I want to call attention to a bill that is currently making its way through the Colorado Legislature and is co-sponsored Rep. Don Coram, R-Montrose. HB 1194 is sponsored by Coram and co-sponsored by Rep. K.C. Becker, D-Boulder. This bill, titled “Authorize General Fund Dollars For LARC Services” would provide $5 million from the state general fund to continue a program that health officials say has lowered the teen birth rate in Colorado by 40 percent. The Colorado Family Planning Initiative partners with women’s health clinics throughout the state to provide long-lasting forms of contraception to women who may otherwise not be able to afford them. The program, started in 2009, was funded by an anonymous grant but needs state support to continue. This worthy program has had an enormous impact and deserves to continue. This legislation has bipartisan support. Please consider calling Rep. Coram to let him know you support him in this endeavor. Encourage your friends and relatives in the state to call their elected officials to urge them to support this bill.
Kate Kearns
Mancos