Protecting Human Life At Conception

The bill prohibits terminating the life of an unborn child and makes a violation a class 1 felony. The following are exceptions to the prohibition:

• A licensed physician performs a medical procedure designed or intended to prevent the death of a pregnant mother, if the physician makes reasonable medical efforts u nder the circumstances to preserve both the life of the mother and the life of her unborn child in a manner consistent with conventional medical practice; and
• A licensed physician provides medical treatment, including chemotherapy or removal of an ectopic pregnancy, to the mother that results in the accidental or unintentional injury to or death of the unborn child.

The pregnant mother upon whom termination of the life of an unborn child is performed or attempted is not subject to a criminal penalty. A conviction related to the prohibition of the termination of the life of an unborn child constitutes unprofessional conduct for purposes of physician licensing. The bill does not prohibit the sale and use of contraception.

The bill states that any act, law, treaty, order, or regulation of the United States government that denies or prohibits protection of a human person's inalienable right to life is null, void, and unenforceable, in this state and that the courts of the United States have no jurisdiction to interfere with Colorado's interest in protecting human life at conception, when human life begins.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)