Lawmakers in Colorado have killed two bills that sought to ban abortion and penalise those who injure or kill an unborn child.
In a 7-6 vote, the state's House Committee on Health, Insurance and Environment indefinitely postponed H.B. 16-1113, or the Protect Human Life at Conception Act, introduced by Republican state Rep. Stephen Humphrey.
"It is the intent of the general assembly to make the practice of terminating the life of an unborn child illegal in the state of Colorado," the bill states, according to Christian News Network.
The bill sought to prohibit anyone to "knowingly administer to, prescribe for, procure for, or sell to a pregnant mother any medicine, drug or other substance with the specific intent of causing or abetting the termination of the life of an unborn human being."
"A person shall not knowingly use or employ any instrument or procedure upon a pregnant mother with the specific intent of causing or abetting the termination of the life of an unborn human being," the bill reads.
Lawmakers also rejected H.B. 1007 or the Offenses Against Unborn Children bill introduced by Republican Rep. Janak Joshi.
The House Committee on Business Affairs and Labor voted 8-4 to postpone it indefinitely.
Rep. Clarice Navarro told the Aurora Sentinel that "the bill allows for the prosecutor to prosecute the individual who kills the unborn. After last year's horrific incident in Longmont where a baby was cut from the womb of the mother and later died, this bill would allow for the prosecutor to have the option of prosecuting that disgusting act as a homicide," she said.
NARAL Pro-Choice America opposed the bill, saying it was intended to ban abortion in the state.
"The alleged assailant in the Longmont case already faces multiple felonies and more than 100 years behind bars due to Colorado's Unlawful Termination of Pregnancy Law passed in 2013," Executive Director Karen Middleton said.
