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Cristian Ortega carries his son Luca as he walks into Oak Creek City Hall in the snow to cast his ballot on Election Day, November 5, 2024, in Oak Creek, Colorado.

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DENVER, Co. (AP) — Colorado voters have approved a proposal to add reproductive rights protections to the state constitution, according to a call obtained by The Associated Press. The measure received the 55 percent of votes needed to pass.

Colorado is already a regional center for abortion access.

The change is similar to a law signed by Democratic Gov. Jared Polis in 2022 and would codify abortion protections, including banning local governments from passing their own laws to try to restrict the procedure. It would also repeal Colorado's current constitutional ban on public funding of abortions. This would allow the state to cover the procedure under Medicaid and include it in health insurance plans for state employees.

More: Colorado election results

Colorado was one of ten states to vote on abortion rights. This follows the U.S. Supreme Court's repeal of federal abortion rights in 2022 and many Republican-led state legislatures taking action to restrict abortion. Meanwhile, Colorado is a destination for pregnant people who are banned from abortion care in surrounding states.

Supporters say it's critical for Colorado's Constitution to have explicit language protecting abortion access because any change to that measure would require a new vote by the people, unlike a law the Legislature could repeal. They also say public employees who need abortions should not be forced to pay for the procedure out of pocket and that it should be treated like other legal health services.

Opponents say it is morally wrong to force taxpayers who oppose the process to pay.

Voters approved the ban on public funding in 1984, but over more than a decade they have repeatedly defeated attempts to restrict access to abortion.

Bente Birkeland covers public affairs for Colorado Public Radio.