Colorado House Democrats pass sweeping abortion bill after GOP foes force all-nighter

DENVER—Colorado House Democrats passed a sweeping pro-choice measure after about 24 hours on Saturday as minority Republicans sought to stall the legislation in what was billed as one of the longest floor debates in state history.

House Bill 1279, known as the Reproductive Health Equity Act, passed the House by 37-20 on second reading at about 11 a.m. Saturday after legislators pulled an all-nighter, fueled by Republicans fighting what they decried as the nation’s most radical abortion bill.

“I’m so proud of our Colorado Republicans who fought ALL night and set a record for the longest legislative debate in state history to try and stop the most extreme abortion bill in the nation,” said Colorado Republican Party chair Kristi Burton Brown in a Saturday statement.

Abortion access in Colorado is already virtually unfettered, but the bill would affirm those rights in statute ahead of an anticipated Supreme Court ruling on the constitutionality of state pre-viability restrictions.

“We’re protecting abortion rights in Colorado, and we’re not backing down,” said Democratic state Rep. Meg Froelich in a statement after the vote. “Extreme GOP ideologies, some of which were previewed in the debate tonight, would put the government in control of personal medical decisions. This bill protects our right to safe reproductive care for generations to come.”

Pro-life groups held a rally at the state capitol shortly after the vote Saturday that drew hundreds, but there is little GOP lawmakers can do to stop the measure in a state where Democrats hold both legislative chambers and the governor’s office.