State Legal Snapshot
Abortion law, status, and enforcement — one-page reference
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.
Colo. Const. art. II, § 32 · C.R.S. § 25-6-403
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.
C.R.S. § 18-3.5-110 · C.R.S. § 18-3.5-102 · C.R.S. § 25-6-403(3)
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.
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.
| Actor | Offense | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Pregnant woman | None; expressly exempt from prosecution under C.R.S. § 18-3.5-102(2) | No criminal or civil penalty |
| Physician or other licensed provider | None for performing lawful abortion; civil penalty only for parental-notification violation (C.R.S. § 13-22-706) | No criminal penalty; civil penalty for parental-notification noncompliance |
| Third party who causes unlawful termination of pregnancy | Unlawful termination of pregnancy (first through fourth degree), C.R.S. §§ 18-3.5-103 to -106 | 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) |
Cohen v. Colorado
Litigation · Pending; motion to dismiss filed by defendants. Plaintiffs assert that the parental notification requirement (C.R.S.
If successful, could invalidate Colorado's parental notification requirement for minors, removing the last remaining abortion restriction in Colorado law.
Initiative #226 (2025-2026)
Ballot measure · Title Board set ballot title on February 18, 2026; motion for rehearing filed.
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.
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.
Codifies the fundamental statutory right to abortion, defines its scope, and prohibits state and local government interference.
Criminalizes third-party violence causing pregnancy loss while expressly exempting medical care and the pregnant woman, and denying fetal personhood.
The sole remaining restriction on abortion in Colorado — 48-hour parental notice for unemancipated minors, with judicial bypass.
Protects Colorado providers, patients, and helpers from out-of-state investigations, subpoenas, and professional discipline related to lawful abortion care.
Generated from the structured legal focused deep-research record for CO (research completed 2026-07-12). This snapshot condenses a much larger sourced dataset — full citations, quoted statutory text, and plain-language explanations are in the full Colorado survey. This document has not been reviewed by a lawyer and should not be used as legal advice.