DENVER, CO – Today, thirty-nine Colorado legislators signed on to an amicus brief in support of legal abortion in Dobbs v. Women’s Health Organization,the Supreme Court case likely to decide the future of reproductive freedom in the United States. The brief, signed by 897 state legislators, represents the strongest showing ever recorded of state legislators supporting legal abortion nationwide.

The lawsuit challenges a Mississippi law that banned abortion services after 15 weeks of pregnancy — well before the 24-week precedent established by Roe v. Wade. The Texas and Mississippi laws are just two of nearly 600 anti-abortion bills introduced in 2021—the most state legislative attacks on abortion rights since the Roe decision.

“I’m proud to join nearly 900 lawmakers in states across the country who are taking action at the Supreme Court to stop state abortion bans,” said Majority Leader Daneya Esgar (D-Pueblo). “Attacks on health care, like the new laws in Texas and Mississippi and those that have been proposed here in Colorado by Republicans are dangerous and deprive people of their constitutional rights. For years I’ve fought for reproductive rights as a state lawmaker, and we will ensure that Colorado remains a safe place for patients around the country to access an abortion.”

This year Colorado Democrats continued to defend the right to reproductive care by defeating legislation that would criminalize abortion and create a state abortion registry. Additionally, legislators expanded access to legal abortion care by lifting restrictions facing survivors of sexual violence who are Medicaid patients.

“Today I joined nearly 900 state legislators to stand up for the right to safe and accessible abortion,” said Senator Brittany Pettersen (D-Lakewood). “I am dismayed by the blatant attempts to overturn Roe v. Wade, a decision that would jeopardize health care rights for millions of people. While states work to restrict and even outright ban a person’s right to an abortion, here in Colorado we remain committed to protecting everyone’s reproductive freedoms and preventing dangerous policies like those in Texas and Mississippi from ever moving forward in our state.”

A complete list of Colorado legislators signed on to the amicus brief:

Representative Judy Amabile Representative Jennifer Bacon Representative Tracey Bernett Representative Shannon Bird Representative Andrew Boesenecker Senator Janet Buckner Senator James Coleman Representative Lisa Cutter Representative Lindsey Daugherty Representative Monica Duran Majority Leader Daneya Esgar Majority Leader Steve Fenberg Senator Rhonda Fields Senator Joann Ginal Senator Julie Gonzales Representative Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez Representative Matt Gray Senator Chris Hansen Representative Dominique Jackson Representative Dafna Michaelson Jenet Representative Iman Jodeh Representative Cathy Kipp Senator Chris Kolker Senator Sonya Jaquez Lewis Representative Susan Lontine Representative Julie McCluskie Representative Karen McCormick Representative Barbara McLachlan Senator Dominick Moreno Representative David Ortiz Senator Brittany Pettersen Representative Naquetta Ricks Representative Dylan Roberts Representative Emily Sirota Senator Tammy Story Representative Brianna Titone Senator Faith Winter Representative Steven Woodrow Representative Mary Young Senator Rachel Zenzinger