JOINT RELEASE: Amabile, McCluskie to Lead Effort to Reform Bipartisan Competency Laws

DENVER, CO – Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, and Senator Judy Amabile, D-Boulder, today released the following statement on Colorado’s competency to proceed statute: 

“Making our communities safer is a top priority for Colorado Democrats, and we’ve passed many laws in recent years that have helped reduce crime. We will sponsor legislation to reform Colorado’s bipartisan competency to proceed laws and address the unintended consequences we are seeing. In doing so, we must also grapple with a broken mental health system and shortage of treatment options for people with severe mental illnesses that force jails to function as the state’s largest mental health provider. 

“Too often, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities or untreated mental illness are in jail not because it is the right place for them, but because there is nowhere else to go. We are committed to passing legislation that will improve public safety, protect Coloradans’ constitutional rights, and build a mental health system that works for all. We look forward to continuing our work with members of both parties, law enforcement, mental health providers and community leaders to craft this bill.”