Committee Approves Bill to Bolster Protection for Victims of Domestic Violence

DENVER, CO – The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced bipartisan legislation to enact evidence-based screening and additional protective measures for victims of domestic violence.

HB26-1009, sponsored by Senator Katie Wallace, D-Longmont, would require lethality assessments to be conducted when law enforcement responds to domestic violence incidents. 

“This bill ensures law enforcement takes extra care to identify those at highest risk of death or serious injury by domestic violence and connects them with resources that can save their life,” said Wallace. “I spent six years working in domestic violence prevention and intervention. Lethality assessments are an evidence-based tool that can prevent the worst outcomes before it’s too late.”

Also sponsored by Senator Byron Pelton, R-Sterling, the bill would require police officers responding to a domestic violence case to conduct a lethality assessment and include the results in their report unless the victim is unavailable, not present, or incapacitated. This assessment is an evidence-based screening tool that helps identify the likelihood of serious injuries or death, including questions about whether the abuser has a history of abuse and if the abuser has ever threatened to use or has used a weapon to harm them. If the findings from the lethality assessment indicate that the survivor is at high risk of harm, law enforcement would immediately reach out to a community-based victim advocate and offer the victim an opportunity to speak with them.

The bill would also require mandatory training for peace officers to learn how to administer the lethality assessment and provide victim referrals. The training must be available by June 1, 2027 and all peace officers must complete the training by July 1, 2027.

HB26-1009 now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee for further consideration. Track its progress HERE.