DENVER—A new crime of killing a fetus—without threatening abortion rights—is the goal of a Colorado bill proposed with bipartisan sponsors.
The bill introduced Friday sets up a new felony called “unlawful termination of a pregnancy.”
The measure makes clear that a woman or physician intentionally terminating a pregnancy wouldn’t be subject to prosecution. The bill also says that fetuses would not be considered a “person” under the law.
The measure has support from lawmakers in both parties. Fetal homicide is a crime in some other states, and lawmakers here are paying more attention to fetal homicide after a hit-and-run accident in northeast Denver in December caused a 27-year-old woman to miscarry.
A hearing has not been scheduled for House Bill 1256.
