Republican lawmakers warn that Democrats in the Colorado Legislature could face the rage of the Trump administration if the law was signed, including labeling parental misconceptions of “forced control.”
“We really feel like we're thrustling the bear,” Senator Jarvis Caldwell told Fox News Digital on Tuesday.
According to Caldwell, Colorado enacted a law this year to expand medical access to illegal immigrants.
“And the transgender issue, we're pushing this even more about Colorado children than ever before, and it's a direct violation of what President Trump is seeing.”
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Colorado Rep. Jarvis Caldwell says Democrats could head to federal lawsuits from Trump's administrators after the controversial bill passed the House on Sunday. (Getty Images/Representative Jarvis)
So, Caldwell said it was “a very realistic possibility” that some of the state's programs could risk losing federal funds, adding that the 100th anniversary nation “paying the results for it, Democrats are responsible.”
“Health is a big part of Medicaid, most of it is federal funds, and so is education afterwards,” Caldwell said. “And we're passing the bill, especially on the issue of illegal immigration, which includes these issues directly, so I think it's on President Trump's radar.”
The Colorado Democrat majority was barreled Sunday through four controversial gender and abortion bills. Republican lawmakers described it as a day of “family and prayers,” cutting floor debate with “unprecedented” floor procedure tactics.
The bills passed include SB25-183, which requires taxpayers to fund abortion services. HB25-1309, insurance companies require transgender procedures regardless of age. HB25-1312 imposes a state-mandated gender policy on schools and considers it as “forced control” if parents do not affirm their child's gender identity or affirm their “deadname.” SB25-129 prohibits cooperation with out-of-state investigations on transgender procedures and abortion services.
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Colorado State Capitol in Denver. (John Greim/Loop Images/Universal Images Group Viagetty Images)
Monica Duran, Democratic leader of the state Capitol, told Fox News Digital that four bills were discussed on the floor for more than 12 hours last week. Duran also called procedural rules that would limit the discussion to two hours last Friday.
But Caldwell said there was nothing within 24 hours compared to the 12 months of the Democratic majority that spent on several bills.
“They had a year to coordinate their testimony, and they had less than 24 hours,” Caldwell said. “And when it goes to the final vote, we are each supposed to get 10 minutes for discussion, and they completely block out all discussion.”
Republican minorities also failed to pass any of the amendments. In the case of HB 1309, where insurance companies cover the costs of transgender procedures regardless of age, Republicans have introduced an amendment excluding minors.
“Part of the coverage is genital surgical procedures, so hormonal therapy, facial reconstruction, then breast reduction and breast enhancement,” Caldwell said. “And now, your health care plan will pay a higher premium, in my opinion, to sexually cut off a child, the more likely it will cover the cost.”
SB25-183 and SB25-129 will head to the governor's desk for signature, while other House bills will now go to the Senate for consideration.
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President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Tuesday, February 25th, 2025 at his oval office in the White House in Washington. (AP photo)
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It's unlikely that Trump will target the Colorado Democrats.
Earlier this year, Trump signed several executive orders aimed at eliminating “radical gender ideology,” and after Janet Mills refused to refuse a ban on biological men competing in women's sports, he has already moved to cut down several federal funds in Maine. Mills filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday over the frozen funds.
In January, Trump signed “define women from gender ideological extremism and restore biological truth to the federal government.” This order prohibits “chemical and surgical amputations” in minors, including adolescent blockers, hormones such as estrogen and testosterone, and surgery for sexual changes. It also prohibits federal grant recipient agencies from providing such services, allowing healthcare providers to deny services based on their gender identity.
Trump has also signed an executive order requiring service members to serve according to their biological gender.
