3,559

style="text-align:center;"

| La Plata

| 23,314

| 67.21%

| 11,373

| 32.79%

| 11,941

| 34.43%

| 34,687

style="text-align:center;"

| Lake

| 2,555

| 67.40%

| 1,236

| 32.60%

| 1,319

| 34.79%

| 3,791

style="text-align:center;"

| Larimer

| 140,284

| 64.09%

| 78,593

| 35.91%

| 61,691

| 28.19%

| 218,877

style="text-align:center;"

| Las Animas

| 3,828

| 51.10%

| 3,663

| 48.90%

| 165

| 2.20%

| 7,491

style="text-align:center;"

| Lincoln

| 847

| 33.68%

| 1,668

| 66.32%

| -821

| -32.64%

| 2,515

style="text-align:center;"

| Logan

| 3,448

| 34.96%

| 6,416

| 65.04%

| -2,968

| -30.09%

| 9,864

style="text-align:center;"

| Mesa

| 43,084

| 48.21%

| 46,279

| 51.79%

| -3,195

| -3.58%

| 89,363

style="text-align:center;"

| Mineral

| 389

| 53.80%

|334

| 46.20%

| 55

| 7.61%

| 723

style="text-align:center;"

| Moffat

| 2,464

| 38.53%

| 3,931

| 61.47%

| -1,467

| -22.94%

| 6,395

style="text-align:center;"

| Montezuma

| 7,119

| 48.83%

| 7,460

| 51.17%

| -341

| -2.34%

| 14,579

style="text-align:center;"

| Montrose

| 10,815

| 43.18%

| 14,231

| 56.82%

| -3,416

| -13.64%

| 25,046

style="text-align:center;"

| Morgan

| 5,018

| 38.48%

| 8,024

| 61.52%

| -3,006

| -23.05%

| 13,042

style="text-align:center;"

| Otero

| 3,829

| 43.92%

| 4,890

| 56.08%

| -1,061

| -12.17%

| 8,719

style="text-align:center;"

| Ouray

| 2,642

| 65.87%

| 1,369

| 34.13%

| 1,273

| 31.74%

| 4,011

style="text-align:center;"

| Park

| 6,238

| 52.65%

| 5,610

| 47.35%

| 628

| 5.30%

| 11,848

style="text-align:center;"

| Phillips

| 641

| 28.65%

| 1,596

| 71.35%

| -955

| -42.69%

| 2,237

style="text-align:center;"

| Pitkin

| 8,797

| 82.01%

| 1,930

| 17.99%

| 6,867

| 64.02%

| 10,727

style="text-align:center;"

| Prowers

| 1,758

| 35.32%

| 3,220

| 64.68%

| -1,462

| -29.37%

| 4,978

style="text-align:center;"

| Pueblo

| 44,162

| 53.50%

| 38,381

| 46.50%

| 5,781

| 7.00%

| 82,543

style="text-align:center;"

| Rio Blanco

| 1,136

| 31.87%

| 2,429

| 68.13%

| -1,293

| -36.27%

| 3,565

style="text-align:center;"

| Rio Grande

| 2,652

| 43.83%

| 3,399

| 56.17%

| -747

| -12.35%

| 6,051

style="text-align:center;"

| Routt

| 11,623

| 72.72%

| 4,360

| 27.28%

| 7,263

| 45.44%

| 15,983

style="text-align:center;"

| Saguache

| 1,911

| 59.18%

| 1,318

| 40.82%

| 593

| 18.36%

| 3,229

style="text-align:center;"

| San Juan

| 395

| 73.69%

|141

| 26.31%

| 254

| 47.39%

| 536

style="text-align:center;"

| San Miguel

| 3,771

| 81.08%

|880

| 18.92%

| 2,891

| 62.16%

| 4,651

style="text-align:center;"

| Sedgwick

| 465

| 36.05%

|825

| 63.95%

| -360

| -27.91%

| 1,290

style="text-align:center;"

| Summit

| 12,816

| 75.52%

| 4,154

| 24.48%

| 8,662

| 51.04%

| 16,970

style="text-align:center;"

| Teller

| 6,696

| 41.81%

| 9,319

| 58.19%

| -2,623

| -16.38%

| 16,015

style="text-align:center;"

| Washington

| 677

| 24.84%

| 2,048

| 75.16%

| -1,371

| -50.31%

| 2,725

style="text-align:center;"

| Weld

| 87,153

| 49.96%

| 87,302

| 50.04%

| -149

| -0.09%

| 174,455

style="text-align:center;"

| Yuma

|1,298

| 28.62%

|3,238

| 71.38%

| -1,940

| -42.77%

|4,536

Total1,921,59361.97%1,179,26138.03%742,33223.94%3,100,854

=By congressional district=

"Yes" won all eight congressional districts, including four that elected Republicans.https://x.com/DrewSav/status/1901428263760560459

class="wikitable sortable"

! District

! Yes

! No

! Representative

align=center

!style="background: #B6C8D9;"|{{ushr|Colorado|1|1st}}

| 81%

| 19%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Diana DeGette

align=center

!style="background: #B6C8D9;"|{{ushr|Colorado|2|2nd}}

| 74%

| 26%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Joe Neguse

align=center

! rowspan=2 style="background: #B6C8D9;"|{{ushr|Colorado|3|3rd}}

| rowspan=2|54%

| rowspan=2|46%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Lauren Boebert (118th Congress)

align=center

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Jeff Hurd (119th Congress)

align=center

! rowspan=2 style="background: #B6C8D9;"|{{ushr|Colorado|4|4th}}

| rowspan=2|50.02%

| rowspan=2|49.98%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Greg Lopez (118th Congress)

align=center

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Lauren Boebert (119th Congress)

align=center

! rowspan=2 style="background: #B6C8D9;"|{{ushr|Colorado|5|5th}}

| rowspan=2|52%

| rowspan=2|48%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Doug Lamborn (118th Congress)

align=center

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Jeff Crank (119th Congress)

align=center

!style="background: #B6C8D9;"|{{ushr|Colorado|6|6th}}

| 65%

| 35%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Jason Crow

align=center

!style="background: #B6C8D9;"|{{ushr|Colorado|7|7th}}

| 64%

| 36%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Brittany Pettersen

align=center

! rowspan=2 style="background: #B6C8D9;"|{{ushr|Colorado|8|8th}}

| rowspan=2|58%

| rowspan=2|42%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Yadira Caraveo (118th Congress)

align=center

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Gabe Evans (119th Congress)

See also

Notes

{{reflist|group=nb}}

{{notelist}}

References

{{reflist|group=groupname}}

{{2024 United States elections}}

Colorado Initiative Measure 89

Initiative Measure 89

Category:Abortion referendums

Category:United States state abortion legislation

Category:Women in Colorado

Category:U.S. state constitutional amendments