DENVER – The state Senate on Tuesday overwhelmingly backed a police accountability bill introduced amid protests over the death of George Floyd, sending it to the House for consideration.
Senators spoke at length about the compromises that went into the measure before approving it in a 32-1 vote. They also expressed their pain on the day Floyd was being buried in Houston as well as their support for police.
The bill, which was changed in response to some issues raised by law enforcement, would ban the use of chokeholds, end the qualified immunity defense that generally protects government workers from being sued and limit force being used to “only when all other means of apprehension are impractical given the circumstances.” All local and Colorado State Patrol officers who interact with the public would have to have body cameras by July 2023.
Democratic co-sponsor Sen. Rhonda Fields called the bill “something we can all be proud of.”
“We can come together to do what’s right for the people of Colorado,” she said.
Senate Minority Leader John Cooke, a former Weld County sheriff, said he thought the bill was originally a “punishment bill” but he credited its sponsors for listening to concerns from police and making amendments.
