PROTECTING REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, FREEDOMS, AND PRIVACY OF COLORADANS

Earlier this week I signed an Executive Order protecting the reproductive rights, freedoms, and privacy of Coloradans in the wake of the scary Supreme Court decision that strips away the right to choose for millions of Americans. While the right to start or end a pregnancy is protected in Colorado law, it’s also important to make sure that our state plays no role in putting women and doctors in prison for ending a pregnancy.

In the wake of the wrong and misguided decision in Dobbs, numerous states have moved to criminalize ending a pregnancy, and many other states already have “trigger laws” that will ban abortion within 30 days of the Dobbs decision. This impending loss of freedom for people around the country poses a threat to the people of Colorado to the extent that other states may seek to infringe on essential rights protected by Colorado law, and impose criminal penalties or civil liability for conduct that is now outlawed in other states, but is fully legal in Colorado.

I will exercise the full extent of my discretion to decline requests for the arrest, surrender, or extradition of any person charged with a criminal violation of a law of another state where the violation alleged involves the provision of, assistance with, securing of, or receipt of reproductive health care, unless the acts forming the basis of the prosecution of the crime charged would also constitute a criminal offense under Colorado law. 

Colorado is committed to protecting access to reproductive health care. No one who is lawfully providing, assisting, seeking, or obtaining reproductive health care in Colorado should be subject to legal liability or professional sanctions in Colorado or any other state, nor will Colorado cooperate with criminal or civil investigations for actions that are fully legal in our State. 

This Executive Order ensures that all Coloradans are afforded protections and rights under Colorado law and directs state agencies and departments to protect access to reproductive health care in Colorado within their authority under the law.

My administration will continue to protect Colorado’s health care workforce and economy. Colorado has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country and has had one of the fastest economic recoveries in the nation but like other states is facing workforce challenges and the Supreme Court’s misguided decision only stands to exacerbate this crisis. 

Colorado is experiencing a workforce shortage in many professions, and disqualifying

people because they were prosecuted for taking actions in other states that are fully legal under Colorado law would hurt our economy and our State. 

You can read the full order here.