2023 Legislative Session

Working at the Capitol 

Since we started organizing young people back in 2006, a lot has changed (and not just the rise and fall of cargo pants). Young people think about organizing and political power differently; young people think about the issues differently, too. They know that protecting the right to vote is connected to criminal justice; that addressing the climate crisis means creating a more just economy where the rich pay their fair share and working people can live where their lives are; and they know that safeguarding reproductive rights is essential to fighting for racial justice. 

That’s why we created the Youth Agenda. The Youth Agenda is more than the shortlist of young people’s top priorities: it’s the goalpost we measure our fights – and our wins – against. 

At the top of the list right for the 2023 legislative session? Reproductive rights and economic justice.

Reproductive Rights: Stopping Deceptive Practices At Anti-Abortion Centers

Since 2016, we’ve organized students on campuses to #SmashTheStigma around reproductive rights and abortion care. We still hear a lot about anti-abortion centers, also known as “fake clinics”, that lurk near college campuses under the guise of offering reproductive care but really are pushing disinformation to advance national anti-abortion agendas. Using deceptive advertising— like omitting, minimizing or obscuring disclaimers that they don’t offer or refer abortion care or emergency contraception while seeming as if they do—, anti-abortion centers target folks looking for reproductive care then provide patients with biased counseling and inaccurate information about abortion and contraception. For many, the result of a visit to an anti-abortion counseling center is shame, confusion, and serious delays to seeking and scheduling reproductive care. 

Some anti-abortion centers purport to offer “abortion pill reversal,” an unethical and unproven practice denounced by respected medical associations. A study conducted on the safety of attempts at so-called abortion pill reversal was halted due to safety concerns. 

Anti-abortion centers present themselves as the only credible option for receiving reproductive health care, often targeting communities historically without access, wealth or resources, including students, folks living on lower incomes, immigrants, and communities of color. Unfortunately, in some areas, they are the only choice: five Colorado counties–Custer, Fremont, Las Animas, Otero and Rio Blanco–have anti-abortion centers but zero state or federally funded birth control options. Currently, anti-abortion centers outnumber credible abortion providers 51 to 20 across Colorado. 

Recents events in Pueblo made it clear: Colorado is a target of national anti-abortion actors. That’s why New Era Colorado Action Fund and our friends at COLOR are working to regulate the deceptive practices of anti-abortion centers. In addition to stopping anti-abortion centers’ deceptive practices, we’re working with our friends in the Colorado Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice Coalition on the Safe Access to Protected Health Care package. Bills include: 

  • SB23-190: Deceptive Trade Practice Pregnancy-related Service: When someone is making a decision to continue or end a pregnancy, they deserve accurate information about all of their options so they can determine what is best for their health and well-being. Anti-abortion centers (AACs), also known as crisis pregnancy centers or “fake clinics,” use disinformation, intimidation, and delay tactics to withhold essential and time-sensitive reproductive healthcare. This bill will prohibit the use of deceptive advertising by anti-abortion centers and prohibit them from offering abortion pill reversal – a dangerous and unregulated treatment. This bill is led by COLOR and New Era Colorado and sponsored by: Rep. Elisabeth Epps, Rep. Karen McCormick, Sen. Faith Winter, and Sen. Janice Marchman.
  • SB23-188: Protections for Accessing Reproductive Health Care: Colorado needs strong shield legislation to protect patients, providers, and assisters of politically targeted healthcare services, including abortion and gender-affirming care, from interstate criminal threats. This bill will shield legally-protected health care patients, providers, and helpers from criminal prosecution and imprisonment; court summons, subpoenas, and arrests; interstate investigations, divulging information or assistance with investigations; professional de-licensing and other discrimination. This bill is led by Cobalt Advocates and Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains and sponsored by: Sen. Julie Gonzales, Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, Rep. Meg Froelich, and Rep. Brianna Titone
  • SB23-189: Increasing Access to Reproductive Health Care: Reproductive health care is an essential component of primary and preventive care. High deductibles and gaps in coverage create barriers to patient access, even for those who are fortunate to live in Colorado, where reproductive health care is protected and legal. This bill closes several access gaps related to sexually transmitted infections and abortion care. This bill is led by Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, Positive Women’s Network, and Colorado Consumer Health Initiative and sponsored by Senators Dominick Moreno and Lisa Cutter, and Representatives Dafna Michaelson Jenet and Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez.
Reproductive Rights: Stopping Deceptive
Practices At Anti-Abortion Centers

Since 2016, we’ve organized students on campuses to #SmashTheStigma around reproductive rights and abortion care. We still hear a lot about anti-abortion centers, also known as “fake clinics”, that lurk near college campuses under the guise of offering reproductive care but really are pushing disinformation to advance national anti-abortion agendas. Using deceptive advertising— like omitting, minimizing or obscuring disclaimers that they don’t offer or refer abortion care or emergency contraception while seeming as if they do—, anti-abortion centers target folks looking for reproductive care then provide patients with biased counseling and inaccurate information about abortion and contraception. For many, the result of a visit to an anti-abortion counseling center is shame, confusion, and serious delays to seeking and scheduling reproductive care. 

Some anti-abortion centers purport to offer “abortion pill reversal,” an unethical and unproven practice denounced by respected medical associations. A study conducted on the safety of attempts at so-called abortion pill reversal was halted due to safety concerns. 

Anti-abortion centers present themselves as the only credible option for receiving reproductive health care, often targeting communities historically without access, wealth or resources, including students, folks living on lower incomes, immigrants, and communities of color. Unfortunately, in some areas, they are the only choice: five Colorado counties–Custer, Fremont, Las Animas, Otero and Rio Blanco–have anti-abortion centers but zero state or federally funded birth control options. Currently, anti-abortion centers outnumber credible abortion providers 51 to 20 across Colorado. 

Recents events in Pueblo made it clear: Colorado is a target of national anti-abortion actors. That’s why New Era Colorado Action Fund and our friends at COLOR are working to regulate the deceptive practices of anti-abortion centers. In addition to stopping anti-abortion centers’ deceptive practices, we’re working with our friends in the Colorado Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice Coalition on the Safe Access to Protected Health Care package. Bills include: 

  • SB23-190: Deceptive Trade Practice Pregnancy-related Service: When someone is making a decision to continue or end a pregnancy, they deserve accurate information about all of their options so they can determine what is best for their health and well-being. Anti-abortion centers (AACs), also known as crisis pregnancy centers or “fake clinics,” use disinformation, intimidation, and delay tactics to withhold essential and time-sensitive reproductive healthcare. This bill will prohibit the use of deceptive advertising by anti-abortion centers and prohibit them from offering abortion pill reversal – a dangerous and unregulated treatment. This bill is led by COLOR and New Era Colorado and sponsored by: Rep. Elisabeth Epps, Rep. Karen McCormick, Sen. Faith Winter, and Sen. Janice Marchman.
  • SB23-188: Protections for Accessing Reproductive Health Care: Colorado needs strong shield legislation to protect patients, providers, and assisters of politically targeted healthcare services, including abortion and gender-affirming care, from interstate criminal threats. This bill will shield legally-protected health care patients, providers, and helpers from criminal prosecution and imprisonment; court summons, subpoenas, and arrests; interstate investigations, divulging information or assistance with investigations; professional de-licensing and other discrimination. This bill is led by Cobalt Advocates and Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains and sponsored by: Sen. Julie Gonzales, Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, Rep. Meg Froelich, and Rep. Brianna Titone
  • SB23-189: Increasing Access to Reproductive Health Care: Reproductive health care is an essential component of primary and preventive care. High deductibles and gaps in coverage create barriers to patient access, even for those who are fortunate to live in Colorado, where reproductive health care is protected and legal. This bill closes several access gaps related to sexually transmitted infections and abortion care. This bill is led by Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, Positive Women’s Network, and Colorado Consumer Health Initiative and sponsored by Senators Dominick Moreno and Lisa Cutter, and Representatives Dafna Michaelson Jenet and Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez.
Economic Justice: Affordable Housing

We hear it all across the state: the rents are too damn high. Young people deserve to live where their life is and not spend all of their income on rent (ICYMI: we’re not really homeowners). Young people in Colorado are too often forced to choose between keeping a roof over their head and paying their bills, keeping food on the table, or maintaining their health—saving for the future isn’t an option.

It’s time for communities to take their power back from greedy, short-sided corporate landlords. Colorado’s ban on local control of rents is a relic of the past and a major barrier to our state’s affordable future. Local officials and community members want the power to stabilize rents – but our current law forbids them from putting a limit on the skyrocketing cost of rent.  This year, lawmakers and Governor Jared Polis have the chance to give local governments and residents the power to stabilize rents and make our communities more affordable for all working people. Young people demand we take this chance. We believe everyone deserves the right to a safe, and stable home. That is why we are supporting HB23-1115 Repeal Prohibition Local Residential Rent Control.

No matter where we come from, what we look like or how much we earn, we all deserve an affordable, safe and stable place to call home. This is true for rent prices and the eviction process. Right now, landlords rigged the system so they can evict tenants for pretty much any reason. Tenants deserve to feel safe in their homes and stable in the communities where they have historic and cultural ties to. That’s why we’re support HB23-1171 Just Cause Requirement Eviction Of Residential Tenant. Aiming to prevent displacement in gentrifying neighborhoods, decrease evictions, and foster community health and well-being, the proposed bill will enshrine a tenant’s right to stable housing into law, protect tenants from landlord retaliation, stop self-eviction, and provide options for tenants when evictions happen that aren’t their fault.

Get Involved

Take Action

Share Your Story 

Anti-abortion centers exist to dissuade pregnant people from seeking an abortion. These centers lurk near communities, especially college campuses and low-income areas, to misinform, intimidate and shame people away from obtaining health care. We’re looking for testifiers to share their experiences with anti-abortion centers to help protect future Coloradans from deception. Will you share your story? 

We understand that testifying at the Colorado Capitol can be an overwhelming experience. Any person who ends up sharing their story will be supported by our policy manager and regional lead organizers. We can even read anonymous testimony on behalf of someone who shares their story. 

Get
Involved

Take Action

Share Your Story 

Anti-abortion centers exist to dissuade pregnant people from seeking an abortion. These centers lurk near communities, especially college campuses and low-income areas, to misinform, intimidate and shame people away from obtaining health care. We’re looking for testifiers to share their experiences with anti-abortion centers to help protect future Coloradans from deception. Will you share your story? 

We understand that testifying at the Colorado Capitol can be an overwhelming experience. Any person who ends up sharing their story will be supported by our policy manager and regional lead organizers. We can even read anonymous testimony on behalf of someone who shares their story.