GUEST COLUMN: State is deceiving voters about Amendment 79 - The Denver gazette

Scott Shamblin - Sep 15, 2024

This November, Colorado voters will face a critical decision on Amendment 79, a proposal that will significantly change our state’s Constitution by creating an unlimited right to elective abortion and removing the ban on taxpayer-funded abortions.

The official Colorado Blue Book, however, is misleading voters by claiming the amendment will have “no fiscal impact” on state and local governments — a claim that is not only false but also a violation of the Colorado Constitution’s mandate for fair and impartial analysis.

This is why Colorado Right To Life has filed a lawsuit against the State of Colorado, demanding that the Blue Book be corrected before it’s distributed to voters. Our goal is simple: we want voters to have the facts.

This lawsuit isn’t about ideology — it’s about truth. Every voter deserves to know the true costs of Amendment 79 before they cast their ballot. If the judge grants the temporary restraining order as requested, this will delay the blue book from being sent out to all Colorado Voters.

The Colorado Blue Book is supposed to be a non-partisan guide that gives voters transparency and clarity on the facts about ballot measures. But when it comes to Amendment 79, the Blue Book fails to inform voters about the amendment’s real and substantial consequences. By stating there will be no fiscal impact, the Blue Book ignores the reality that taxpayer dollars will be used to fund abortions for public employees and Medicaid recipients — an expense that will undoubtedly cost the state millions.

Amendment 79’s proponents are not exclusively trying to protect existing law. It’s about creating a radical new framework that will subsequently impose significant financial burdens on Colorado’s taxpayers to push their own agenda. The amendment would repeal the current ban on using taxpayer money to fund abortions, and open the door for Medicaid and public employee health plans to cover abortion services. This means that Colorado taxpayers will be required to pay for abortions — something that’s not happening today.

The claim that there will be no fiscal impact is not only misleading, it’s absurd. In states like California and New Jersey, where similar amendments have passed, courts have mandated that Medicaid cover abortion services, costing taxpayers millions. Colorado will likely face the same fiscal reality, but the Blue Book’s analysis conveniently glosses over this fact. Not to mention one of the most basic of economic concepts, less people equals a lower GDP and lower tax revenue for the state which is absolutely a negative fiscal impact.

The disparity in how the Legislative Council has handled the fiscal analysis for Amendment 79 is striking. In the past, when pro-life measures were on the ballot, the Blue Book went out of its way to predict potential costs, including speculative legal challenges. But with Amendment 79, which will clearly impose significant financial burdens, the analysis is dismissive and vague. This inconsistency raises serious questions about the Blue Book’s impartiality.

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Colorado voters deserve better than this. They deserve accurate, unbiased information that helps them make informed decisions. Amendment 79 is not just a minor adjustment to state law — it’s a far-reaching overhaul that will fundamentally alter Colorado’s Constitution, impose new financial obligations on taxpayers, as well as prevent all legislation written to protect pre-born babies and their mothers. Yet, if the Blue Book is allowed to go to print in its current form, voters will be left unaware of these consequences.

At Colorado Right To Life, we believe in the importance of informed voting. That’s why we’re fighting this battle in court — not to push an agenda, but to ensure that every Colorado voter has the information they need to make a thoughtful decision. We ask for nothing more than the truth.

Amendment 79’s proponents may prefer to keep voters in the dark about its true fiscal and legal implications, but we believe that transparency is essential for a fair election. Colorado’s future is too important to leave in the hands of misinformation.

In the end, this is not just about politics or policy — it’s about ensuring that voters are respected and given the facts. With so much at stake, it’s time for the truth to be told.

Scott Shamblin is the executive director of Colorado Right To Life, the nation’s oldest pro-life organization, dedicated to defending the sanctity of life from fertilization to natural death..

ORIGINAL POST: https://gazette.com/denver-gazette/guest-column-state-is-deceiving-voters-about-amendment-79/article_1f832434-71d4-11ef-b137-97d87a2bd56e.html