Pueblo leaders vote against anti-abortion ordinance

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. ( KXRM ) — On Tuesday, Pueblo City Council voted against an ordinance that would outlaw abortions within city limits and expose medical professionals and women seeking treatment to lawsuits.

During Tuesday’s city council meeting, the room was overflowing with concerned people, many wearing the color green, which represents the feminist movement that fights for legal abortions.

“I firmly believe that all decisions about reproductive health care should be made between a person and their doctor. There should be no exceptions to that. Government should stay out. Politicians have no say in this,” said Kiera Hatton, the political director for Cobalt.

Meanwhile, the opposing side was holding signs showing support for the ordinance that would make abortions illegal unless the mother’s life was in danger.

The ordinance also would have banned a person from using the mail to deliver medication or instruments used for an abortion. During public comment, people on both sides of the issue passionately expressed their points of view.

“Everybody should be equal, equally protected. And at this point, we have upwards of 4,000 babies every day that are murdered in the womb and treated like garbage. So, I’m happy to stand here and kind of hopefully wake up some of the people in this city to the carnage that’s been going on for far too long,” said Leslie Hanks, a pro-life activist.

At the heart of the issue is whether or not Pueblo City Council has the legal authority to pass the ordinance.

“This is so unusual. As long as I have been on city council, I never remember our own legal department actually advising us on the ordinance itself saying not to pass this,” said Denis Flores, Pueblo City Council representative at large.

The Colorado Attorney General said the proposed ordinance in Pueblo would violate state law. In a letter to City Councilwoman Sarah Martinez, AG Phil Weiser said the ordinance as described would conflict with the “Reproductive Health Equity Act,” which was enacted in Colorado in 2022.

“It has passed in 80 municipalities and counties in several different states, and the only one challenging it is New Mexico and they are kind of sorry they challenged it,” said City Councilwoman Regina Maestri, District 1, during Tuesday’s meeting.

The act prohibits municipalities from denying, restricting or interfering with an individual’s right to give birth or have an abortion.

Weiser ended the letter by saying that if the city council had gone through with the ordinance, the AG’s office would have had to defend state law in court.

For more information and details on the ordinance click here .

After an intense night of debate, the city council ultimately decided to scrap the ordinance completely.

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