Total Flaming Fundie Idiots
By Lynn Bartels, Rocky Mountain News
April 5, 2005
Gov. Bill Owens today vetoed a bill that would have required hospitals to provide information about emergency contraception to rape victims.
"This bill would violate fundamental constitutional principles by forcing an institution to say things to patients that it explicitly does not believe to be morally or ethically valid," Owens said in his veto message to lawmakers. "Allowing such a provision to become law would cross a constitutional line that we must not cross."
The Catholic Church and lawmakers who believed the bill sanctioned a form of abortion opposed the measure and were pleased with the governor's veto.
But supporters said that the measure, which was introduced by two Democratic lawmakers and backed by a number of Republicans, was about providing information to victims.
Rep. Fran Coleman, D-Denver, a supporter of the bill, said she was disappointed.
"This was about emergency contraception. Rape victims didn't ask for that procreation," she said.
During the House debate on the bill, she likened emergency contraception for rape victims to having a bullet removed.
"I've never been this disappointed about a bill," said the Senate sponsor, Jennifer Veiga of Denver.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.