Denver, Colo., Apr 14, 2005 / 22:00 pm
Yesterday at the Colorado State Capitol building, over 40 people turned out at a press conference to show their support for Governor Bill Owens’ decision to veto an emergency contraception bill passed by the state legislature.
The Catholic governor has been taking considerable heat for his decision, in which he called House Bill 1042 a violation of religious freedom.
Critics of the bill, including Denver’s Archbishop Charles Chaput, have said that it violates the religious freedom of hospitals, particularly Catholic ones, by forcing them to offer information on abortion to victims of rape.
A panel of three Denver-area women presented yesterday’s press conference. Jamila Spencer represents the Colorado Catholic Conference, Terri Polakovic, ENDOW (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women), and Alexis Wagner, President of the University of Colorado’s Respect Life Committee also presented.