Governor Polis Signs ‘Safe Access to Protected Health Care Package’ Ensuring Abortion Access & Gender Affirming Care, Shielding Coloradans from Out-of-State Bullies

Apr 14, 2023 | News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, April 14, 2023
CONTACT: Sara Loflin, Executive Director at [email protected] or Kayla Frawley, Legislative Director at [email protected]

DENVER: ProgressNow Colorado today applauded Governor Polis signing Senate Bills 188, 189 and 190, the ‘Safe Access to Protected Health Care’ bill package, into Colorado law. The package includes legislation stopping disinformation and deceptive practices, such as the promotion of deceptive advertising and dangerous ‘abortion reversal; a shield law to protect abortion providers, patients, and helpers that also includes gender-affirming care; and a bill to increase insurance coverage for reproductive health care.

“As Trump judges and Republicans in other states move backward into the dark days before Roe and attack trans people for existing, Colorado continues to move boldly forward on protecting abortion rights and gender-affirming care,” said ProgressNow Colorado Executive Director Sara Lu Loflin.

“Colorado voters gave our pro-abortion rights majority in the legislature a mandate to take action,” said Loflin. “And they did, and we should be proud of our state. And we thank Governor Polis for continuing his leadership on reproductive rights, just as he did when he signed the Reproductive Health Equity Act six weeks before the Dobbs decision came down.”

“This package of laws will ensure patients can access care, and providers can offer it, without fear, threats, lies, or intimidation from anti-abortion bullies in other states or even here in Colorado,” said Loflin. “And just as important, it removes barriers to care for Coloradans. We must increase affordability and access, prevent deceptive, dangerous practices like ‘abortion reversal’, and protect patients from anti-abortion zealots that lie to them about their health care.”

“The Safe Access to Protected Health Care law package is both good politics and good policy,” said Loflin. “As the first state to allow legal abortion, and a state that protects LGBTQ rights with a statewide non-discrimination law, Colorado has never been afraid to lead on abortion rights and reproductive health – and to unapologetically take a stand that abortion rights and LGBTQ rights are fundamental moral values. We put those values into Colorado state law today.”

###