The Colorado General Assembly convened its new legislative session on January 13, 2016. While many observers of the Colorado General Assembly are watching how lawmakers navigate tricky budget waters this session, the Anti-Defamation League Mountain States Region is closely monitoring bills that would impact the civil rights and freedoms of all Coloradans. In particular, ADL is monitoring legislation that would dismantle anti-discrimination laws, attack religious freedom, severely limit women’s access to reproductive health care, restrict access to voting and permit tax-payer funded support for private, religious education.

ADL is working collaboratively with a coalition of civil liberties and religious freedom organizations to oppose legislation that would create religious exemptions that would let individuals and businesses claim that their religious beliefs allow them to refuse to follow laws they don’t like, including domestic violence, public safety, and nondiscrimination laws.  ADL is also paying special attention to legislation that would insert a religious definition of life in state law and ban abortion in Colorado.

ADL legislative liaisons and advocates will testify on bills when they come up for public hearings and will also send out action alerts ahead of key votes so that supporters can contact their legislators.  For more information on becoming involved as a volunteer legislative liaison on ADL’s priority bills this legislative session, contact Jeremy Shaver, Assistant Director, at jshaver@adl.org.