The Colorado Catholic Conference, representing the state’s Catholic bishops, has sharply criticized Democratic Gov. Jared Polis and state lawmakers for allocating $6 million in taxpayer funds to expand abortion access during a special legislative session.
It’s a move the group says prioritizes the destruction of unborn life over the needs of Coloradans.
The conference’s scathing review of the August 2025 special session, convened to address a $783 million budget shortfall, highlighted what it called “more abortion funding, more taxes, more unsustainable living in Colorado.” The session, called by Polis on August 6, 2025, through Executive Order D 2025-009, was intended to tackle fiscal issues, healthcare, food security, and artificial intelligence regulations but ended up funneling significant funds to abortion companies, including Planned Parenthood.
The $6 million allocation to abortions and killing babies, including funding for Planned Parenthood, drew particular ire from pro-life advocates, especially in light of a recent incident at a Planned Parenthood facility in Colorado.
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LifeNews reported that a woman died following a botched abortion at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Fort Collins, raising concerns about the safety of abortions. Despite this, Democrat lawmakers approved the taxpayer funding, which pro-life groups argue will enable more abortions at the expense of taxpayer dollars.
The Colorado Catholic Conference’s stance aligns with its broader voter guidance, which emphasizes the sanctity of life as the top priority for Catholics at the ballot box.
“Human life must be protected at all stages from conception until natural death,” the conference declared in its 2024 Catholic Voter Guide, published October 11, 2024. The guide, which urges Catholics to vote according to a “hierarchy of values,” explicitly opposes measures like Amendment 79, a proposed constitutional “right” to unrestricted abortion that would repeal the state’s ban on public funding for abortions.
Critics of the funding decision also pointed to earlier remarks by Democratic leaders that have fueled pro-life outrage. In March 2025, a Democratic lawmaker sparked controversy by suggesting that abortion saves money, a comment that pro-life advocates argue dehumanizes unborn babies and reduces human life to a financial calculation. While not directly tied to the special session, the statement has been cited by pro-life groups as evidence of a broader agenda to prioritize abortion over other social needs.
The Polis administration did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the Catholic Conference’s criticisms or the $6 million abortion funding allocation.
