Victim Asks Gov. Not to Sign New Crimes Against Pregnant Women Act

Heather Surovik, whose son was killed in a drunk driving accident just days from delivery, has gone on record opposing HB 1154, titled the Crimes Against Pregnant Women Act. The bill offers minimal penalties for perpetrators of crimes against pregnant women while repealing criminal abortion laws already on the books in Colorado.

“This bill has very little to do with justice for pregnant victims of crime in Colorado,” explains Surovik. “Planned Parenthood and other supporters of this new bill opposed my efforts to seek justice for my son’s death just a few months ago. Now they have passed a law that does very little for women like me, while at the same time protecting abortion providers and repealing laws that have been on the books for years. This is a clear case of pro-choice organizations using stories like mine to push their own agendas. Please, Gov. Hickenlooper, do not sign this law.”

The new act reinforces that babies like Surovic’s son, Brady, are not people. It also eliminates criminal liabilities for abortionists who kill women during an abortion (by repealing 18-6-102), allows surgical and chemical abortions to be performed on minors without parental consent (by amending 13-22-105), legalizes the sale of chemical abortion drugs to minors (with the amendment of 13-22-105 and repeal of 18-6-102), and allows doctors to operate clinics much like Kermit Gosnell’s by completely exempting them as long as they claim to be providing “medical services” (18-3.5-102).

“I was asked by Rep. Mike Foote to testify on behalf of this bill, and I was interested in helping until I learned that this bill is a back-door attempt to repeal abortion laws and protect abortionists,” Surovic says. “I was shocked when the same people pushing the new bill testified against me in the hearings for a more common-sense bill. I was told that when my 8-pound, 2-ounce son, Brady, was killed, I only lost a ‘pregnancy,’ not a baby. HB 1154 does not allow abortion doctors to be charged even when they are negligent. 

“Under the current laws in Colorado, there was no justice for my son’s death, and HB 1154 could allow further harm to pregnant women. The best way to seek protection for pregnant victims of violent crimes is with the Brady Amendment, which I am collecting signatures for right now. I am trying to pass the Brady Amendment to be a voice for Brady.”