S_JUD_2023A 03/15/2023 11:05:05 AM Committee Summary

Senator Gonzales made opening remarks and laid out the ground rules for the hearing. 



The committee took a brief recess. 



 

The committee was called back to order. 

Senators Gonzales and Fields, co-prime sponsors, presented House Bill 23-1187, concerning alternatives in the criminal justice system for pregnant persons.  The bill explained the need for the bill and discussed available alternative sentencing options. 

Committee members asked questions about data collecting and the number of pregnant persons in the Department of Corrections (DOC). 

 

Mar Galvez Seminario, representing themself, testified in favor of the bill and read a statement from an individual who was pregnant while incarcerat



Sarah Lopez, representing themself, testified in favor of the bill.  



Mx. Indra Lusero, representing Elephant Circle, testified in favor of the bill. 

The panel answered questions from the committe. 

 

 

Pam Clifton, representing CCJRC, testified in support of the bill.  She shared a personal experience of giving birth in prison. 



Mari Newman, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.  She discussed r



George Davis V, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.  



Sonal Patel, representing NayaCare: 4th Trimester Home Health Clinic, testified in favor of the measure.  She discussed cost savings and the importance of parent and child relationships. 

Jillian Fabricius, representing Illuminate Colorado, testified in support of the bill.



Kayla Frawley, representing Rori, someone with lived experience, testified in favor of measure.  

Katherine Riley, representing COLOR, testified in support of the bill. 



Lauren Smith, representing Soul 2 Soul Sisters, testified in favor of the measure.



Anaya Robinson, representing the ACLU of Colorado, testified in support of the bill.  



Gayle Johnson, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Scott Horak, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Written testimony submitted about the bill can be read in Attachment A.

Senators Gonzales distributed and explained Amendment L.020 which makes a technical change (Attachment B).  

The bill sponsors made closing remarks.  



Committee members made closing remarks.

Senators Gonzales and Jaquez Lewis, co-prime sponsors, presented Senate Bill 23-188, concerning protections for accessing reproductive health care.  The bill sponsors explained how the bill shields legally protected providers. 

Committee members asked questions about the bill's necessity. 

Professor David Cohen, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. He discussed other state laws and constitutional concerns.

Lizzy Hinkley, representing the Center for Reproductive Rights, testified in support of the bill.  She discussed shield legislation in other states.

The panelists responded to questions from the committee about Constitutional requirements for extradition.

Dr. Thomas Perille, representing Democrats for Life of Colorado, testified in opposition to the bill. He submitted written testimony to the committee (Attachment C).

Dr. Catherine Wheeler, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. She discussed the safety of certain health procedures. 

Brittany Vessely, representing the Colorado Catholic Conference, testified in opposition to the bill. She discussed federal law violations and religious organization exemptions.

Tamra Axworthy, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. She discussed protections for religious beliefs.

Nicole Hunt, representing Focus on the Family, testified in opposition to the bill.

Committee members asked questions about substandard care, First Amendment protections, and other provisions in the bill.  

Ms. Nadine Bridges, representing One Colorado, testified in support of the bill. She read testimony about access to critical health care.  

Lauren Miller, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.  She discussed travelling to Colorado for health care. 

Dr. Leilah Zahedi-Spung, representing Cobalt, testified in support of the bill.

Karen Middleton, representing Cobalt, testified in support of the bill.

Kathleen Riley, representing COLOR, testified in support of the bill.

Rebecca Cohen, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Dr. Nancy Fang, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Shannon Russell, representing Catholics for Choice, testified in support of the bill.

Scott Horak, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Mrs Kristy Neeley, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

JoEllen Mitchell, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Pamela Anderson, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. She raised concerns about the lack of religious exemptions. 

Ian Rutherford, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. He discussed religious exemptions.  

Mr. Jeff Hunt, representing Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University, testified in opposition to the bill.

Briana Simmons, representing Soul 2 Soul Sisters, testified in support of the bill.

Dr. Isadora Bielsky, representing National Council of Jewish Women, testified in support of the bill.

Jennifer White, representing Colorado Fertility Advocates and Bright Futures Families, testified in support of the bill.

Ms Ruby Lopez, representing Out Boulder County, testified in support of the bill.

Melisa Hidalgo-Cuellar, representing themself, testified to amend the bill.

Jack Teter, representing Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Sudria Twyman, representing National Women’s Law Center, testified in support of the bill.

They panelists answered questions from the committee.

Marilyn Gore, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Sandy Utes, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Laurelann Flahive, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Lori Goebel, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Joni Shepherd, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Commissioner Emma Pinter, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Anaya Robinson, representing ACLU of Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Margaret Gomez, representing State Innovation Exchange, testified in support of the bill.

Katie Leonard, representing University of Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Committee members asked questions to the panel about anti-trans laws in other states. 

Emma Pinter, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Leanna Gavin, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Dr Jonathan Hirshberg, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Dr. Yasaman Ahmadieh , representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Adora Bertero, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Maren Jacobsen, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Ms. Margo Harriman, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. 

 

Donna LaBelle, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Ms. Jennifer Allen, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Dobbs Steve, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill and distributed a handout (Attachment D).

Pelicanos, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Mrs. Ashley Blinkhorn, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Judith Hoechst, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Chelsea Augelli, representing Colorado Women's Bar Association, testified in support of the bill.

Dr. Cassandra Roeca, representing Colorado Fertility Advocates, testified in support of the bill.

Adora Bertero, representing Colorado Women’s Bar Association, testified in support of the bill.

Dr Alison Wilson, representing Colorado Fertility Advocates, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Thalia Oster, representing Colorado League of Women Voters, testified in support of the bill.

Amanda, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Mrs. Maya Blasingame, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Kathleen Laird, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Written testimony about Senate Bill 23-188 may be found in Attachment E.

 

Senator Gonzales distributed and explained Amendment L.001, which provides clarifying language for insurance pruposes (Attachment F). 

Senator Jaquez Lewis distributed and explained  Amendment L. 003 regarding licensures (Attachment G).

Senator Gonzales distributed and explained Amendment L. 005 which addresses religious beliefs and practices (Attachment H). 

The bill sponsors made closing remarks.

Committee members made closing remarks.

Senators Winter and Marchman, co-prime sponsors, presented Senate Bill 23-190, concerning policies to make punishable deceptive actions regarding pregnancy-related services.  They discussed fraud and truth-in-advertising. 

Committee members asked questions about First Amendment rights and definition of indirect advertising, as outlined in the bill. 

Ms. Sudria Twyman, representing National Women’s Law Center, testified in support of the bill.

Lizzy Hinkley, representing Center for Reproductive Rights, testified in support of the bill.

Shannon Russell, representing Catholics for Choice, testified in support of the bill.

Rebecca Cohen, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Dr. Kate Coleman-Minahan, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Morgan DeVito, representing University of Colorado Denver Student Government Association, testified in support of the bill.

Committee members asked the panel questions about medication abortion reversal.  Discussion followed about what constitutes indirect advertising.  Questions about First Amendment rights were addressed by the panel.  

 

Amy Stephens, representing For Every Woman/Save the Storks, testified in opposition to the bill.

Dr Karysse Trandem, representing Save the Storks, testified in opposition to the bill.

Mrs Tamra Axworthy, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Cindy Amos, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Dr. David McClellan, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

The committee asked the panel question about the effectiveness of the abortion reversal pill. 

 

Committee discussion ensued about advertising. 

Leanna Gavin, representing Colorado Women's Bar Association, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Trish Hyde, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Ariana Morales, representing New Era , testified in support of the bill.

Alena Wolflink, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Dr. Mitchell Creinin, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Committee discussion followed about the abortion reversal pill and related studies about safety and effectiveness. 

Fallon Whiteley, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Ms. Diane Ferraro, representing Save the Storks, testified in opposition to the bill.

Mrs. Brittany Vessely, representing Colorado Catholic Conference, testified in opposition to the bill.

Dr. Catherine Wheeler, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Committee members asked questions about the Attorney General enforcement of the bill's advertising provisions. 

 

Rabbi Black, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Courtney B, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Cate Rothenberg, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Lauren Smith, representing Soul 2 Soul Sisters, testified in support of the bill.

Melisa Hidalgo-Cuellar, representing Cobalt Abortion Fund, testified in support of the bill.

Mrs Kristy Neeley, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Ms. Jennifer Allen, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Dr Christopher Angus, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Scott Horak, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

 

Katherine Riley, representing Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR), testified in support of the bill.

Suzanne Barner, representing Women's Bar Association, testified in support of the bill.

Erica Zwahlen, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Maggie Gomez, representing State Innovation Exchange, testified in support of the bill.

Anaya Robinson, representing ACLU of Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Mr. Lloyd Benes, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. He provided a copy of his testimony.

Chelsea Mynyk, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Mrs. Laura Summers, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Trevor Malloy, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Jack Teter, representing Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, testified in support of the bill.

Mr. Paul Nelson, representing Metropolitan State University Student Government & Students for a Democratic Society, testified in support of the bill. He read a letter in support of the bill on behalf of Abigail Hutchings.

Dr. Michael Belmonte read a letter read in support of the bill.

Lindy Eichenbaum Lent, representing Rose Community Foundation, testified in support of the bill.

JoEllen Mitchell, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Lori Goebel, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Dr. Thomas Perille, representing Democrats for Life of Colorado, testified in opposition to the bill.  He provided a handout of his testimony (Attachment I). 

Rich Bennett, representing Life Network, testified in opposition to the bill.

Dr. Charles Boles, representing Heartbeat International, testified in opposition to the bill.

Committee members asked questions about an abortion pill reversal study.

Charles Longtine, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Mrs Paula Suhr, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Ms. Katy Clasquin, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Ms. Cheyenne Ibrahim, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

JD Maureen West, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Joni Shepherd, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Emma Sanchez , representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Galen Lyle, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Nancy Eason, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Pamela Anderson, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Ms. Lindsey Welch, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Dr. Marsha Hamner, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Dr. Michael Leins, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Ms. LaDonna Robertson, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Ian Rutherford, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Mr. Jeff Hunt, representing Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University, testified in opposition to the bill.

Ms. Nicole Hunt, representing Focus on the Family, testified in opposition to the bill.

Katie Laven, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Ms. Maren Jacobsen, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Jody Nickerson, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Christine Yeargin, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Mrs. Sandra Utz, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Marilyn Gore, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Dr. Scott Sundheim, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Laurelann Flahive, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. She distributed a handout (Attachment J). 

Senator Gonzales acknowledged online written testimony (Attachment K). 

Senators Winter and Marchman made closing comments.

Committee members made closing comments.