Proposition 115: Ban abortion after 22 weeks of pregnancy

Proposition 115

BACKGROUND: After the court case of Roe v. Wade in 1973, abortions were made legal nation-wide. Since then, states have passed their own laws restricting abortions after certain amounts of time during pregnancies. Proposition 115 is concerned specifically with abortions after 22 weeks of pregnancy, not abortions in general (Ballotpedia). Currently, Colorado’s legislation around abortions does not make it illegal for a woman to have one at any point during pregnancy. Passing this proposition would not make it illegal for a woman to have a post-22-week abortion if it is determined that the abortion is in the case of a medical emergency and will save the mother’s life (Ballotpedia). Colorado is currently one of seven states in the U.S. that does not restrict abortions at any point during pregnancy (Ballotpedia).

WHAT A VOTE “YES” MEANS: Voting YES allows the state to make abortions after 22 weeks of pregnancy illegal. Women would have to go out of state to one that allows them to have an abortion after 22 weeks of pregnancy if they chose to do so. If this proposition passes, performing abortions results in the revoking of the doctor’s medical license and a fine; the mother would not face any criminal charges (Ballotpedia).

EXPLANATION: Abortions after 22 weeks of pregnancy are unethical, and this gives women 22 weeks to make that decision (Ballotpedia).

WHAT A VOTE “NO” MEANS: Voting NO prevents the state from making a law that makes it illegal for women to have abortions after 22 weeks of pregnancy (Ballotpedia).

EXPLANATION: This proposition does not protect women who are victims of rape or incest and takes away a woman’s rights to her own body (Ballotpedia).

“It interferes with the woman’s medical care and opens up a topic to the whole country instead of having the conversation with their doctor and doing what is best for them based on their circumstances,” Nicole Schmitt ‘21 said.