Colorado Amendment 48 was a defeated initiative to amend the definition of a person to "any human being from the moment of fertilization".
The initiative was proposed jointly by Kristine Burton and Michael BurtonStatement of Sufficiency (pdf). Secretary of State. State of Colorado. May 29, 2008. of the now-defunct organization, Colorado for Equal Rights.
This definition would have applied to all sections of Colorado law, thus giving a fetus the equal rights of life, liberty, and property as a fully developed, born person would.Brown, Jennifer. "Personhood" Amendment Fails. Denver Post. November 4, 2008.
Text of the Proposal SECTION 1. Article II of the constitution of the state of Colorado is amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION to read:
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.Amendment 48: Definition of Person (pdf). Colorado General Assembly.
Controversy Colorado Right to Life supported the amendment.Vote Yes on 48 . Colorado Right to Life. There was bipartisan opposition Jorgensen, Leslie. Amendment 48: Opposition galvanizes Democrats, Republicans . Colorado Statesman. October 10, 2008. -- Planned Parenthood and 2008 Colorado Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate Mark Udall were joined by anti-abortion Democratic Governor Bill Ritter, National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), and Republican Senate candidate Bob Schaffer.
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