Bill to Strengthen Emergency Protections for Reproductive Health Care Clears Senate
SB25-130 would ensure that emergency abortion and miscarriage care remain protected
DENVER, CO – Senators Julie Gonzales, D-Denver, and Mike Weissman’s, D-Aurora, bill to protect Coloradans’ rights and freedoms by strengthening legal protections for emergency reproductive health care passed the Senate today.
“The people of Colorado deserve safe and accessible access to abortion and miscarriage care without exception, especially when lives are at stake in emergency situations,” said Gonzales. “We owe it to all Coloradans, and particularly the Coloradans most negatively impacted by barriers to reproductive care, to ensure that emergency care is always granted, no questions asked.”
"In response to near total abortion bans in other states, the U.S. Supreme Court has so far done nothing, and the Trump administration has decided not to even ask it to try," said Weissman. "As a part of our efforts to protect Coloradans’ fundamental freedoms in volatile times, it is imperative that we clarify in state law to patients and providers alike that emergency care in Colorado will remain comprehensive and accessible."
SB25-130 would ensure emergency access for pregnant people who need abortion or miscarriage care without discrimination based on financial need or the type of care required. It would also create clarity for providers by defining employment protections for individual health care providers, treatment log requirements, and guidelines for transfers and discharges.
The federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) is a nearly 40-year-old law that requires hospitals to provide emergency medical treatment, including abortion and miscarriage care regardless of ability to pay. However, the Supreme Court is allowing states to deny pregnant people abortion care in life-threatening emergencies by sending cases back to lower courts. In response to threats to these federal protections, this bill would ensure that life-saving emergency care will be protected in Colorado.
The bill now moves to the House for further consideration. Track its progress HERE.