Senate Health - Human Services

. Thank you. Thank you.

If you can state your name and who you're representing. Yes. Hello. There we are. Hello, Chair and members of the committee. My name is Veronica Bell, and I represent Colorado Behavioral Health Care Council. We are the statewide membership association for the community-based mental health and substance use disorder safety net providers. And on behalf of our members, I want to thank the bill sponsors for their collaborative approach and their commitment to ensuring that the integration of AI into behavioral health is both innovative and safe. We're currently in a mend position. However, with the amendments being offered today, we are very close to the support position. As the association representing community-based safety net providers, our members' mission is to deliver high-quality, accessible care to all Coloradans, particularly those in rural communities, low-income families, and individuals with serious mental illness. The therapeutic relationship between a clinician and a client is grounded in trust and professional judgment. It is a human connection that technology can support but should never replace. We find that HB 1195 strikes an important balance by protecting the therapeutic bond, by ensuring AI is not used to replace licensed professionals and direct client care or clinical decision making, empowering clinicians by allowing AI to be used for administrative and supportive functions, helping reduce burden and increase time spent with clients, and ensuring transparency so clients are informed with AI tools are a part of their care experience. We're especially appreciative of the amendment addressing liability, clarifying that responsibility for AI implementation rests with the entities developing and deploying these tools rather than individual clinicians. That's critical to protecting the workforce that underpins our safety net system. And so with that amendment, we would be comfortable moving into a support position. We believe the bill would then reflect the appropriate safeguards to ensure safe, effective, and equitable use of AI in behavioral health. We appreciate the sponsor's continued engagement with providers and the thoughtful evolution of this bill. Thank you for your time, and I'm happy to answer any questions.

Thank you, Madam Chair. My name is Josh Bogan. I'm the contract lobbyist for the Colorado Counseling Association as well as Vivant Health, both of whom are in support of the bill. I'm going to be reading the testimony of Dr. Ryan Burkhart, who is the Executive Director of the Counseling Association. Thank you, Madam Chair and members of the committee. My name is Dr. Ryan Burkhart. I'm a licensed professional counselor in the state of Colorado, Executive Director of the Colorado Counseling Association, and I serve today on behalf of the CCA and its members across the state. I'm here in strong support of HB 26 1195. Psychotherapy is not simply the delivery of information. It is a deeply human relational process. treatment requires a trained professional who can recognize the subtle shifts in a client's tone, hold space for silence, attune to what is left unsaid, and make real-time clinical judgments grounded in years of education, supervised experience, and licensure. The therapeutic relationship itself is the vehicle for healing, and that relationship requires a human being on the other side of it. Licensed mental health professionals in Colorado complete rigorous graduate training, thousands of supervised clinical hours, and comprehensive licensure examinations. accountable to licensing boards and professional codes of ethics artificial intelligence systems are not When a client is at their most vulnerable they deserve the judgment and presence of a qualified human professional We recognize that artificial intelligence offers genuine value as a tool in supporting mental health practice. AI can improve efficiency in clinical documentation, assist with scheduling and administrative tasks, and help clinicians organize resources for their clients. Used appropriately, these tools free up clinicians to spend more time focused on what matters most, the person in front of them. The CCA does not oppose innovation, but innovation must have guardrails. HP 261195 draws a clear and necessary line. AI may support the delivery of psychotherapy services, but it may not replace the licensed professional providing them. That distinction is not just important, it is essential to the safety and well-being of Colorado's most vulnerable residents. The Colorado Counseling Association urges your support of HP 261195. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Vice Chair and members of the committee. My name is Leanne Rupp. I'm a licensed clinical social worker and the executive director for the National Association of Social Workers, Colorado Chapter. NESW Colorado represents thousands of social workers across the state, many of whom provide psychotherapy and counseling services directly to Coloradans every day. And I'm here today in strong support of House Bill 261195. We developed this bill around two beliefs that we hold simultaneously, that advancements in technology have real value in clinical settings, and licensed clinicians should be able to use those tools to do their work better, and that psychotherapy itself is and must remain a human-to-human service. This bill is built on exactly that foundation. Every clinically licensed mental health professional in Colorado, as you've heard, has completed graduate level education, years of supervised clinical training, and national licensing exams, and must complete hours of continuing education in order to renew that license every two years. That rigor exists because people seeking care deserve providers who are genuinely equipped to provide it. Human providers who can read body language, tone of voice, and affect, and who notice when what someone says does not match how they look or sound. Those signals are often some of the most important clinical information in a session, and they are the kind of thing a trained human being picks up on in ways that no AI system can. This bill prohibits AI systems from providing psychotherapy services in Colorado unless a licensed clinician is simultaneously present and actively participating alongside both the AI system and the client. It also establishes those clear guardrails for clinicians who want to incorporate AI tools into their practice, documentation support, session transcription, psychoeducation resources, et cetera. We know that some may argue that permitting AI to engage directly with clients without a clinician present would help fill access gaps in the state, and we take that concern seriously, but that proposal would create a two-tiered system in which some Coloradans receive care from an educated and trained licensed human professional, and others receive care from an AI substitute. I respectfully urge this committee to vote yes on this bill, and I welcome any questions that you may have. Thank you so much.

Andrade. Thank you, and I apologize.

It's okay. Good afternoon, Chair and members of the committee. My name is Wendy Buxton Andrade, and I'm here representing Mental Health Colorado in support of House Bill 26 For 73 years Mental Health Colorado the nonpartisan nonprofit organization has been acting as our state leading advocate for Coloradans with mental health and ending health discrimination. No one seeking therapy should have to wonder whether they are talking to a licensed professional or a profit-driven algorithm. That's why Mental Health Colorado is supporting House Bill 1195. It will establish clear consumer protections by prohibiting the use of marketing of AI as a substitute for psychotherapy, diagnosis, or treatment planning, and by requiring informed consent before AI is used in supportive roles such as transcription or note-taking. House Bill 1195 strikes the right balance. It does not reject innovation. It channels it responsible. The therapist will still be able to use AI for appropriate administrative tasks, cutting down on paperwork and allowing more time for meaningful human connections with clients. At the same time, it takes an important step forward, protecting Coloradans from the very risk, real risks of relying on AI for care that it is not equipped to provide. Mental health problems are human problems, and they require human care and privacy in a safe, protected space. AI will be a powerful tool, but it is not a therapist and offers no reliable guarantees for protections of privacy or safety. Mental Health Colorado is asking for a favorable vote on House Bill 26-1195 to protect the health and well-being of all Coloradans. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Vice Chair and members of the committee. My name is Dr. Rick Ginsberg. I'm a licensed psychologist and I'm representing the Colorado Psychological Association in strong support of this bill, HB 1195. I personally have provided psychotherapy for almost 30 years in Colorado. I need to say something that probably is strange to have to say, but psychotherapy is not a chatbot. It's a serious regulated healthcare treatment that requires graduate education, extensive supervised clinical training, ethical accountability, and regulatory oversight to provide. Yet in this rapidly growing world of technology, businesses are currently marketing artificial intelligence systems as mental health therapists and providing therapy. They're not. AI chatbots simulate empathy. They try to offer pseudo-emotional comfort and provide information that can be mistaken for human advice, all without human oversight, clinical judgment, or accountability to a regulating licensing board. This bill addresses these critically serious and sometimes life-threatening problems. Colorado regulates which humans can practice psychotherapy for good reason. Vulnerable individuals seeking mental health assistance deserve competent and accountable care. That's a civil rights issue. This bill The bill ensures that emerging technologies do not bypass those same protections. HB 1195 establishes clear guardrails and important consumer protections. It ensures psychotherapy remains a licensed professional healthcare service provided by a human while allowing responsible use of AI under clinician oversight. This bill doesn't ban AI or stifle innovation. Clinicians can continue to use integrated AI tools for a wide variety of tasks as long as the licensed professional maintains full responsibility. What it does prohibit is allowing AI to directly engage in therapeutic communication without synchronous real-time engagement by the clinician and client, generate treatment plans without professional review, or be marketed as equivalent to licensed psychotherapy, a healthcare treatment. Misleading AI marketing is explicitly classified as deceptive trade practice under the Colorado Consumer Protection Act. This bill is about clarity, accountability, and public safety. Thank you. On behalf of the Colorado Psych Association, the hundreds of our members, psychologists across the state, and the thousands and thousands of clients they treat, we ask you to support HB 1195. Thank you.

I can answer any questions.

Yep, perfect. Thank you, Madam Chair and members of the committee. I actually didn't come here to testify on this bill, but reviewing it, and I understand it went through a stakeholder process, But the way I read it, it would prohibit psychotherapists, psychologists, and others from using AI to supplement their diagnostic abilities, particularly what pertains to somatic illness. As an internal medicine specialist and hospital medicine specialist, I've seen innumerable cases where psychiatric symptoms were misdiagnosed and actually there was underlying physical disease, including endocrine disease, infectious diseases, and toxin-related problems. this bill seems to preclude the use of AI as a supplementary mechanism to review symptoms that are elicited during the psychologist or psychotherapist interview in a way that might red flag things, not for them to diagnose other somatic illness that internist or specialist should be doing, but at least have them direct their care and have them considered by another person to see if potentially this disease may be a reflection of a physical problem and not simply a mental health problem. So I would suggest that somebody look at the wording and be sure that AI is, this could be a revolutionary thing to improve the outcomes of people who are seeing psychologists and psychotherapists, and it should be utilized in that fashion from my perspective, and I hope you consider that. Thank you.

I'm sorry. My name is Dr. Thomas Perel, and I represent myself.

I will. I move amendment L11.

So L11 adds a definition of synchronous, which is a term that they added in the House but they didn't define. It adds patient navigation, which was at the request of Kaiser Permanente as a thing that AI can do. Further clarifies that this legislation doesn't apply to FDA-approved treatments, which was something the Colorado Hospital Association wanted, and fixes an issue with a series when or was needed instead of an and. And I ask for a yes vote.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll move amendment L12.

A movement L-12 was requested in the House on lines 3 through 11. It makes sure that the clients receive written information explicitly stating that AI cannot treat or diagnose independently. Also indicates that a mental health professional is subject to licensure actions for Title 12 violations, which may be also subject to the Consumer Protection Act for deceptive trade practices in Title VI. This came from the AG's office. Adds patient navigation to the list of AI tools to which this legislation will not apply. That was requested by Kaiser. Clarifies further that the legislation does not apply to FDA-approved treatments. Requested by the Colorado Hospital Association. Fixes an issue with a series when an or was needed instead of an and, leading to the need for rework the language regarding AI tools and FDA-approved tools. Came from the hospital association. And then lastly, it strikes the definition of person as it already is defined. That came from the AG's office.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

That's a proper motion.

Okay. L-13 addresses collection of data and liability of clinicians versus developer deployers. It adds the collection of mental health or wellness information to the allowable supplemental support uses of AI. And that was a request by Apple. It changes the confidentiality of data standard. So it references standard protections expected in a therapist-client relationship, also for Apple. Removes language in Title 12, not also needed in Title 6. and ensures the clinician who uses AI ethically and within the law is not held accountable if there is an error from the developer deployer and clarifies that accountability is held within the Consumer Protection Act. Wonderful.

So I just say this is really an important thing for us to do Mental health consistently gets second shrift in terms of health care And the lean into using bots to deliver mental health care is such an incredible wrong turn. But also, it's like what you would expect, because people who have mental health disorders expect less, and they get less. And this is an attempt to change that, at least with this particular thing. And just as an example of, and I know it's not the same, but I was on a call with my kid, and the person on the other end couldn't see him. And they ask, how are you doing? And he says, great. And he's standing there. He's filthy. His hair is completely disheveled. He's got dirt under his fingernails, and he cannot sit still. And they say, how's your medication working? And he says, good. And they say, oh, great. You feeling okay? Feeling great. And if they were there, if he had a human in the room with him, they would know that that wasn't the case. So this is really an important thing, and I hope you all can support it.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll be brief. This bill is an important bill. AI is a valuable tool in a lot of areas, but when we are looking at patients receiving care, receiving therapy, counseling from a licensed professional, that should be coming from a licensed professional and not an AI chatbot. This ensures that AI can still continue to be used as a tool for licensed healthcare professionals, but that when it comes to the therapy, when it comes to the patient care, it's done by that individual. That's a good thing. I hope you all recognize through the testimony today the extensive stakeholding that took place on this bill and even through the amendments that were offered today in committee, what that stakeholding looked like. and I think that there's a pretty strong consensus that this is a good bill and this is the way we should be doing things, and I would ask for a yes vote.

Thank you so much, Madam Chair. I move House Bill 1195 as amended to the Committee of Whole with a favorable recommendation.

Yes

No

Enthusiastically yes

No

Aye

Aye

Yes

Thank you, members. It's wonderful to be at the Health Committee. We appreciate your consideration of House Bill 1335. As you all know, Colorado has strong legal protections for abortion, yet many Coloradans including college students, still experience practical barriers that undermine those rights. Many students living on college campuses are often far away from their previous providers and must rely on campus health centers for a wide range of services, including sexual and reproductive health care. When students can't obtain the care that they need on campus, they must travel, sometimes missing class or work, and taking on additional costs. These burdens fall hardest on first-generation college students, students of color, undocumented students, and students from families with low incomes. All students deserve equitable access to abortion care, just the same as each of the rest of us, and this bill is about ensuring that access. HB 1335 would provide students timely care by requiring campuses with health centers to provide medication abortion, and for those campuses with health centers that include pharmacies, to stock abortion medication, ensuring that timely access. When a college student decides to have an abortion, they deserve care that is affordable, timely, and delivered with support and dignity no matter what. In that spirit, I thank you for your consideration as well as my co-lead for his joining this effort, and I ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Colorado voters made something clear when they enshrined reproductive freedom in our Constitution. The right to abortion access should not depend on your zip code, your income, or whether you can miss class and drive across town for care. But for a lot of college students, that right still exists more on paper than in practice. House Bill 1335 helps close that gap by ensuring campus health centers that already provide primary or reproductive care also provide medication abortion and stock the medication on site. Medication abortion is safe, FDA approved, and already widely used in primary care settings across the country. Abortion care is health care. And college students in Colorado deserve access to that care despite national efforts underway to deny it. In a moment when these national attacks on medication abortion continue to create uncertainty and barriers, this bill is about making sure that Colorado students can access timely, evidence-based care where they already receive their health care without unnecessary delays, travel, or added costs. This is about moving from a right in theory to a right in practice. Ask for an aye vote.

Ms. Donovan Good afternoon, Chairs and members of the committee. My name is Hunter Donovan and I'm a political science and communication student at CU Boulder here on behalf of New Era Colorado as a Colorado native and as a woman in Colorado's higher education system and I'm urging you to support House Bill 1335. I grew up in a conservative community where abortion and reproductive health care were highly stigmatized and rarely discussed Because of that I understand how isolating these situations can feel especially for young women who don know where to turn In December 2024 a close friend reached out to me after someone we both knew discovered she was pregnant due to birth control failure She tried to go to a college health center, but they didn't offer abortion care, and she was afraid to go off campus because she knew if her family found out, she would lose their financial support and be forced to leave school. So she turned to her friends. We did our best by researching options, figuring out logistics and supporting her emotionally, but it was overwhelming. No one should have to rely on friends to fill in gaps in the healthcare system, especially for something that is as time-sensitive and personal. Even in Colorado, where abortion is legal, it is not guaranteed. When students cannot get care on campus, they have to travel, miss class or work, and take on additional costs, which are barriers that are disproportionately impacting those with fewer resources. Some may point to telehealth or online medication as a solution. growing restrictions on mailing medication can make these options further delayed or inaccessible. Shipping and processing barriers can push it further out of reach, increasing stress and limiting the options. House Bill 1335 is a practical common sense solution and ensures campus health centers can provide medication abortion on site so that students can access care quickly, safely, and with support. This bill is about dignity, autonomy, and making sure students do not have to navigate these moments alone. I urge you to vote yes on House bill 1335 thank you thank you miss donovan next up uh aunt albrecht if you want to state your name

is aunt and i am testifying on behalf of myself um hello members of the health and human services committee i am a csu student and i'm speaking strongly in favor of bill 1335 to first state i support this bill because given the recent attacks on male myth Preston abortion care by the Supreme Court and the volatility that people with uteruses who seek access to health care across the country are feeling right now, it is exceptionally important that medication abortion access is as accessible as possible. Secondly, I've also been impacted by a lack of health care access on my college campus and I want everyone to understand just how detrimental a lack of easy access to health care is for us college students. Last year, I tried getting diagnosed for ADHD at CSU. However, the university did not provide this service, and it has set me back immensely in getting the health care that I deserve. Finally, my university's legislative student body advisory board, known as LSAB, as well as the General Associated Students Legislator, has voted to support this bill, which should say everything that it needs to about where the majority of students at CSU stand in support of this bill. And closing up 1335 comes at no cost to the state and should be an easy yes that betters the lives of students across the state. Treating it as anything else would be a great disappointment to us students. So thank you.

My name is Jonathan Helvoid I represent New Covenant Church in Lakewood My family and your master Jesus Christ Thank you Members of this committee As Daniel has said God removes kings and sets up kings You senators have been appointed as God's servants to punish the wicked and exalt the righteous. See Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2. Murder being the unjust killing of a human being as laid out in Exodus 21. The evil of murder is assumed in our image bearing in Genesis 1, considered sin and worthy of judgment in Genesis 2, established in the covenant with creation in Genesis 9, which is ongoing as evidenced by the regular presentation of the rainbow, last seen by this witness on April 11, 2026. taught in the law in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 and re-established in this new covenant by your king and ultimate superior Jesus Christ the righteous may he live forever in Matthew 5. HB 26 1335 is a bill designed to make murder easier for young women and to establish to enable the court to punish the righteous not just for standing in the way of murder but for not giving them the murder weapon. This senate being responsible to punish evil and praise righteousness will without subtlety be in direct violation of their responsibilities laid out in Holy Scripture if it passes HB 26.13.35. Upon the deliberate passing of this bill, this committee will be under the just judgment of God, which will involve the removal of approving senators from office and likely worse. Having now publicly heard these evidences from his word from a minister of his gospel, this Senate will be found without excuse in his court. He will uphold his word and the words of his faithful servants. woe to those who call evil good and good evil confess the lordship of jesus christ with your mouth and believe in your heart that god raised him from the dead and you will be spared vote no on hp 25 or hp 26 1335 jesus loves the little children and his wrath is quickly kindled blessed

There you go.

My name is Lloyd Bennis, representing myself. I request a no vote on this bill, or please amend it to address serious risks to women's safety. I especially urge committee Democrats to explicitly respond to safety issues raised. The worst risks are from the abortion drugs. An analysis of over 865,000 Mephistone abortions found that one in nine women experienced sepsis, infection, or hemorrhage within 45 days. You can read this study now by using the first QR code I provided The death of Holly Patterson highlights how shockingly high these risks are for she died of septic shock seven days after taking mifepristone You can read her story right now at the second QR code. I challenge you to kill this bill and amend it, or amend it to require informed consent that warns women they face a one in nine chance of severe reaction or even death from mifepristone. Another major risk is lack of in-person pill dispensing. Studies show 64 to 74 percent of women seeking abortions report coercion, often tied to abuse or sex trafficking. Read the report via the third QR code. Kill this bill or amend it to require campus clinic training to detect and report coercion and sex trafficking. This bill does not require ultrasounds. Without them, ectopic pregnancies, about 2% of all pregnancies, will go undetected. A ruptured ectopic pregnancy can cause fatal internal bleeding within hours. Kill this bill or amend it to require ultrasound testing before dispensing pills. Past hearings on this bill featured silence by Democrats about these deadly risks. Democrats choose now will you prioritize abortion access over women thank you Mr.

my name is Colleen Enos and I represent Christian Home Educators of Colorado we support home discipleship that is Christ-centered parent-directed and free from government control, we would urge a no vote on HB 26-1335. This bill mandates that colleges in Colorado, public and private, either provide the abortion pill to women in their campus health clinics or issue a prescription for the same. The bill treats private and public higher education institutions interchangeably, thereby eliminating any meaningful differences in philosophy or worldview. They become de facto abortion advocates. There is no requirement to give women information on adoption or that abortion drugs can be reversed. Women are harmed by mifepristone abortions through the abortion pill. Nearly 11% of women experience a serious adverse effect following the use of abortion drugs based on data analysis of over 860,000 mifepristone abortions conducted by the Ethics and Public Policy Center in 2025. The pre-born children always lose their lives in a successful abortion. Universities are forced into destroying pre-born lives and women's health. There is nothing in the statute to affirm a health care worker's right to refuse to provide abortion pills or prescriptions, according to their deeply held religious beliefs. Colorado pays for abortions through our Medicaid tax dollars, but Speaker McCluskey cited a cost savings because dead children are cheaper.

There is no purpose in making our colleges pro-abortion destinations when the abortion pill is so readily available. God created pre-born children and we should not be treating them as disposable. Please do not transform our college campuses into places of harm for women and pre-born children. We urge a no vote on HBQ.

Start when you're ready. Thank you, Mr. Chair. My name is Patty McKernan from Centennial, and I represent myself, and I come here to urge you to vote no on HB 26, 1335, because unintended consequences are real. Remember in 2025, when the legislature voted on SB 25041, on the competency bill, and no one thought about the consequences if the law was abused? Remember how many deaths we've had where the accused can't be prosecuted because some random judge deemed them incompetent? This is exactly why we should not pass this bill. Is there anyone on this committee who doesn't believe that when we are under pressure, surprised, or feel trapped, we make poor decisions? And when we step away and have a clear head, we're mortified at that behavior. Is it the proper role of this body to facilitate mistakes? Your primary job is to pass a balanced budget, which you can't even do without violating TABOR, so imposing burdens on colleges and universities is not your job. Sponsors say it won't cost anything, that this isn't an unfunded mandate. Well, then what is the purpose? A few weeks ago, I testified in person at a bill where I had not prepared my remarks, and I left the hearing feeling like I'd made a poor decision. It was emotional, not logical. The consequences weren't horrible, thank God. But now let's move forward to this bill. I heard that one reason to pass this bill is to create equity in abortion services. Do you realize that women of color represent more than 50% of all abortions? They aren't having issues today in getting abortion, sadly. Over 75% of abortions are represented by low-income individuals. So let's dispense with the equity argument. I also heard the argument that we need to provide a constitutional right to RIA. Given that it is constitutional to own a firearm, should we put gun stores on campuses as well? That being said, we are here, and you will hear and decide on this bill. So let me count some of the ways we will have unintended consequences. Many women regret taking the pill and suffer from mental and physical harm. Easy access to Mifepristone can get into the wrong hands.

Start when you're ready. Thank you, Mr. Chair and committee. My name is Scott Horrock, and I'm opposing this bill. I'm representing myself. First of all, I'd like to let you know that there is no constitutional right to a criminal abortion in the state of Colorado. We have we passed title board and we're going to repeal Amendment 79. And I wanted to say that abortion medication is not medication at all. It's medication heals. It doesn't harm. I would like to quote a couple of past, but a couple of statutes here. First is the preamble. All men are created. All men, women, and children are created equal with certain unenviable rights. They are endowed by their creator with certain unenviable rights, among which is a right to continue living from the moment they are conceived. According to Colorado Revised Statutes 18 102 subsection 1 and 2 any person who intentionally ends or causes to be ended the pregnancy of a woman by any means other than justified medical termination or birth commits a criminal abortion Criminal abortion is a class four felony. But if the woman dies as a result of the criminal abortion, it is a class three felony. So before you today is a bill that is not about access. It's about endorsement. It's about the state endorsement of what we're calling a justified medical termination instead of what it really is, is a criminal abortion. The abortion pill, the first pill, starves a child to death. It's within 72 hours. It's very cruel and inhumane. And I ask for your no vote on this. and to help us repeal.

My name is Richard Husted. I represent myself as a Colorado voter and a pro-life advocate. I feel that all methods of abortion are evil, but this specifically, I think, needs to be voted no against. as has been stated very eloquently by some of the previous people. There are big questions about the abortion pill, about Memphis Perstone and its safety. It's pretty much been proven that it is not safe, that women do suffer from it. And I feel that putting it in the hands of inexperienced people at college campuses is a wrong move. And again, I urge people to vote no on this issue. Thank you.

No, it's the same person. It's the same person.

As far as I know, it's the same person.

If you mean an in-person sign-up, that probably was me.

No problem.

Thank you. Just a question for the panel. Are any of you medical doctors? Just yes or no?

I'm seeing a shaking head no. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the committee. My name is Dr. Tom Paril. I a physician and I represent Democrats for Life of Colorado in opposition to Bill HB 26 A couple of comments about testimony I heard so far There was a remark that this bill costs zero to the state, and I understand it's an unfunded mandate, but the state of Colorado supports public universities and colleges to the tune of 10 to 30 percent of their total budget, and so if we put on an additional financial obligation on these universities, It either is reflected in increased student fees, which particularly impacts the economic disadvantaged students, or it affects the state budget, which ultimately likely will be the case. The actual cost, using California, which has instituted a similar bill as a model, suggests that Colorado will incur a cost of $5 million to $8 million. Again, that can be absorbed by the university in student fees, but ultimately probably will be reflected in the state budget. It's also thought, based on California's statistics, to cost between $1 million and $3 million on an ongoing basis. And again, they're not just dispensing drugs. And I understand if I was a member, a Democrat member of the committee and was listening to the abortion industry, I would be under the impression that Mifepristone is as safe as Tylenol, which is a specious argument. one in 200,000 people die from Mifepristone. Tylenol per dose, the number is one to over 100 million. And same thing I've heard that's safer than Viagra with another specious argument, actually. Viagra has not been associated with increased mortality at all. And so Mifepristone is not safe, and the memes that we see can be misleading. So the other thing I'd like to mention is access has been one of the key factors, and it turns out that access is excellent for people at the universities right now. Eighty to ninety percent of students have access to drug-induced abortion through a nearby clinic.

Start when you're ready. Thank you, Mr. Chair, members of the committee. My name is Nathan Fisher, and I serve as the Associate Director of the Colorado Catholic Conference, which is the united voice of the bishops of Colorado, asking you to vote no on 1335 today. 1335 ultimately hurts young women who may be in distressing circumstances by encouraging an option that will likely cause long-lasting harm to them physically and psychologically and lead to the destruction of more human life in Colorado. The legislative declaration states that abortion will create equality in society, but forcing chemical abortion to be provided by higher ed institutions doesn't create more equality. data shows that is extremely harmful has an extremely harmful impact women of all ages especially to those young adults experiencing independence from their parents guidance for the first time in april 2025 the ethics and public policy center released the data of an all-payer insurance claim database of over 865,000 mifepristone abortions from 2017 to 2023 11 of women experience a serious adverse event including sepsis infection hemorrhaging within 45 days following that abortion with the prison abortion 1335 also exacerbates the potential sexual assault situation many young women are vulnerable to when in college according to the 2020 survey by the association of the american universities they found that sexual assault and misconduct happened at a 26.9 percent of two undergraduate women experienced non-consensual sexual contact by force or inability to consent while 1335 is intended to support young women in college it is hurting them. Where is the support for students who may regret this decision or those who are being coerced into it? Instead of providing life affirming and women supporting options 1335 focuses entirely on ending the life of the pre child to the detriment of the young mother Colorado law already provides broad access to abortion for those in Colorado inside and outside of it This bill is not about access it about increasing abortions and forcing institutions of higher education to be complicit in abortion. Our lawmakers should be focused on supporting mothers not increasing their harm, abuse, and further destruction of human life. This bill will be passed on through tuition or insurance costs. Please vote

Start when you're ready. Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the committee. I'm Catherine Wheeler. I'm a board certified OBGYN position, president of the Colorado chapter of the American Association of Pro-Life OBGYNs or APLOG and represent APLOG Action. I ask for a no vote. I'm very concerned about women's safety. As you heard, a recent large analysis of insurance data revealed that in real use, currently, one in nine women are being seriously harmed by abortion drugs, either hemorrhage, infection, emergency care, ectopic pregnancy, hospitalization, and surgery. A large Finnish study found that complications of these drugs in the first trimester include 15% hemorrhage, 7% incomplete abortion and 6% required surgery. Campus health centers are not prepared or equipped to provide this emergency care, resulting in delayed care, discontinuity of care, and contributing to poor outcomes. The FDA requires that prescribing clinicians accurately assess gestational age due to rapidly increasing risks and be able to exclude ectopic pregnancy, which is life-threatening, occurring 2% of pregnancies, and about half of these women have no identifiable risk factors. To meet this requirement, an ultrasound and appropriate training are necessary. The zero fiscal note is impossible. California is the only state that has the same provisions as this bill would requiring abortion drugs be provided on campus. They appropriated $200,000 per campus for implementation, which was used for purchasing ultrasounds at $33,000 each, consultation with abortion providers, staff training, hiring providers, purchasing exam tables and supplies, getting a 24-7 call service and developing protocols, among other things. These bills also do not require in-person dispensing, and there are at least 20 criminal cases right now in the U.S. of forced, hidden, or coerced abortion drugs. And of course, this is the tip of the iceberg. I'm also concerned about women's mental health and the lack of conscience protections for clinicians and pharmacists. I ask for a no vote. And lastly, I am concerned that this bill was advanced without any relevance.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, members of the committee. My name is Nancy Eason. I represent myself and I urge you to vote no on this bill. As a mother of three and also someone whose college roommate became pregnant many years ago, I'm fully aware of the challenges that women face when they become pregnant. On her way to the abortion clinic, my roommate changed her mind and decided to keep her baby, which meant I became an auntie my last semester of college. As you can imagine, this had a profound effect on me as I helped her take care of her little baby boy. But we were both shocked at the number of girls at our small college who begged to babysit her baby while she was in class, many of them in tears because they had all had abortions. Although abortion can look like the obvious answer to an unwanted pregnancy, during that spring of 1981 I learned that many women later regret their abortions because they consented to the killing of their children. The stated purpose of this bill is to increase access to abortion, because of the passage of Amendment 79, but there's nothing in that amendment's language to require our state to increase access. I ask you to vote no on this bill because it does not require a consistent standard of care for chemical abortions, such as verifying gestational age, ruling out ectopic pregnancy, or ensuring follow-up care, especially in campus settings. And you've already heard about the data about how 1 in 10 girls, women, are injured by this procedure. This raises serious questions. Why doesn't this bill require standard of care or informed consent? Who is responsible when complications occur? Who will verify that proper medical safeguards are followed? Who is prepared to respond when a student experiences a medical emergency in a dorm or apartment? Will the colleges and universities be held financially liable for any harm suffered by the women? Can colleges already prescribe these drugs? If so, why don't they? This bill raises serious concerns and does not address the underlying gaps in care and oversight, which will hurt women. And for all these reasons and more, please vote no on HB 26-1335.

Good afternoon, Mr. Chair and Committee, Lori Goebel, and I'm representing myself. I urge an oath on House Bill 26-1335. I just want to say I just see this as a gateway to further harm women. You've seen the statistics. You've been cited the statistics. You've even had a doctor testify to the endorsement and verification of these statistics right here on this panel. I don't know how you can move ahead with this in light of these statistics. When you have one in ten women seeking medical attention, and those are the ones that we know of. Here in Fort Collins, there is a clinic, and they receive ambulance calls on a harmful basis because it seems to be about one a month. And there has been a death within the last 15 months. and that's in a medical clinic. By having these drugs available to women where there is no oversight whatsoever, you're not only killing a child, you're putting these women at exponential risk. Once again, you have these statistics. They have been verified. Young women deserve protection. They deserve the right to life. They deserve the right to move forward with their life as found in our founding documents. We all have an inalienable right to life, not only the child, but also that woman. We need to be aware of the risk. These drugs are very complicated and they are not a health benefit in any manner. I urge a no vote once again. Thank you for your time.

Were you asking for me to start Yes please Okay sorry the system was transferring over So I Sean Bateman I a representative here of the White Rose Resistance and I am urging a no vote on this bill particularly because I'm very concerned about the way that this bill is going to encourage and actively create more date rape culture within the college community. I don't know how old all of you are and how long it's been since you've been in college. But frankly, it is pretty terrifying, especially for young women inside of this environment. We already have huge issues with these horny young college-aged men being encouraged to do whatever they want to women that they meet on these college campuses. And effectively, what you have done here today is given them open season because the bill, as you have written, has said that you cannot discriminate based on sex or gender or gender identity when you are administering these drugs. So any man has now been given right of way to walk into their college health care center, buy the abortion pill and slip it into his girlfriend's drink to cover up anything that he chooses to do to any woman. This is frankly just one of the largest oversights I've ever seen on a bill. I'm not even talking about abortion at this point. I'm not talking about pro-life things or anything like that. It is frankly just it. It blows my mind that we're not looking at this. what you have done is you have told these young men that you don't even have to leave campus to cover up any girl that you rape. You've told them that they can slip a drug into someone's drink, they can get them drunk, they can bring them back to their dorm, and all they have to do is walk down to their health care center on the college campus to absolutely just cover up anything that they did. Furthermore, because of the way that the abortion pill works, as these men are going to be slipping things into their girlfriend's drinks, try to abort the consequences of their actions, you're going to have way more college girls dying from ectopic pregnancies, dying from sepsis, dying from incomplete abortions, because they're not going to be going through the proper medical procedures to get this. The fact that you have not done anything to cover that up, the fact that you've been unwilling to include those amendments which would protect girls from rape and from having forced abortions that they're not aware of is just frankly shameful, and you need to amend this.

Just one. Dr. Wheeler, you mentioned some health concerns over and above what might be currently available for these women on college campuses. Can you talk a little bit about the differences there between what's available and what they might need? Dr. Wheeler.

who will have a severe complication. Thank you, Dr. Wheeler. Senator Cutter.

Mr. Bateman. I'm not necessarily accepting this as an inevitable thing. What I'm saying is that giving people on college campuses free access to the ability to cover up rape is encouraging rape culture.

Seeing no further questions, thank you for being here. Next up online, do we have Joel Miller? Wendy Smith? Mrs. Brittany Veseley? rebecca winnegar and dr thomas jensen okay let's see then is aiden minnick and daniel minnick Okay. Okay. I can't live off my hair. Over. We'll start off with you, Mr. Miller. If you want to unmute yourself, state your name, who you represent. You'll have two minutes to testify.

answer questions thank you mr miller next up wendy smith if you want to unmute yourself state your name who you represent you'll have two minutes to testify start when you're ready

adequately address safety protocols, OSHA compliance, liability exposure, institutional costs, or accountability standards associated with medication abortion. Medication abortion is not risk-free. Large California observational data demonstrate higher complications and follow-up rates compared with first trimester surgical abortion, including ER visits and incomplete abortions requiring additional procedures. Safe care requires confirming gestational age, ruling out a tough pregnancy, and ensuring emergency follow-up for hemorrhage or complications. Most campus health centers are not equipped with ultrasound or emergency gynecological backup or surgical support. Under OSHA bloodborne pathogen standards, employers must provide training, protective equipment, exposure protocols, and biohazard safety guards when employees may reasonably encounter blood or body fluids. Medication abortion involves significant bleeding and expulsion of the baby in placenta tissue. HB 261335 does not address responsibility for training, PPE, exposure response, or cleanup when complications occur in dormitories or residential housing. Residential advisors, roommates, custodial staff, Campus personnel may be drawn into emotionally distressing medical situations they neither anticipated nor consented to manage.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My name is Brittany Vesely. I'm the Executive Director of the Colorado Catholic Conference, testifying in opposition of HB 261335. From 1999 to 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has had safety protocols to mitigate the risks of abortion-inducing drugs, Mifepristone and Misopristal. After 20 years of oversight, the Biden administration abandoned the longstanding safety measures against these drugs by legalizing mail-order abortion in the name of access. HB 261335 further increases the harms to women by forcing institutions of higher education to stockpile dangerous abortion-inducing drugs without oversight or even transparency. on the potential harms to young women in distressing circumstances. This is not about access. This is about cornering young college-age women in their first years of independence into one option that will leave them physically and psychologically harmed for the rest of their lives and dependent on the ever-growing abortion industry, many of whom, including Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, drafted this legislation for their own benefit. Many amendments were introduced in the House on this bill, including First Amendment protections for providers, opt-out provisions for colleges and universities, exemptions for the cost of health care providers all were rejected but two amendments that were rejected are particularly concerning one amendment was to ensure that only women have access to abortion medication the removal of safety protocols in the name of access became makes it easier for an unsupported partner abuser or human trafficker to harm women girls and unborn children there are now hundreds of publicly documented cases related to abortion of pill abuse and coercion the perpetrators use similar methods secretly spiking a food or drink with a crushed pill sneakily swapping the pill for different drugs, of course, in the victim into taking the pills without her knowledge. Another amendment was to require training providers to know the risks of the medication. An April 2025 study from insurance claims data by the Ethics and Public Policy Center shows serious adverse effect event rate of 11 percent, at least 22 times higher than the figure on the drug label. Nearly 11 percent of all women who take mifepristone abortion drugs experience sepsis infection hemorrhaging and other serious or life adverse events within 45 days

ready hey yeah this is rebecca winneger i am representing myself and i'm speaking in opposition to this bill. I want to just thank everybody for your time and the opportunity to speak. I think that's very important for these bills that are coming up to represent we the people. And I just wanted to come and offer perhaps just a slightly different perspective to this bill. I am a post abortive woman. I had an abortion when I was 16 years old. And in that situation, the options that were presented to me were basically that the pill is what I need to do and should do without many other options which should have been made available. That's my biggest reason for opposing this bill is by making the abortion pill accessible at every single campus, it doesn't seem to take into account how important it is for us to be counseling young women that may be in these situations of other options that are available I think the focus of a bill like this that claims to protect what are called reproductive rights when in all reality this is taking the life of at least one being the unborn child and the potential of causing health harm to the mother as well, should include counseling on the other options. Again, I cannot say enough how much those options are not expressed. And I think, again, the bigger focus on this should be the counseling, not the government mandate that pills be available. That should be an option that is way farther down the line. And again, I think we as a society that claims to care for women that are pregnant and for these unborn babies that cannot speak for themselves, we have to stand up. We have got to be more adamant about explaining again the importance of life and importance of health and i appreciate your time

have two minutes to testify start when you're ready thank you mrs mr chair i am aiden minnick and i'm representing myself and i am thanking asking for a no vote one concern i have of this bill is that it does not protect against minors and sex-trafficked young women. HB 26-13-35 does not require in-person dispensing, which increases the risk that coercion on campus will be undetected and that an abortion might not actually be the choice of the woman, but instead the choice of the traffickers or partners. There are girls that are under 18 that go to these colleges. There is nothing in this bill that prevents underage girls from accessing this incredibly dangerous drug, or even traffickers getting the drug from one of these institutions and forcing it upon a young girl that they are trafficking. And in these cases, even in best practice, there is risk for the girl. According to a survey in Association of American Universities, 26.9% of undergrad women experience non-consexual sexual contact. Even though serious adverse effects are uncommon. The FDA cites 0.3 to 0.5% requirement for transfusion, 0.2% sepsis, 2.6% requirement for surgical intervention, 2.9 to 4.6% use of emergency departments, 0.04 to 0.6% need for hospitalization. These can be more serious in a case with a minor or sex traffic to young women where she cannot get the medical help she needs after the abortion drug. To show that you care about these young women and minors, I ask for a no vote. Thank you.

Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman and panel. My name is Daniel Minnick, and I am representing myself. I respectfully ask for a no vote. Human life begins at conception and should be protected to the best of our ability. However, we're now debating a bill to mandate that universities integrate into the abortion industry's supply chain. The legislative declaration's first claim is that the state constitution grants access to reproductive health care. Amendment 79 never mandated access. The First Amendment grants me freedom of speech, not a free microphone. Freedom of the press doesn't give me a book deal. The bill brings incentives and their consequences. If you mandate something you incentivize it and increase demand Economics 101 Colorado mandates vehicle emission standards to encourage more EV sales Is the goal of this bill to stimulate more pregnancies and abortions from college students? They should be there to learn and graduate, not to participate in reckless behavior. This bill mandates access to abortion drugs, but not medical oversight. Do the student health centers have ultrasound equipment and enough medical staff? Ectopic pregnancies pose a greater risk without this. A 2022 retrospective cohort study showed that abortion drugs without follow-up evaluations increases the risk of missing ectopic pregnancies, which can be fatal. What about uterine pregnancies? We still need access to ultrasounds here. If baby parts remain from a chemical abortion, sepsis can follow. Without rapid treatment, infection can be fatal. Again, why mandate access to abortion drugs without medical oversight? Nothing in this bill prevents a sexual abuser from ordering the drugs. This bill could incentivize abuse on campuses by granting abusers easier access to abortion drugs. I urge a no vote. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Questions from Ms. Smith. Did I understand you correctly that there might be some OSHA concerns here?

these witnesses seeing none thank you for being here Next up online, can we pull up Michelle Hart? Yeah. This is Erin Meshke. Tamara Axworthy. Christine Valencia. Mr. We just had Joel Miller. Do we have a Jane? Okay. Do we have a Jamie, Mrs. Jamie Gallup? We will start with you, Michelle Hart. If you want to unmute yourself, state your name, who you represent, and you will have two minutes to testify. Start when you're ready. Thank you. Can you hear me? Yes, we can. Thank you. Good afternoon.

Thank you, Ms. Hart. Next up, we have Mrs. Erin Meshke. If you want to unmute yourself, state your name, who you represent, you'll have two minutes to testify. Start when you're ready.

Thank you. Thank you, Mrs. Mashke. Next up, we have Tamara Axworthy. If you want to unmute yourself, state your name and who you represent, and you'll have two minutes to testify. Start when you're ready.

Thank you, Ms. Axworthy. Next up, Mrs. Jamie Gallup. If you want to state your name, who you represent, unmute yourself. You'll have two minutes to testify. Start when you're ready.

miss axworthy next uh or that was mrs gallup i'm sorry i apologize um does the committee have any questions for these witnesses seeing none thank you so much for being here that exhausts the list of opposition against House Bill 1335 before me is there anyone else online or in person who wishes to testify against House Bill 1335 Nope Okay We will get to the proponents of the bill Do we have Karina Hernandez And online I have Jason Nebel Kira Hatton and Ava Fricke Okay, Ms. Hernandez, we'll start off with you. If you just want to state your name, who you represent, you'll have two minutes to testify. Start when you're ready.

Thank you, Ms. Hernandez. Next up online, Jason Kniebel, if you want to unmute yourself, state your name, who you represent, and you will have two minutes to testify. Start when you're ready.

We can hear you.

Thank you. Thank you, Jason Nebel. Next up, let me just set it straight, too. And I want to make clear as we finish up testimony, we are going to keep this respectful. We are going to testify to the bill. I don't care what side you're on. And that's how we operate in this committee. And so as we finish up, I want to make sure that those who are testifying, that I am clear as day that we are going to stay respectful and we're going to stay to the bill. Keira Hatton, if you want to unmute yourself, state your name and who you represent, you will have two minutes to testify. Start when you're ready. Okay.

any questions for these witnesses seeing none thank you so much for being here next up in person do we have Matthew Logan Katia Garcia Arianne Frosh Arianne Frosh We'll start off here with Ms. Frosch, if that's all right. If you just want to state your name and who you represent, you will have two minutes to testify. Start when you're ready.

Can you switch to this mic? It's cutting in and out. Sure. Test it. Test it out. I think we have to turn it on on the mic. On the top. Hold it down maybe on top. It's showing green. Is it better? Maybe. Say something again.

Okay. Do you want me to start over? No, I think... Okay, great.

Thank you so much. Next up, we have Ms. Garcia. If you want to state your name, who you represent, you'll have two minutes to testify. Start when you're ready. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Garcia. Next up, Mr. Logan, if you want to state your name and who you represent, and you'll have two minutes to testify. Start when you're ready.

THANK YOU, MR. LOGAN. DOES THE COMMITTEE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THESE WITNESSES? SEEING NONE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE Can we pull up online Dr Leora Cohen Okay. Dr. Michael Neal? And Shan Lagard, and Christine Valencia in opposition. Ms. Valencia, we'll start off with you. If you want to unmute yourself, state your name, who you represent, and you'll have two minutes to testify. Start when you're ready.

I ask for a no vote. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Valencia. Next up, Dr. Michael Neal, if you want to unmute yourself, state your name and who you represent, and you'll have two minutes to testify. Start when you're ready. You're muted, Dr. Neal. Dr. Neal, you're muted. We cannot hear what you're saying.

Thank you, Dr. Neal. So I asked for the eye vote. Next up, we have Shan Lagard. If you want to unmute yourself, state your name and who you represent, you'll have two minutes to testify. Start when you're ready.

1335. Thank you. Thank you, Mix Laggard. If you, does the committee have any questions for these witnesses? Seeing none, thank you so much for being here. That exhausts the witness list before me. Is there anyone else online or in person who wishes to testify on House Bill 1335? Seeing none, the witness phase is closed. We are to the amendment phase. Do the sponsors have any amendments? Does the committee have any amendments? Seeing none, the amendment phase is closed. Wrap up. Who would like to wrap us up? Senator Wallace. Senator Bridges.

Thank you, Senator Burgess. Senator Wallace.

Thank you, Senator Wallace. Does the committee have any closing remarks? Seeing none, Madam Vice Chair.

That's a proper motion. Mr. Brown, please call the roll.

Mr. Chair Mullica. Yes, and that passes on a vote of 5-2. Members, that concludes our business for Senate Health and Human Services. We are adjourned.