HB26-1141 was originally a nondiscrimination bill for public schools - now it codifies discrimination *against* private K-12 and higher education. In the House, Rep. Bacon introduced an amendment that requires K-12 "private schools" to be subject to the public accommodation clause in Colorado's Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA), then in House Appropriations, HB26-1141 lost its fiscal note and underwent a re-write. The re-write requires *all* educational institutions to be subject to the public accommodation section in CADA. This is intentional. The original House amendment clearly showed intent: private schools are to be included. On the floor tonight, Sen.
@Janice_Marchman read the definition of "place of public accommodation." The religious exemption clause is for "places principally used for religious purposes, including a church, mosque or synagogue" -- intentionally vague.
We were in committee for this change in the CADA public accommodation statute in 2021. We pushed for amendments to include Catholic and other faith-based K-12 schools in the religious exemption then. The amendments were denied. Then-sponsor of HB21-1108 Sen.
@domoreno stated on record, "he wanted Catholic schools to be subject to the nondiscrimination clause in CADA." That was the intention in 2021. That is the intention in HB26-1141. And Sen. Marchman just made that case on the floor. Our simple amendment to add "public" back in the definition of HB26-1141 was rejected by sponsors Sen. Marchman, Sen. Kolker and Rep. Bacon. The reason? Because they want all faith-based private schools in the state of Colorado to surrender their well-founded sincerely held beliefs on human sexuality and marriage, or be penalized.
Additionally, the re-write of HB26-1141 includes "pregnancy" and "parental status" under harassment definitions applying to higher education campuses. This means, on CU or CSU's campus, the work of
@StudentsforLife ,
@TPUSA ,
@FOCUScatholic
and other pro-life or conservative groups that promote positions on human sexuality, marriage and sanctity of life of preborn children that are opposed to the state definitions may not be allowed on Colorado's college campuses and their ministries could be seen as harassment subject to state sanctions. Interesting this bill was introduced in the same year as HB26-1335 which requires public colleges to stock pile abortion pills on campus. So college girls will have one option during a crisis pregnancy: dangerous abortion pills that negatively impact their physical and psychological wellbeing forever. And babies die.
Coloradans deserve better than these deceptive bills and our lawmakers have a moral obligation to be honest about the intentions of their policy. Thank you, Sen.
@SenKirkmeyer,
@Senator_LyndaZ, and Sen. Frizell for defending religious liberty and the lives of pre-born children and their mothers against HB26-1141! Unfortunately, HB26-1141 passed second reading on party line and if enacted will move Colorado into yet another First Amendment Supreme Court case.
@GovofCO- veto this bill!
#coleg #copolitics @ColoSenGOP @COSenDem
@COHouseGOP @COHouseDem