I am a physician in Rep. David Ortiz's state House district, and I am strongly supporting him for re-election because he believes in keeping government out of the doctor-patient relationship when it comes to reproductive rights. Rep Ortiz was a strong advocate for Colorado's Reproductive Health Equity Act, signed into law this spring.

This law put protection for abortion access and reproductive health care into Colorado statute, something that became even more important when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade at the end of June.

RHEA modernized Colorado statutes to protect reproductive rights as fundamental rights. Having access to the full spectrum of reproductive health care including contraception and abortion helps ensure that people can control their own bodies, lives, and futures. RHEA established that every individual has the fundamental right to choose or refuse contraception; every individual who becomes pregnant has a fundamental right to choose to continue a pregnancy and give birth or to have an abortion; and that a fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does not have independent rights under the laws of the state. In other words, none of that “personhood” nonsense.

As a voter and as a doctor, I am proud that state lawmakers like Rep. Ortiz led on reproductive rights and backed RHEA. We need Rep Ortiz's continued leadership on this critical issue in the General Assembly.

Please join me in voting for the people who helped protect our rights here in Colorado.

Paul A. Nutting, MD, MSPH

Centennial