Liberals may have suffered setbacks in Congress Tuesday, but they still scored a victory in Colorado with the defeat of an anti-abortion amendment.
Colorado's Amendment 67 would have redefined the words "person" and "child" to include "unborn human beings." The amendment stems from the experience of Heather Surovik, who was hit by a drunk driver when she was eight months pregnant. Surovik lost the baby and subsequently discovered that Colorado criminal code did not consider the unborn child a person or the death a homicide.
Some proponents of Amendment 67 later went on to argue that it wasn't about abortion, but rather was about "preventing violence against pregnant mothers and their unborn children." Opponents, however, disagreed, saying it would "ban all abortions in Colorado, including in cases of rape, incest and when the health of the mother is in danger." Opponents also criticized the law for being vague, and a legislative analysis mentioned that the "measure does not specify how its provisions will apply to health care providers or medical procedures."
The amendment was defeated 64% to 36%. It was the third time a "personhood" law was rejected by Colorado voters.
Voters in North Dakota rejected a similar proposal Tuesday, while in Tennessee an amendment that could lead to more abortion restrictions passed.
North Dakota's Measure 1 was similar to the proposed amendment in Colorado; it would have added language to the state's constitution that gave "the inalienable right to life" to "every human being at any stage of development."
The measure appeared headed for defeat Tuesday night, with 64% of the votes against it and most of the precincts reporting.
The sole victory for personhood proponents came in Tennessee Tuesday, where voters passed Amendment 1, which gives lawmakers more power to regulate abortions. The legislation gives "state representatives and state senators to enact, amend, or repeal statutes regarding abortion."