Colorado Amendment 48, Definition of Person Initiative (2008)

Colorado Amendment 48
Election date November 4, 2008
Topic Abortion policy
Status Defeated
Type Initiated constitutional amendment	Origin Citizens

Colorado Amendment 48 was on the ballot as an initiated constitutional amendment in Colorado on November 4, 2008. It was defeated.

A “yes” vote supported adding language to the Colorado Constitution stating that "the terms 'person' or 'persons' shall include any human being from the moment of fertilization."

A “no” vote opposed adding language to the Colorado Constitution stating that "the terms 'person' or 'persons' shall include any human being from the moment of fertilization."

Election results

Colorado Amendment 48
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		618,779	26.79%
No		1,691,237	73.21%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Overview

Initiative 48 would have added language to the Colorado Constitution stating that "the terms 'person' or 'persons' shall include any human being from the moment of fertilization."

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Amendment 48 was as follows:

“

Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado constitution defining the term "person" to include any human being from the moment of fertilization as "person" is used in those provisions of the Colorado constitution relating to inalienable rights, equality of justice, and due process of law?

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Constitutional changes

See also: Article II, Colorado Constitution

Initiative 48 would have added a Section 31 to Article II of the Colorado Constitution. The following underlined text would have been added:

Section 31. Person defined. As used in Sections 3, 6, and 25 of Article II of the state constitution, the terms "person" or "persons" shall include any human being from the moment of fertilization.

Support

Supporters

Officials

• State Rep. Kevin Lundberg (R)

Former Officials

• Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee

Organizations

• Colorado Right to Life
• The American Life League

Arguments

• American Life League: "Now, amazingly there are those that claim that now is not the right time for a personhood amendment. The old saying attributed to Edmund Burke 'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing' is well applied to those standing on the sidelines because they decided to do just what Burke warned against. They're simply doing nothing. And while they sit on their hands waiting -- organizations like NARAL, Planned Parenthood and NOW are working to ensure another 35 years of killing babies."
• Colorado Right to Life: "Christians will continue their 41-year fight in our state since 1967 to end the 'legalized' killing of unborn children. Defeating widespread injustice is never easy. Colorado RTL will press on and work to export the personhood strategy to other states and nations, to advocate enforcement of God's enduring command, Do not murder"
• Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R): "With this amendment, Colorado has an opportunity to send a clear message that every human life has value. Passing this amendment will mean the people of Colorado will protect the sanctity of life from conception until natural death occurs."

Opposition

Opponents

Officials

• Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D)

Organizations

• ACLU of Colorado
• National Abortion Federation
• Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains Action Fund

Arguments

• American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado: “They are using this so-called legal strategy in order to invalidate a woman’s right to privacy and a woman’s right to choose."
• National Abortion Federation: "In addition to outlawing abortion, the amendment was so far-reaching that it could have banned commonly used birth control methods like the pill, IUDs, and emergency contraception. Women suffering from illnesses such as cancer could have even been refused life-saving medical treatment because of the risks it might pose to a fertilized egg."
• Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D): "I believe the amendment goes too far. It threatens medical care, and it would create a legal nightmare in our state.”

Path to the ballot

See also: Signature requirements for ballot measures in Colorado

In Colorado, proponents needed to collect a number of signatures for an initiated constitutional amendment.

See also

2008 Measures

• 2008 Measures
• Abortion policy on the ballot
• 2008 legislative sessions

Colorado

• Colorado ballot measures
• Colorado ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• Colorado Blue Book (2008)