The emergency contraception law, vetoed by Gov. Bill Owens, is history for this legislative session. The Democrats, even with their new majority in the Colorado legislature, failed to get the necessary votes to override it.

The vote to override was 35-30, well short of the 44 votes needed. The bill had passed the House on a 44-20 vote, but some Republicans who voted for the bill voted against the override.

The bill would have required hospitals, including Catholic institutions, to inform rape victims they have the right to emergency contraception. Democrats said Owens was trying to give First Amendment rights to institutions that have no right to freedom of religion.