House of Representatives Passes Increased Access to Healthcare Secured With Monday's Vote
Denver, CO – As part of an effort to prevent unintended pregnancies and reduce the need for abortion, the House of Representatives tonight approved H.B. 1212, a bill that would increase access to emergency contraception. This bill was introduced by Rep. Betty Boyd (D-Lakewood). H.B. 1212 would make this form of back-up birth control more widely available to all Colorado women by allowing pharmacists to prescribe emergency contraception directly to the patient. It is estimated that if emergency contraception was more widely available across the nation, tens of thousands of abortions could be prevented each year. “This is a big first step toward increasing access to safe and affordable health care for the nearly one million women of child-bearing age across the state,” said Kathryn Wittneben, Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado. “We are pleased with the House of Representative’s efforts to protect the lives and health of women and their families in Colorado,” continued Wittneben. “This bill is about providing this time-sensitive form of birth control to the women who need it most, in order to have the highest likelihood of preventing unintended pregnancies,” said Wittneben. “Supporters of HB 1212 are working towards making abortion rare, which is a main goal of NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado,” stated Wittneben. “This legislative effort to support the reproductive health care needs of women has the support of every major organization that advocates for women’s health in the state,” said Wittneben. Organizations supporting H.B. 1212 include the Colorado Medical Society, the Colorado Pharmacists Society, the Colorado Obstetrical and Gynecological Society, the Colorado Chapter of the American College of Nurse Midwives, the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault, the Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence, NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado and Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.
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