'Personhood' amendment supporters to submit signatures next week

Supporters of a proposed state constitutional amendment that would define the definition of "personhood " to include a human embryo say they plan to present the Colorado Secretary of State's office next week with "well over" the required number signatures needed to put the issue on the fall ballot.

Colorado for Equal Rights, the group sponsoring the pro-life measure, will hold a press conference at a Knights of Columbus hall in downtown Denver early Tuesday afternoon about the proposed referendum; volunteers will then march the petition signatures to the Secretary of State's office, a press release stated.

The group needs at least 76,047 signatures to turn in by May 13, the release stated.

Coloradans would be the first in the nation to vote on a "personhood" amendment, though Montana is considering taking similar action. If approved, the amendment would likely lead to lawsuits challenging abortion, in vitro fertilization, embryonic-stem-cell research and some forms of birth control, according to the Wall Street Journal.