Press conference opposing HB25-1312 at the State Capitol

Colorado Parents, Advocates, and Families to Host Press Conference Opposing HB25-1312 at State Capitol

Denver, CO — On Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at 10:30 AM on the West Steps of the Colorado State Capitol, the Colorado Parent Advocacy Network (CPAN) and Protect Kids Colorado (PKC) will host a press conference to announce the overwhelming response from Coloradans opposing HB25-1312, a bill that poses an unprecedented assault on parental rights, free speech, and child protection.

Lori Gimelshteyn, Executive Director of CPAN, and Erin Lee, Executive Director of PKC, will deliver brief remarks on the more than 28,000 signatures gathered in a grassroots, citizen-led petition against HB25- 1312. They will highlight the dangerous consequences of the bill, which redefines parenting as “coercive control” and allows the state to strip custody from parents who refuse to affirm gender transitions.

Standing alongside CPAN and PKC will be partner organizations who have united to defend children, families, and constitutional freedoms against this radical overreach.

In a powerful and exclusive moment, four courageous Colorado parents who have already lost custody or rights over their children due to gender-affirmation conflicts will share their personal testimonies — just hours before the Senate Judiciary Committee hears public testimony on the bill.

One Colorado father, who will speak at the press conference, shared:

"Today, because I objected to my 13-year-old son being placed on puberty blockers, the courts stripped me of my rights. I am forbidden to discuss critical issues with my own child. I am barred from advocating for his care. I was not abusive. I was not negligent. I simply refused to affirm a path that could sterilize and harm my son — and for that, the system silenced me. HB25-1312 will turn countless more families into battlegrounds. It will tear children away from loving parents — not because they've harmed their children, but because they dared to protect them.

HB25-1312, deceptively titled "Legal Protections for Transgender Individuals," endangers every family in Colorado by weaponizing custody courts, silencing free speech, criminalizing parental judgment, and even threatening the future of girls’ sports and small businesses.”

Members of the press are invited to attend.

For media inquiries or interview requests, please contact: [email protected]