June 05, 2013 04:39 PM UTC

Crimes Against Pregnant Women Act signed by Gov. Hickenlooper

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• by: Jason Salzman

As expected, Gov. Hickenlooper signed a bill today making it a crime to commit cause the death of a fetus due to reckless acts against pregnant women (like a drunk driver hitting a pregnant woman).

Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains issued a statement praising the bill’s sponsors, Reps. Mike Foote and Claire Levy, and Sen. Pat Steadman, and stating that the new law “empowers district attorneys and other members of law enforcement to hold criminals accountable for crimes against a pregnant woman which result in the loss of her pregnancy.

“The bill was thoughtfully crafted to protect pregnant women without impeding upon a woman’s right to access reproductive health care,” according to Planned Parenthood. “We thank our state lawmakers for focusing their time and energy on a bill that positively supports women.”

Some Republicans, as well as Personhood USA, opposed the bill, which Sen. Scott Renfroe, referred to as the “Let’s-Go-on-Killing-Babies” bill, because it didn’t give legal rights to zygotes or other stages of human development. The law specifically doesn’t grant such legal standing.

Personhood activists are gathering signatures to put a ballot initiative that would give legal rights to all “unborn human beings,” which is not defined.