[JURIST] The Colorado Supreme Court [official website] on Tuesday approved [PDF text] the language of an anti-abortion group's proposed ballot initiative [PDF text] that would amend the Colorado constitution to define a fertilized egg as a "person" entitled to "inalienable rights, equality of justice, and due process of law" under the state constitution. The group, Colorado for Equal Rights for Human Life, must collect 76,000 signatures in six months in order to place the measure on the 2008 ballot. Critics argue that the measure is misleading [NARAL Colorado press release] as its supporters have said their goal is to outlaw abortion, which is not specifically mentioned in the language of the ballot initiative. Critical have also said the proposed changes could also regulate in-vitro fertilization, stem cell research, and birth control.

According to anti-abortion activists, similar ballot initiatives are under way in Montana, Georgia, Oregon, Michigan and South Carolina. AP has more.