This fall, Colorado voters will see 14 proposed initiatives on their ballots. The scope of topics is wide-ranging from marriage to abortion, from school choice to increased taxes on guns and from prohibitions on hunting to ranked-choice voting.
Three amendments of particular importance to faith-aligned voters are Amendment J, Amendment 79 and Amendment 80. These initiatives will have a far-reaching impact on our communities and our families as they concern marriage, the value of preborn human life, and school choice in the state of Colorado.
Amendment J — The Definition of Marriage
Amendment J would remove the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman from the state constitution. This definition was added to the constitution in 2006 with the support of 55% of the voters.
LGBT activists have legislatively referred this measure to the voters of Colorado.
Focus on the Family believes marriage is a sacred covenant designed by God to model the love of Christ for His people and to serve both the public and private good as the basic building block of human civilization. As such, God intended marriage to be a thriving, lifelong relationship between one man and one woman.
There is also a secular case to be made for natural marriage. Marriage is based on the truth that men and women are complimentary, reproduction depends on a man and a woman, and social science demonstrates that children need a mother and a father to flourish. Studies consistently show that children raised by married, biological parents do better physically, emotionally and academically compared to their peers.
One-man, one-woman marriage is essential to healthy families and societies.
Weakening the definition of marriage will only harm Coloradans and that’s why we are urging Coloradans to vote NO on Amendment J.
Amendment 79 — Constitutionalize Abortion
Amendment 79 would create a so-called right to abortion in the state constitution and repeal the ban on taxpayer funded abortions. This measure is radical and extreme. It goes far beyond Roe v. Wade.
Amendment 79 would ban parental notice before a minor gets an abortion. It would allow abortions in the seventh, eighth and ninth months of pregnancy on healthy mothers and healthy babies. It would force taxpayers to pay for abortions.
If this amendment becomes law, Colorado’s reputation as a late-term abortion destination will continue to grow and Colorado taxpayers will be footing the bill.
The abortion lobby has already raised over $8 million to pass Amendment 79.
Pro-life Coloradans must vote to defeat this extreme measure. Focus on the Family is asking all our Colorado friends to protect life this November and vote NO on Amendment 79.
Amendment 80 — Constitutionalizing School Choice
Amendment 80 would provide a constitutional right to school choice including neighborhood schools, charter schools, private schools, homeschools, open enrollment options and future innovations in education.
Colorado has a history of guaranteeing school choice in state law, but some education activists would like to limit education options available to Colorado families.
This initiative would constitutionally preserve the right to school choice for all Colorado families forever.
Focus on the Family believes that parents have the fundamental right to direct the education and upbringing of their children and encourages voters to consider voting YES on Amendment 80.
Remaining 11 Ballot Measures
Below is a short summery of the remaining 11 ballot measures. For more detailed information on all ballot measures, visit the 2024 State Ballot Information Booklet.
Amendment G — Expand Property Tax Exemption for Veterans
Expands the property tax exemption for veterans with a disability to veterans with individual unemployability status.
Amendment H — Create Independent Judicial Discipline Board
Create an independent judicial discipline adjudicative board and create rules for the judicial discipline process.
Amendment I — Remove Right to Bail in First Degree Murder Cases Amendment
Remove the right to bail in cases of first degree murder when the proof is evident or the presumption is great.
Amendment K — Shorten Election Deadlines
Change deadlines for filing initiative and referendum petition signatures and judicial retention notice deadlines to remove one week in order to allow one extra week for the secretary of state to certify ballot order and content and election officials’ deadline to transmit ballots
Proposition 127 — Prohibit Bobcat, Lynx, and Mountain Lion Hunting
Prohibit trophy hunting, defined as “intentionally killing, wounding, pursuing, or entrapping a mountain lion, bobcat, or lynx; or discharging or releasing any deadly weapon at a mountain lion, bobcat, or lynx”
Proposition 128 — Parole Eligibility for Crimes of Violence
Change parole eligibility requirements; requiring offenders convicted of certain violent crimes on or after January 1, 2025, to serve at least 85% of their sentence before parole eligibility, and offenders with two prior violent crime convictions to serve their full sentence before beginning parole.
Proposition 129 — Create Veterinary Professional Associate
Create the profession of veterinary professional associate (VPA) requiring a master’s degree and registration with the state board of veterinary medicine.
Proposition 130 — Establish Peace Office Fund
Create the Peace Officer Training and Support Fund to provide funding for law enforcement training, retention, and hiring; training surrounding the use of force; and death benefits for surviving spouses and children of officers or first responders killed in the line of duty.
Proposition 131 — Establish Ranked-Choice Voting
Establish top-four open primary elections and ranked-choice voting for U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, Colorado University board of regents, state board of education, and state legislature.
Proposition JJ — State Keeps Tax on Sports Betting
Allow the state to retain tax revenue collected above $29 million annually from the tax on sports betting proceeds.
Levy a 6.5% excise tax on firearms and ammunition manufacturing and sales to be imposed on firearms dealers, manufacturers, and ammunition vendors and appropriating the revenue to the Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax Cash Fund to be used to fund crime victim services programs, education programs, and mental and behavioral health programs for children and veterans.
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