Thank You For Supporting Our Work This Legislative Session!
With the 2024 legislative session now behind us, we thank you for your tireless advocacy and support. Although we faced some setbacks and challenges with the Child Sexual Abuse Accountability Amendment (SCR24-001), which ultimately died in the Senate, we made significant strides. We brought a collective force of advocates and allies to the Capitol for our first advocacy day with Violence Free Colorado since 2018. We also passed three of our priority bills and secured state funding for victim services. We could not have done it without you!
SB24-011, Online-Facilitated Misconduct & Remote Tracking
Sponsored by: Senators Winter and Cutter, Representatives Duran and Willford
CCASA drafted SB11 in response to a rising number of cases where technology has been used to facilitate sexual violence. This bill provides Coloradans greater protections and increases accountability for dating apps, electronic tracking devices, and sexual deep fakes. It passed thanks to our incredible partner organizations, youth advocates, and the brave survivors who supported it!
HB24-1420, Transfer to Colorado Crime Victim Services Fund
Sponsored by: Representatives Bird and Taggart, Senators Zenzinger and Kirkmeyer
With the significant cuts to federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grants in recent years, funding for victim services was a critical area of our advocacy. HB 1420 transfers $4 million from the general fund to the Colorado Crime Victim Services Fund, adding to an initial $2 million in the budget bill and marking the second year Colorado has allocated General Fund dollars to victim services. While far from what is needed, this tight budget year forced the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) to make tough decisions. We appreciate the dedication and advocacy of House Majority Leader Monica Duran, the Coalition for Sustainable Victim Services Funding (CSVSF), and all our members who made this happen.
HB24-1349, Firearms & Ammunition Excise Tax
Sponsored by: Representatives Duran and Froelich, Senators Hansen and Buckner
In addition to one-time funding, CCASA, Violence Free Colorado, and COVA created Colorado Supports Crime Victim Services to spearhead a long-term solution to the VOCA funding crisis. Along with more than 100 member programs, allies, and survivors, we strongly advocated for HB 1349. This bill refers a measure to the November 2024 ballot asking voters to fund crime victims’ services, mental health services for veterans and at-risk youth, and school safety by enacting a 6.5% excise tax on the retail sales of all guns, gun precursor parts, and ammunition sold in the state. We will soon start a campaign effort to educate voters about the need for sustainable victim service funding and invite you to join our efforts at the link above.
HB24-1122, Protection Orders for Victims of Crimes
Sponsored by: Representatives Duran and Pugliese, Senators Roberts and Winter
In partnership with Violence Free Colorado and member programs, we passed HB 1122 to reduce barriers for survivors seeking a civil protection order. This bill improves survivor safety by updating language to better recognize the range and pattern of behaviors in sexual and domestic violence, removing the harmful “imminent danger” standard, and modifying processes to make civil protection orders more accessible for survivors.
CCASA also strongly supported:
- HB24-1072 – Protection of Victims of Sexual Offenses, Sponsored by: Representatives Bird and Frizell, Senators Kirkmeyer and Fields. Led by the District Attorney’s Council and signed into law on Denim Day (April 24th), HB-1072 expands privacy protections for survivors in criminal cases by restricting or limiting evidence about a victim’s clothing or hairstyle, past sexual conduct with the defendant, and history of “false reports.” CCASA, member programs, and a Survivor Task Force (STF) member provided testimony to highlight the need for this critical legislation.
- HB24-1431 – Stable Housing for Survivors of Abuse Program, Sponsored by: Representatives Lukens and Armagost, Senators Winter and Michaelson Jenet. HB-1431 creates a new program to provide housing support to low-income survivors with children by leveraging existing resources through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
- HB24-1130 – Privacy of Biometric Identifiers & Data, Sponsored by: Representatives Daugherty and Lynch, Senators Lundeen and Hansen. Championed by our partners at the ACLU of Colorado, HB-1130 amends the Colorado Privacy Act to add protections for a person’s biometric data—including facial maps, fingerprints, and geolocation. The bill prevents corporations from collecting, storing, and selling sensitive biometric data without users’ knowledge or consent. This protects survivors from the risk of discrimination, stalking, retaliation, and intimate image abuse.
- SB24-117 – Eating Disorder Treatment & Recovery Program, Sponsored by: Senators Cutter and Winter, Representative deGruy Kennedy. SB-117, spearheaded by our partners at Mental Health Colorado, requires standards and a trauma-informed treatment framework for eating disorder treatment facilities. This bill was inspired by patients who shared harrowing experiences of being forced to remove all clothing during weigh-ins, go the bathroom with a staff member present, and be restrained as a form of punishment. Recognizing the direct connection between disordered eating and sexual trauma, CCASA was proud to support this bill that will reduce re-traumatization and ensure patients are treated with dignity and respect on their journey to recovery.