Originally published on Westword on August 29, 2023.

The Colorado Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice Coalition is preparing to end the state’s prohibition on public funds for abortion care and codify abortion protections through a ballot measure for the 2024 election.

“It has been a collective ambition of the coalition to overturn that policy, and to also protect the abortion rights in the constitution in whatever way we can,” says Karen Middleton, president of the advocacy group Cobalt, which is one of the seven coalition members. “The wording is still being sorted out, but the intent is there.”

The coalition — which comprises the ACLU of Colorado, the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, the Colorado Organization of Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR), New Era Colorado, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains and ProgessNow Colorado, in addition to Cobalt — is getting the word out about the ballot measure and looking to bolster support across the state in the year before it is officially up for a vote.

COLOR says it is focused on getting Latinos to vote for the measure, as they are more likely to be impacted by disparities in care.

“Just because some things are legal in our state doesn’t mean that they’re accessible for the people that need it,” she shares. “Removing this funding ban is going to be one of the things that lessens the second guesses for our communities where they’re like, ‘I don’t know if I deserve this access to care.’ Yes, you do.”

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