Senate Approves Pair of Bills to Improve Public Safety

Legislation will reduce crime, create safer communities across Colorado

DENVER, CO – The Senate today approved a pair of bills aimed at reducing crime and improving public safety across Colorado.

HB22-1003, sponsored by Senator James Coleman, D-Denver, and Senator Nick Hinrichsen, D-Pueblo, would establish the Delinquency Prevention and Young Offender Intervention Pilot Grant Program to help keep kids out of the juvenile justice system.

The program would award two-year grants to local governments, Native American Tribes, and nonprofit organizations to fund projects that reduce crime, violence and delinquency among youth. Preference will be given to projects that demonstrate a community-based response involving collaboration with multiple agencies to reduce crime.

“Part of preventing crime and creating safer communities means investing in effective intervention and prevention programs to help stop criminal activity from happening in the first place,” Coleman said. “By investing in our communities, we can keep more youth out of the juvenile justice system and build a safer Colorado for all.”

“As we continue to move Pueblo and Colorado forward, we’re committed to making investments that reduce crime and improve public safety,” Hinrichsen said. “This bill will help local governments support our youth and reduce recidivism rates in our communities, which will ultimately give young people the support and resources they need and create safer communities across the board.” 

The Senate also passed HB22-1234, sponsored by Senator Robert Rodriguez, D-Denver, which creates a grant program to prevent identity-based violence. The grants will help build strong communities and prevent acts of violence that target a specific population of people, and build awareness to prevent these types of crime from happening in the first place. 

The bill allows law enforcement to develop strategies needed to solve serious crimes that have widespread ramifications on a community’s sense of safety, including projects to strengthen local collaboration and capabilities to prevent and intervene in identity-based violence.

"We’ve seen a growing number of threats and violence targeted at specific communities across our state, and it must come to an end,” Rodriguez said. “This bill will give communities, nonprofits, and law enforcement the tools they need to prevent these types of crimes, and help ensure that everyone feels safe and secure in their community.”

Both HB22-1234 and HB22-1003 will now move to the Governor for final consideration. Track HB22-1234’s progress HERE, and HB22-1003’s progress HERE.