{"schema":"abhortion.org/legislation.full/v1","id":"legality-us-co","type":"legislation","level":"state","jurisdiction":"Colorado","as_of_date":"2026-07-12","research_completed_date":"2026-07-12","headline":"Protected; no gestational limit","summary":"Colorado has no gestational limit on abortion; the right is protected by both statute and the state constitution, and abortion is legal at all stages of pregnancy.","machine_readable_summary":{"legal_classification":"protected_by_constitution","gestational_limit_weeks":null,"limit_measured_from":null,"abortion_currently_available":"yes","ban_or_limit_enjoined":false,"mother_expressly_exempt":true,"mother_prosecutable_in_practice":false,"self_managed_abortion_criminalized":false,"abortion_charged_as_homicide":false,"fetal_homicide_law":true,"fetal_wrongful_death_action":true,"personhood_language_in_law":false,"personhood_contradiction":false,"medication_abortion_distinct_status":false,"mailing_pills_banned":false,"method_bans":[],"telehealth_prescribing_allowed":true,"physician_only_law":false,"provider_max_penalty":null,"helpers_criminally_exposed":false,"travel_assistance_criminalized":false,"civil_bounty_law":false,"shield_state":true,"waiting_period_hours":null,"state_scripted_counseling":false,"ultrasound_required":"none","in_person_visits_required":0,"parental_involvement":"notification_only","judicial_bypass_available":true,"spousal_consent_or_notice_on_books":false,"medicaid_coverage":"broader_than_hyde","private_insurance_restricted":false,"state_funding_posture":"funds_providers","rape_incest_exception":"not_applicable","exceptions_present":["ectopic_miscarriage_carveout"],"major_pending_change":true},"links":{"html":"https://www.abhortion.org/legislation/co.html","markdown":"https://www.abhortion.org/legislation/co.md","summary_json":"https://www.abhortion.org/legislation/co.json","full_json":"https://www.abhortion.org/legislation/co-full.json","verbose_json":"https://www.abhortion.org/legislation/co-verbose.json"},"overview":{"title":"Protected; no gestational limit","summary":"Colorado has no gestational limit on abortion; the right is protected by both statute and the state constitution, and abortion is legal at all stages of pregnancy.","description":"Abortion is legal in Colorado at any point in pregnancy. There is no ban, no gestational cutoff, and no requirement to prove a medical reason. In 2022, the state passed the Reproductive Health Equity Act, which made abortion a fundamental right under state law. In 2024, voters approved Amendment 79, adding abortion rights to the Colorado Constitution and repealing a 40-year-old ban on using public funds for abortion. Colorado also has strong shield laws that protect providers and patients from out-of-state investigations or lawsuits related to abortion care. The only significant restriction is a requirement that a parent or guardian of a minor be notified 48 hours before the procedure, though minors can obtain a judicial bypass.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"FindLaw","href":"https://codes.findlaw.com/co/colorado-constitution-of-1876/co-const-art-ii-sect-32"},{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-25/family-planning/article-6/part-4/section-25-6-403"}]},"sections":{"definitions":{"title":"Abortion: any means to terminate pregnancy","summary":"Colorado defines 'abortion' broadly to include any medical procedure, instrument, agent, or drug used to terminate a pregnancy, with pregnancy beginning at implantation.","description":"Colorado law defines 'abortion' as any medical procedure, instrument, agent, or drug used to end a pregnancy, when the purpose is something other than producing a live birth. This covers both surgical abortions and medication abortions (pills). 'Pregnancy' is defined as beginning at the implantation of an embryo — not at fertilization — which means that emergency contraception and IUDs that prevent implantation are not considered abortion under state law. The definition also means that IVF embryos outside the womb are not covered because there is no 'pregnancy' until implantation. The definition does not explicitly mention miscarriage management or ectopic pregnancy treatment, but because the law imposes no restrictions on abortion, the definition's primary function is to establish the scope of the protected right, not to criminalize conduct.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Colorado.Public.Law","href":"https://colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_25-6-402"}]},"current_status":{"title":"Abortion legal at all stages","summary":"Abortion is legal at all stages of pregnancy with no gestational limit, protected by both the Colorado Constitution and the Reproductive Health Equity Act.","description":"Abortion is legal in Colorado throughout the entire pregnancy. There is no cutoff based on how many weeks pregnant a person is. This right is protected in two ways: by a state law called the Reproductive Health Equity Act, passed in 2022, and by Amendment 79 to the Colorado Constitution, which voters approved in November 2024. The constitutional amendment also removed a previous ban on using government funds to pay for abortion. Because abortion is protected as a fundamental right, the government cannot deny, interfere with, or discriminate against someone exercising that right. A person can obtain an abortion at any stage of pregnancy for any reason, without having to justify it medically.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"FindLaw","href":"https://codes.findlaw.com/co/colorado-constitution-of-1876/co-const-art-ii-sect-32"},{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-25/family-planning/article-6/part-4/section-25-6-403"}]},"enforcement_status":{"title":"Fully operative; no injunctions","summary":"All Colorado abortion-protective laws are fully operative and in effect; there are no pending injunctions against any Colorado abortion law.","description":"Every Colorado law that protects or expands access to abortion is currently in effect and being enforced. There are no court orders blocking any of these laws. The Reproductive Health Equity Act has been in effect since April 2022, and the constitutional Amendment 79 took effect after voter approval in November 2024. No Colorado abortion law is currently enjoined or stayed.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Colorado General Assembly","href":"https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1279"},{"name":"Ballotpedia","href":"https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_Amendment_79,_Right_to_Abortion_and_Health_Insurance_Coverage_Initiative_(2024)"}]},"exceptions":{"life":{"title":"Not applicable; no restrictions","type":"life","summary":"Colorado imposes no abortion restrictions that would require a life exception; abortion is legal at all stages for any reason.","description":"Because Colorado does not restrict abortion at any stage of pregnancy, there is no need for a 'life exception.' A pregnant person can obtain an abortion at any time, including when their life or health is at risk. No special certification or documentation is required.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"FindLaw","href":"https://codes.findlaw.com/co/colorado-constitution-of-1876/co-const-art-ii-sect-32"}]},"physical_health":{"title":"Not applicable; no restrictions","type":"physical_health","summary":"Colorado has no gestational restrictions on abortion, so no separate physical-health exception is necessary; abortion is permitted at any stage for health reasons.","description":"Colorado law does not limit abortion based on gestational age, so a person does not need to claim a physical-health exception to obtain care at any point in pregnancy. All abortion care — whether to protect physical health or for any other reason — is equally legal.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-25/family-planning/article-6/part-4/section-25-6-403"}]},"mental_health":{"title":"Not applicable; no restrictions","type":"mental_health","summary":"Colorado imposes no abortion restrictions, so a separate mental-health exception is unnecessary; abortion is legal at all stages for any reason including mental health.","description":"Since there are no gestational limits on abortion in Colorado, a person does not need to justify an abortion on mental-health grounds. Abortion is equally available whether the reason is physical, mental, emotional, economic, or any other.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"FindLaw","href":"https://codes.findlaw.com/co/colorado-constitution-of-1876/co-const-art-ii-sect-32"}]},"rape":{"title":"Not applicable; no restrictions","type":"rape","summary":"No rape exception is needed because Colorado imposes no abortion restrictions at any stage of pregnancy; abortion is legal regardless of the circumstances of conception.","description":"Colorado does not restrict abortion, so there is no need for a special rape exception. A person who becomes pregnant as a result of rape has the same unrestricted right to abortion as anyone else, with no special reporting or documentation requirements.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-25/family-planning/article-6/part-4/section-25-6-403"}]},"incest":{"title":"Not applicable; no restrictions","type":"incest","summary":"No incest exception is needed; Colorado imposes no abortion restrictions so abortion is equally legal regardless of familial relationship.","description":"Since there is no abortion restriction in Colorado, a person does not need to claim an incest exception. Abortion is available on the same terms to everyone, without any requirement to disclose or prove the circumstances of the pregnancy.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"FindLaw","href":"https://codes.findlaw.com/co/colorado-constitution-of-1876/co-const-art-ii-sect-32"}]},"fatal_fetal_anomaly":{"title":"Not applicable; no restrictions","type":"fatal_fetal_anomaly","summary":"No fetal-anomaly exception is needed; Colorado law permits abortion at all stages without requiring any medical justification.","description":"A person does not need to demonstrate a fetal anomaly to obtain an abortion at any stage in Colorado. Because there are no gestational limits, abortion after a diagnosis of a severe or fatal fetal condition is treated identically to abortion for any other reason.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-25/family-planning/article-6/part-4/section-25-6-403"}]},"ectopic_miscarriage_carveout":{"title":"Implicitly carved out; no restrictions","type":"ectopic_miscarriage_carveout","summary":"Colorado's abortion definition begins pregnancy at implantation, and the absence of any abortion restriction means ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage management are fully permitted without any special statutory carveout.","description":"Treatment for ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage management are fully legal in Colorado. Because the state's definition of pregnancy begins at implantation and the law imposes no restrictions on abortion, there is no legal risk to providers treating these conditions. No special statutory language is needed to exempt these situations because no law restricts them in the first place.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Colorado.Public.Law","href":"https://colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_25-6-402"},{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-18/article-3-5/section-18-3-5-102"}]}},"methods":{"procedural_surgical":{"title":"Legal; no method-specific bans","summary":"All procedural abortion methods, including D&E and D&X, are legal in Colorado at all stages of pregnancy with no method-specific prohibitions.","description":"Surgical abortion procedures are legal in Colorado at any stage of pregnancy. The state has not banned any specific abortion method. In 1998, Colorado voters rejected a ballot initiative that would have banned so-called 'partial-birth abortion.' There is no state-level D&E ('dismemberment') ban. The federal Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 applies in Colorado, but it has been interpreted to cover only intact D&X procedures, not standard D&E, and is subject to a life exception.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Ballotpedia","href":"https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_Amendment_11,_Prohibition_on_Partial-Birth_Abortions_Initiative_(1998)"},{"name":"U.S. Congress (federal)","href":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2023-title18/html/USCODE-2023-title18-partI-chap74-sec1531.htm"}]},"medication":{"title":"Legal; telehealth, no mailing ban","summary":"Medication abortion using mifepristone/misoprostol is fully legal in Colorado, can be prescribed via telehealth, and may be mailed or dispensed without an in-person requirement.","description":"Medication abortion — using pills to end a pregnancy — is legal in Colorado at all stages of pregnancy. A person can get a prescription through a telehealth visit without having to go to a clinic in person. There is no state law requiring the pills to be dispensed in person or banning them from being mailed. Pharmacists can dispense the medication. Advanced practice clinicians like nurse practitioners and physician assistants can prescribe abortion pills, not just doctors. Colorado law also protects providers who prescribe medication abortion to patients who then take the pills in another state — the provider cannot be prosecuted or investigated in Colorado for doing so.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-18/article-13/section-18-13-133"}]},"self_managed":{"title":"Legal; pregnant person exempt","summary":"A pregnant person who self-manages an abortion in Colorado faces no criminal liability; Colorado law expressly exempts women from prosecution for acts regarding their own pregnancies.","description":"A person who manages their own abortion — for instance, by obtaining pills online and taking them at home — is not committing a crime under Colorado law. Colorado's criminal code explicitly says that nothing in the article on offenses against pregnant women permits the prosecution of a woman 'for any act or any failure to act with regard to her own pregnancy.' There is no separate criminal abortion statute that could reach a pregnant person. This means a person who orders abortion medication online, uses herbal methods, or otherwise ends a pregnancy on their own is not criminally liable in Colorado.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-18/article-3-5/section-18-3-5-102"}]}},"actors":{"who_may_perform":{"title":"No physician-only restriction","summary":"Colorado does not restrict abortion provision to physicians; advanced practice clinicians including nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and physician assistants may provide abortion care within their scope of practice.","description":"In Colorado, abortion care does not have to be provided by a doctor. Nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and physician assistants can also provide both medication abortion and aspiration (procedural) abortion, as long as it falls within their professional scope of practice. There is no law requiring that abortions be performed only in hospitals or specialized surgical centers. Colorado also has no admitting-privileges requirement.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Guttmacher Institute","href":"https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/advanced-practice-clinicians-providing-abortion-care"},{"name":"Colorado Newsline","href":"https://coloradonewsline.com/2022/05/16/abortion-capacity-in-colorado-could-expand-with-advanced-practice-clinicians-more-telehealth"}]},"criminal_civil_exposure":{"pregnant_woman":{"title":"Expressly exempt from prosecution","summary":"Colorado law expressly exempts the pregnant woman from prosecution for any act regarding her own pregnancy, and no separate criminal abortion statute exists that could reach her.","description":"A pregnant person cannot be prosecuted under Colorado law for having an abortion — whether performed by a clinician or self-managed. The criminal code contains an explicit statement that nothing in the offenses-against-pregnant-women article permits prosecuting a woman for any act or failure to act regarding her own pregnancy. The old criminal abortion law was repealed in 2013. The Reproductive Health Equity Act and the state constitution now affirmatively protect the right to abortion. In practice, a pregnant person in Colorado faces zero criminal exposure for obtaining or self-managing an abortion.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-18/article-3-5/section-18-3-5-102"}]},"physician":{"title":"No criminal exposure","summary":"Physicians who provide abortion care in Colorado face no criminal liability; the pre-Roe ban was repealed, and the unlawful-termination-of-pregnancy statute expressly excludes medical care.","description":"Doctors and other licensed clinicians who provide abortion care in Colorado do not face criminal charges, fines, or license consequences as long as they follow accepted standards of care. The state's old criminal abortion law was repealed in 2013, and the current criminal code dealing with pregnancy-related offenses explicitly says it cannot be used to prosecute anyone for providing medical care. Providers may face civil penalties only for violating the parental notification law (up to a Class 1 misdemeanor equivalent in fines). The state's shield laws further protect providers from out-of-state investigations, subpoenas, extradition, and professional discipline.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-18/article-3-5/section-18-3-5-102"}]},"prescriber_pharmacist":{"title":"No criminal exposure","summary":"Non-physician prescribers and pharmacists face no criminal liability for prescribing or dispensing abortion medication in Colorado; shield laws protect filling out-of-state prescriptions.","description":"Nurse practitioners, physician assistants, certified nurse midwives, and pharmacists do not face criminal exposure for prescribing or dispensing abortion medication in Colorado. The state imposes no physician-only restriction, and the criminal code expressly excludes medical and pharmaceutical care from prosecution. Colorado's shield laws protect against out-of-state legal actions targeting these professionals.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-18/article-3-5/section-18-3-5-102"}]},"nurses_and_staff":{"title":"No criminal exposure","summary":"Nurses and clinic staff who assist in abortion care are not criminally exposed under Colorado law; the criminal code exempts medical, nursing, and hospital care from prosecution.","description":"Nurses, medical assistants, clinic administrators, and other staff involved in abortion care are not at risk of criminal prosecution in Colorado. The state's criminal code explicitly says it does not permit prosecution for providing nursing care, hospital services, or clinic services. Colorado's shield laws further protect staff from out-of-state legal actions.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-18/article-3-5/section-18-3-5-102"}]},"other_helpers":{"title":"No criminal exposure","summary":"Friends, family, employers, and others who assist someone in obtaining an abortion — including funding or driving — face no criminal or civil liability under Colorado law.","description":"Someone who helps a pregnant person obtain an abortion — by driving them to a clinic, paying for the procedure, offering a place to stay, or providing emotional support — is not committing a crime in Colorado. Because abortion itself is legal and protected, assisting someone to exercise that right is not criminalized. Colorado has no 'aiding and abetting abortion' statute. The shield law extends protections to those who assist in legally protected health-care activity.","verification":"verify_before_publication","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-25/family-planning/article-6/part-4/section-25-6-404"}]}}},"aiding_and_assisting":{"travel_assistance":{"title":"Legal; no travel restrictions","summary":"Helping someone travel — within Colorado or out of state — for an abortion is not criminalized; Colorado has no 'abortion trafficking' statute and affirmatively protects reproductive-health travel.","description":"It is legal to help someone travel to get an abortion, whether the travel is within Colorado or to another state. Colorado has no law criminalizing 'abortion trafficking' or helping a minor cross state lines for an abortion. The state's shield laws are designed to protect people from out-of-state legal actions related to abortion care. Local governments in Colorado are prohibited from restricting or interfering with the right to abortion, including through local ordinances that might target travel assistance.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Colorado General Assembly","href":"https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1279"}]},"funding":{"title":"Legal; no funding restrictions","summary":"Paying for an abortion or abortion travel is not restricted by Colorado law; abortion funds, employer benefits, and individual assistance are all permitted.","description":"Anyone can pay for another person's abortion or abortion-related travel expenses without legal risk in Colorado. Abortion funds can operate freely. Employers can offer abortion-travel benefits as part of health plans. The constitutional Amendment 79 repealed the 40-year ban on public funding, so government programs can now cover abortion. There is no state law restricting private financial assistance for abortion.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Ballotpedia","href":"https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_Amendment_79,_Right_to_Abortion_and_Health_Insurance_Coverage_Initiative_(2024)"}]},"mailing_pills":{"title":"Legal; no mailing prohibition","summary":"Colorado imposes no prohibition on mailing abortion medication into or within the state; shield laws protect providers who prescribe medication to patients in other states.","description":"There is no Colorado law that bans sending or receiving abortion pills by mail. A person in Colorado can legally receive abortion medication shipped from a pharmacy or provider, whether in Colorado or from another state. Colorado providers who mail pills to patients in other states are protected by the state's shield law, which says they cannot be prosecuted or investigated in Colorado for doing so.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-18/article-13/section-18-13-133"}]},"providing_information":{"title":"Legal; First Amendment protected","summary":"Providing information, referrals, or websites about abortion is lawful in Colorado with no state-imposed liability; the RHEA affirmatively protects the provision of information about reproductive health care.","description":"Anyone can give information about abortion — including websites, referrals, hotlines, or personal advice — without legal risk in Colorado. The Reproductive Health Equity Act prohibits the government from restricting or interfering with the provision of information about reproductive health care. There is no law restricting or penalizing abortion-related speech.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Colorado General Assembly","href":"https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1279"}]},"civil_bounty":{"title":"No civil bounty law","summary":"Colorado has no SB8-style private civil enforcement mechanism; there is no statute authorizing private individuals to sue abortion providers, patients, or helpers.","description":"Colorado has not enacted any law like Texas's SB8 that allows private citizens to sue people involved in abortion. No law authorizes a private person to bring a civil lawsuit against an abortion provider, a patient, or anyone who helps with an abortion.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"FindLaw","href":"https://codes.findlaw.com/co/colorado-constitution-of-1876/co-const-art-ii-sect-32"}]}},"procedural_requirements":{"waiting_period":{"title":"No waiting period","summary":"Colorado imposes no mandatory waiting period between counseling and an abortion procedure; a person can receive counseling and the procedure on the same day.","description":"Colorado does not require a person to wait any amountของ time between receiving information about abortion and having the procedure. A person can have an abortion on the same day as their initial appointment. The only waiting period in Colorado law is the 48-hour parental notification requirement for minors, which applies only to the notice to a parent or guardian — not to a waiting period for the patient personally.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Guttmacher Institute","href":"https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/counseling-and-waiting-periods-abortion"}]},"mandatory_counseling":{"title":"No state-scripted counseling","summary":"Colorado imposes no state-scripted counseling or mandatory materials requirement for abortion; standard informed consent governs.","description":"Colorado does not require a person seeking an abortion to receive state-written materials or listen to a state-mandated script. There is no requirement that a provider read specific information to the patient or that the patient view any state-produced materials. Standard medical informed consent — explaining the procedure and its risks — applies as it does for any medical procedure.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Guttmacher Institute","href":"https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/counseling-and-waiting-periods-abortion"}]},"ultrasound_requirement":{"title":"No ultrasound requirement","summary":"Colorado does not mandate an ultrasound before an abortion; a provider may perform one as part of standard medical practice but it is not legally required.","description":"Colorado law does not require a person to have an ultrasound before getting an abortion. A provider may choose to perform an ultrasound as part of routine medical care — for example, to determine how far along the pregnancy is — but there is no law requiring it, and there is certainly no law requiring the provider to show or describe the ultrasound image to the patient.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Guttmacher Institute","href":"https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/requirements-ultrasound"}]},"in_person_visits":{"title":"Zero in-person visits required","summary":"Colorado imposes no in-person visit requirement for abortion; medication abortion can be obtained via telehealth without any in-person clinic visit.","description":"A person seeking an abortion in Colorado does not have to visit a clinic in person at all. Medication abortion can be prescribed through a telehealth appointment and the pills can be mailed directly to the patient. For procedural abortion, one in-person visit is naturally required, but the law does not compel any additional visits before or after. There is no mandatory counseling visit, no waiting period that would require a second trip, and no in-person dispensing requirement.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-25/family-planning/article-6/part-4/section-25-6-403"}]}},"minors":{"parental_involvement":{"title":"Parental notification; 48 hours","summary":"Colorado requires 48-hour written notice to a parent or guardian before performing an abortion on an unemancipated minor, but does not require parental consent.","description":"If a person under 18 who is not legally emancipated wants an abortion in Colorado, the provider must give written notice to at least one parent or guardian at least 48 hours before the procedure. The parent does not have to agree to the abortion — this is a notification requirement only, not a consent requirement. The minor can ask that only one parent be notified if the parents live apart. There are exceptions: if the minor lives with a relative (not a parent), notice can go to that relative. And the minor can go to court to get a 'judicial bypass' — a judge's order allowing the abortion without any parental notice.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-13/contracts-and-agreements/article-22/part-7/section-13-22-704"}]},"judicial_bypass":{"title":"Available; maturity or best interest","summary":"A minor may petition a court to waive parental notification; the court must grant the bypass if the minor is sufficiently mature or if notification is not in the minor's best interest.","description":"A pregnant minor who does not want to notify a parent can ask a judge for permission to have an abortion without parental notice. The judge must grant the request if they find either that the minor is mature enough to make the decision on their own, or that telling a parent would not be in the minor's best interest. The court must decide within four days. There is no filing fee. If the court denies the request, the minor can appeal, and the appeal must be decided within five days. If the court misses the deadline, the bypass is automatically granted. The proceedings are confidential, and the minor may have a lawyer and a guardian ad litem appointed.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-13/contracts-and-agreements/article-22/part-7/section-13-22-707"}]}},"paternal_spousal_rights":{"consent_or_notice_laws":{"title":"No spousal or paternal consent/notice law","summary":"Colorado has no statute requiring a spouse's or father's consent or notice before an abortion; the only third-party notice requirement is parental notification for minors.","description":"Colorado does not require a married person to notify or get permission from their spouse before having an abortion. There is no law giving the biological father any right to consent to or be notified about an abortion. The only third-party involvement Colorado law requires is notifying a parent or guardian when the patient is an unemancipated minor.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/428/52/"}]},"enforceability":{"title":"Not applicable; no such law exists","summary":"No spousal or paternal consent or notice law is on the books in Colorado, so enforceability under Danforth or Casey is a moot question in this jurisdiction.","description":"Because Colorado has never had a spousal or paternal consent or notice requirement, the question of whether such a law would be enforceable under Supreme Court precedent does not arise. If such a law were enacted, it would face immediate invalidation under Danforth and Casey, as well as under Colorado's own constitutional and statutory abortion protections.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"FindLaw","href":"https://codes.findlaw.com/co/colorado-constitution-of-1876/co-const-art-ii-sect-32"}]},"other_paternal_rights":{"title":"No paternal rights over abortion","summary":"The father of the pregnancy has no legal right to consent to, be notified of, or veto an abortion in Colorado; wrongful-death standing for a viable fetus has not been extended to fathers suing over abortion.","description":"In Colorado, the biological father has no legal say in whether an abortion happens. He cannot sue to stop it, he has no right to be told about it, and he cannot sue the pregnant person or the provider afterward. While Colorado recognizes a wrongful-death claim for a viable fetus when a third party causes its death, this has never been applied to the abortion context — and would almost certainly be barred by Colorado's constitutional and statutory protections for the right to abortion.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-25/family-planning/article-6/part-4/section-25-6-403"}]}},"fetal_personhood":{"fetal_homicide_law":{"title":"Fetal homicide, but no personhood","summary":"Colorado criminalizes the unlawful termination of a pregnancy by a third party, but expressly disclaims fetal personhood and exempts lawful abortion and the pregnant woman.","description":"In Colorado, a person who attacks a pregnant woman and causes her to lose the pregnancy can be charged with a crime — 'unlawful termination of pregnancy' — ranging from a class 2 felony to a class 6 felony depending on the circumstances. But the law explicitly says this does not make a fetus a 'person' with legal rights, and it does not apply to lawful medical care, including abortion, or to the pregnant woman herself. The statute is designed to punish third-party violence against pregnant women, not to restrict abortion.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-18/article-3-5/section-18-3-5-110"},{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-18/article-3-5/section-18-3-5-102"}]},"wrongful_death":{"title":"Available for viable fetus only","summary":"Colorado permits a wrongful-death action for a viable fetus, but this civil tort claim has not been extended to lawful abortion and is limited to third-party conduct.","description":"Under Colorado law, if a third party's negligence or wrongful act causes the death of a viable fetus, the parents may bring a wrongful-death lawsuit. The leading case, Espadero v. Feld, specifically involved a full-term fetus. This is a civil claim for damages, not a criminal charge, and it applies only to the actions of a third party (like a negligent driver or violent attacker). It has never been applied to a lawful abortion, and doing so would directly conflict with Colorado's explicit statutory statement that a fetus 'does not have independent or derivative rights.'","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia (annotation at C.R.S. § 13-21-202)","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-13/damages-and-limitations-on-actions/article-21/part-2/section-13-21-202"}]},"personhood_definition":{"title":"No fetal personhood; express denial","summary":"Colorado law affirmatively rejects fetal personhood; the Reproductive Health Equity Act states that a fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does not have independent or derivative rights.","description":"Colorado law explicitly says that a fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does not have its own legal rights. This is written directly into the Reproductive Health Equity Act. The criminal code separately states that its article on pregnancy-related offenses does not make an embryo or fetus a 'person.' Colorado voters have repeatedly rejected ballot measures that would have defined personhood as beginning at fertilization — in 2008, 2010, and 2014. A new personhood ballot initiative (Initiative #226) was filed for the 2025-2026 cycle but has not yet qualified for the ballot.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-25/family-planning/article-6/part-4/section-25-6-403"},{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-18/article-3-5/section-18-3-5-110"}]},"contradictions_analysis":"Colorado's treatment of fetal personhood is internally consistent in a way that few states have achieved. The legislature deliberately constructed a regime in 2013 (HB13-1154) and strengthened it in 2022 (RHEA) and 2024 (Amendment 79) that criminalizes third-party violence causing pregnancy loss — the 'unlawful termination of pregnancy' offenses — while simultaneously and explicitly denying that the fetus is a 'person' and exempting both lawful medical care (including abortion) and the pregnant woman herself from prosecution. C.R.S. § 18-3.5-110 states bluntly that nothing in the crimes-against-pregnant-women article confers personhood before live birth. RHEA (C.R.S. § 25-6-403(3)) says a fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus 'does not have independent or derivative rights.' The one apparent tension — that Colorado permits a wrongful-death action for a viable fetus under Espadero v. Feld while denying fetal rights — is a narrow civil tort doctrine that exists in many states even where abortion is protected. The wrongful-death action compensates survivors for loss, which is analytically distinct from granting the fetus independent rights; it has never been applied to consensual abortion. The criminal offenses against pregnant women function as enhanced penalties for violence against women, not as fetal-personhood statutes — a point the General Assembly underscored by including the anti-personhood language in the same 2013 bill. This is a jurisdiction that has achieved what the personhood-contradiction question is designed to detect: the ability to punish third-party fetal homicide without undermining abortion rights."},"telehealth_and_interstate":{"telehealth_prescribing":{"title":"Telehealth fully permitted","summary":"Abortion medication can be prescribed via telehealth to a patient in Colorado by an in-state or out-of-state provider; no in-person visit is required.","description":"A person in Colorado can get a prescription for abortion medication through a telehealth appointment — a video or phone call with a health-care provider — without ever going to a clinic. The provider can be in Colorado or in another state, as long as the prescription follows Colorado's standard of care. The pills can then be mailed to the patient or picked up at a pharmacy. Colorado law explicitly protects providers who prescribe to patients who take the medication in another state.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-18/article-13/section-18-13-133"}]},"out_of_state_travel":{"title":"Travel fully permitted","summary":"Colorado residents may lawfully travel out of state for abortion care; Colorado imposes no restrictions on such travel and actively shields against out-of-state investigations.","description":"Colorado residents are free to travel to another state to get an abortion. Colorado law does not restrict or penalize this in any way. In fact, Colorado's shield laws are designed to protect its residents and providers from legal actions brought by other states. The state will not cooperate with out-of-state investigations, subpoenas, or extradition requests related to lawful abortion care.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Center for Reproductive Rights","href":"https://reproductiverights.org/maps/abortion-laws-by-state/colorado"}]},"shield_or_hostile_laws":{"title":"Robust shield protections","summary":"Colorado has enacted comprehensive shield laws protecting providers, patients, and helpers from out-of-state investigations, subpoenas, extradition, professional discipline, and civil actions related to lawful abortion care.","description":"Colorado is a 'shield state' — meaning it has passed laws to protect people involved in abortion care from legal attacks by other states. These laws prevent Colorado government agencies from helping with out-of-state investigations or lawsuits about abortion that was legal in Colorado. They protect providers from having their licenses disciplined by Colorado boards because of out-of-state complaints. They allow providers and patients to countersue anyone who brings an out-of-state action against them. They also let the Governor refuse extradition requests for abortion-related charges from other states. Colorado's shield laws cover both abortion and gender-affirming care, and protect patients, providers, and anyone who helps.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Colorado General Assembly (SB23-188 page)","href":"https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb23-188"},{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-18/article-13/section-18-13-133"}]}},"funding_and_insurance":{"medicaid":{"title":"Medicaid covers abortion","summary":"Following Amendment 79's repeal of the 1984 public-funding ban, Colorado Medicaid now covers abortion; SB25-183 (2025) codified this by adding abortion care to the Medicaid family-planning services schedule.","description":"Medicaid in Colorado now covers abortion care. For 40 years, a constitutional amendment banned using public money for abortion, but voters repealed that ban in November 2024 by passing Amendment 79. The Colorado legislature then passed SB25-183 in 2025, which added abortion to the list of covered services under Medicaid. The state also added abortion coverage to the Children's Basic Health Plan. This means low-income Coloradans on Medicaid can now have their abortions covered by the program, going well beyond the federal Hyde Amendment's limited coverage for cases of rape, incest, and life endangerment.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Ballotpedia","href":"https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_Amendment_79,_Right_to_Abortion_and_Health_Insurance_Coverage_Initiative_(2024)"},{"name":"Colorado General Assembly","href":"http://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB25-183"}]},"private_insurance":{"title":"Insurance must cover abortion","summary":"Colorado requires most state-regulated private health insurance plans to fully cover abortion without deductibles, copays, or coinsurance, effective January 2025.","description":"Since January 2025, most private health insurance plans in Colorado must cover the total cost of abortion care. This means no deductibles, no copays, and no coinsurance — it is fully covered. The requirement applies to large-employer plans regulated by the state. There is an exception for federally defined high-deductible health plans. Government employee health plans can now also cover abortion, thanks to Amendment 79's repeal of the public-funding ban.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Colorado General Assembly (SB23-189 page)","href":"https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb23-189"}]},"exchange_plans":{"title":"ACA plans must cover abortion","summary":"ACA marketplace plans in Colorado are subject to the same abortion-coverage mandate as other state-regulated plans; they must cover abortion without cost-sharing.","description":"Health insurance plans sold through Colorado's ACA marketplace (Connect for Health Colorado) must cover abortion without deductibles or copays, just like other state-regulated plans. This means someone who buys insurance through the exchange can get abortion care fully covered.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Colorado General Assembly","href":"https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb23-189"}]},"state_funding_of_providers":{"title":"State funds abortion providers","summary":"With the repeal of the public-funding ban and the enactment of SB25-183, Colorado affirmatively funds abortion care through Medicaid and other state programs.","description":"Colorado now uses state money to pay for abortion care. The 40-year constitutional ban on public funding for abortion was repealed in 2024. The legislature then passed SB25-183 in 2025, appropriating nearly $3 million from the general fund for abortion care through Medicaid. The state also funds family-planning services that include abortion. This means the state is affirmatively funding — not defunding — abortion providers and services.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Ballotpedia","href":"https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_Amendment_79,_Right_to_Abortion_and_Health_Insurance_Coverage_Initiative_(2024)"}]}}},"penalties":[{"actor":"Pregnant woman","offense":"None; expressly exempt from prosecution under C.R.S. § 18-3.5-102(2)","penalty":"No criminal or civil penalty","verification":"verified","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-18/article-3-5/section-18-3-5-102"}]},{"actor":"Physician or other licensed provider","offense":"None for performing lawful abortion; civil penalty only for parental-notification violation (C.R.S. § 13-22-706)","penalty":"No criminal penalty; civil penalty for parental-notification noncompliance","verification":"verified","sources":[{"name":"Justia","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-18/article-3-5/section-18-3-5-102"},{"name":"Center for Reproductive Rights","href":"https://reproductiverights.org/maps/abortion-laws-by-state/colorado"}]},{"actor":"Third party who causes unlawful termination of pregnancy","offense":"Unlawful termination of pregnancy (first through fourth degree), C.R.S. §§ 18-3.5-103 to -106","penalty":"First degree: class 3 felony (or class 2 if woman dies); second degree: class 4 felony; third degree: class 5 felony; fourth degree: class 6 felony (class 5 for certain repeat or intimate-partner offenders)","verification":"verified","sources":[{"name":"Justia / FindLaw","href":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-18/article-3-5/section-18-3-5-103"},{"name":"Colorado.Public.Law","href":"https://colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_18-3.5-106"}]}],"recent_changes":[{"date":"2022-04-04","event":"Governor Polis signed HB22-1279, the Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA), codifying the fundamental right to abortion in Colorado statute and affirming that a fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus has no independent or derivative rights.","sources":[{"name":"Colorado General Assembly","href":"https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1279"}]},{"date":"2022-07-06","event":"Governor Polis issued Executive Order D 2022-013, directing state agencies to protect access to reproductive health care and limit cooperation with out-of-state investigations following the Dobbs decision.","sources":[{"name":"Center for Reproductive Rights","href":"https://reproductiverights.org/maps/abortion-laws-by-state/colorado"}]},{"date":"2023-04-14","event":"Governor Polis signed SB23-188, the interstate shield law, barring Colorado agencies from assisting out-of-state investigations or proceedings concerning legally protected reproductive and gender-affirming health care.","sources":[{"name":"Colorado General Assembly","href":"https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb23-188"}]},{"date":"2023-04-14","event":"Governor Polis signed SB23-189, requiring large-employer health benefit plans to cover the total cost of abortion care without cost-sharing, effective January 1, 2025.","sources":[{"name":"Colorado General Assembly","href":"https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb23-189"}]},{"date":"2024-11-05","event":"Colorado voters approved Amendment 79 by 61.97%, enshrining the right to abortion in the Colorado Constitution (art. II, § 32) and repealing the 1984 constitutional ban on public funding of abortion.","sources":[{"name":"Ballotpedia","href":"https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_Amendment_79,_Right_to_Abortion_and_Health_Insurance_Coverage_Initiative_(2024)"}]},{"date":"2025-02-13","event":"SB25-129, strengthening Colorado's shield law with clawback civil actions, subpoena safeguards, and prescription-label anonymity for medication-abortion providers, passed committee and was ultimately enacted.","sources":[{"name":"Colorado Newsline / Williams Institute","href":"https://coloradonewsline.com/2025/02/13/senate-committee-expand-abortion-shield-law"}]},{"date":"2025-03-06","event":"SB25-183, expanding Medicaid to cover abortion care and appropriating nearly $3 million from the general fund, passed committee and was enacted.","sources":[{"name":"Colorado General Assembly","href":"http://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB25-183"}]}],"pending_changes":[{"name":"Cohen v. Colorado","type":"litigation","status":"Pending; motion to dismiss filed by defendants. Plaintiffs assert that the parental notification requirement (C.R.S. §§ 13-22-701 to -708) violates the state constitutional right to abortion under Amendment 79 (Colo. Const. art. II, § 32) and equal-protection guarantees.","effect":"If successful, could invalidate Colorado's parental notification requirement for minors, removing the last remaining abortion restriction in Colorado law.","sources":[{"name":"Lawyering Project (court filing)","href":"https://lawyeringproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/20251107_CO_Stamped-Plaintiffs-Opposition-to-Defendants-Joint-Motion-to-Dismiss.pdf"}]},{"name":"Initiative #226 (2025-2026)","type":"ballot_measure","status":"Title Board set ballot title on February 18, 2026; motion for rehearing filed. Has not yet gathered signatures or qualified for the ballot.","effect":"Would amend the Colorado Constitution to provide that 'all human beings, from the moment of fertilization until birth, shall not be deprived of life without due process of law,' potentially establishing fetal personhood and threatening the constitutional right to abortion.","sources":[{"name":"Colorado Secretary of State","href":"https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Initiatives/titleBoard/filings/2025-2026/226RehearingMiddleton.pdf"}]}],"key_authorities":[{"name":"Colorado Constitution Article II, Section 32","citation":"Colo. Const. art. II, § 32","type":"constitution","url":"https://codes.findlaw.com/co/colorado-constitution-of-1876/co-const-art-ii-sect-32","why":"Enshrines the right to abortion in the Colorado Constitution, prohibiting government from denying, impeding, or discriminating against its exercise, and repeals the public-funding ban."},{"name":"Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA)","citation":"C.R.S. §§ 25-6-401 to -407","type":"statute","url":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-25/family-planning/article-6/part-4/section-25-6-403","why":"Codifies the fundamental statutory right to abortion, defines its scope, and prohibits state and local government interference."},{"name":"Offenses Against Pregnant Women","citation":"C.R.S. §§ 18-3.5-101 to -110","type":"statute","url":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-18/article-3-5/section-18-3-5-102","why":"Criminalizes third-party violence causing pregnancy loss while expressly exempting medical care and the pregnant woman, and denying fetal personhood."},{"name":"Colorado Parental Notification Act","citation":"C.R.S. §§ 13-22-701 to -708","type":"statute","url":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-13/contracts-and-agreements/article-22/part-7/section-13-22-704","why":"The sole remaining restriction on abortion in Colorado — 48-hour parental notice for unemancipated minors, with judicial bypass."},{"name":"Interstate Shield Law (SB23-188)","citation":"C.R.S. §§ 24-116-101 to -102","type":"statute","url":"https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb23-188","why":"Protects Colorado providers, patients, and helpers from out-of-state investigations, subpoenas, and professional discipline related to lawful abortion care."},{"name":"Medication Abortion Cross-Border Shield","citation":"C.R.S. § 18-13-133","type":"statute","url":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-18/article-13/section-18-13-133","why":"Protects licensed health-care providers from prosecution or investigation when a patient ingests a prescribed abortifacient in another state."},{"name":"Insurance Coverage Mandate (SB23-189)","citation":"C.R.S. § 10-16-104(26)(a)","type":"statute","url":"https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb23-189","why":"Requires most state-regulated private health insurance plans to fully cover abortion without cost-sharing."},{"name":"Medicaid Abortion Coverage (SB25-183)","citation":"SB25-183, 2025 Colo. Sess. Laws","type":"statute","url":"http://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB25-183","why":"Expands Medicaid and Children's Basic Health Plan to cover abortion services following the repeal of the public-funding ban."},{"name":"Espadero v. Feld","citation":"649 F. Supp. 1480 (D. Colo. 1986)","type":"case","url":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-13/damages-and-limitations-on-actions/article-21/part-2/section-13-21-202","why":"Establishes that a wrongful-death action may be maintained for a viable fetus under Colorado law, though not in the abortion context."},{"name":"Planned Parenthood of Rocky Mountains Services Corp. v. Owens","citation":"287 F.3d 910 (10th Cir. 2002)","type":"case","url":"https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-13/contracts-and-agreements/article-22/part-7/section-13-22-704","why":"Tenth Circuit decision noting constitutional concerns with Colorado's parental notification law for lacking a health exception; cited in ongoing state constitutional challenge."},{"name":"Amendment 79 (2024)","citation":"Colorado Amendment 79, Right to Abortion and Health Insurance Coverage Initiative (2024)","type":"ballot_measure","url":"https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_Amendment_79,_Right_to_Abortion_and_Health_Insurance_Coverage_Initiative_(2024)","why":"The voter-approved constitutional amendment that elevated abortion from statutory to constitutional protection and repealed the public-funding ban."}],"research_notes":{"overall_confidence":"high","editor_notes":"Verify C.R.S. § 25-6-404 and C.R.S. § 13-22-706 in the official Colorado Revised Statutes before publication. Confirm the effective date and codified sections of SB25-129 (2025 shield-law expansions). Monitor Cohen v. Colorado for a ruling that could invalidate the parental notification requirement. Confirm the codified C.R.S. sections for SB25-183 (Medicaid abortion coverage). The 2025 Colorado Revised Statutes may not yet incorporate all 2025 session laws; cross-check against the Colorado General Assembly's session-laws page.","gaps":["The exact current codified text of the 2025 shield-law expansions (SB25-129) may not be reflected in the 2025 edition of the Colorado Revised Statutes; language should be verified against the enrolled act.","The Cohen v. Colorado litigation is at an early stage; no ruling has issued on the motion to dismiss, and the case's trajectory is uncertain.","Initiative #226 (2025-2026 personhood) is at the Title Board stage; whether it will gather sufficient signatures to qualify for the ballot is unknown.","The precise scope of the civil penalty for violating the parental notification law (C.R.S. § 13-22-706) was not independently verified from the statutory text.","The interaction between Colorado's shield laws and potential federal enforcement of the Comstock Act under a future administration remains speculative."]}}