A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning transit worker safety.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.)
The bill creates a specific criminal offense related to assault of a transit worker. The bill also adds regional transportation district transit police officers to the list of law enforcement officials who can access the peace officer training and support fund.
Page 1, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 1SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 18-3-201, amend the introductory portion; and add (4) as follows:
Page 2, Line 218-3-201. Definitions. As used in
sections 18-3-201Page 2, Line 3and sections 18-3-202 to 18-3-204, unless the context otherwise requires:
Page 2, Line 4(4) "Transit worker" means a bus operator, train
Page 2, Line 5operator, ticket inspector, conductor, station customer
Page 2, Line 6assistant, or a person whose official duties include the
Page 2, Line 7maintenance, repair, inspection, troubleshooting, testing, or
Page 2, Line 8cleaning of buses, trains, or facilities of a mass transportation
Page 2, Line 9system, as defined in section 32-9-103, or a commuter rail agency,
Page 2, Line 10authority, or company, public or private, whose operation is
Page 2, Line 11authorized by the state, whether the person is employed by a political subdivision or a private entity.
Page 2, Line 12SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 18-3-204, amend (1)(b); and add (1)(c) and (1)(d) as follows:
Page 2, Line 1318-3-204. Assault in the third degree. (1) A person commits the crime of assault in the third degree if:
Page 2, Line 14(b) The person, with intent to harass, annoy, threaten, or alarm
Page 2, Line 15another person whom the actor knows or reasonably should know to be
Page 2, Line 16a peace officer, a firefighter, an emergency medical care provider, or an
Page 2, Line 17emergency medical service provider, causes the other person to come into
Page 2, Line 18contact with blood, seminal fluid, urine, feces, saliva, mucus, vomit, or
Page 2, Line 19toxic, caustic, or hazardous material by any means, including throwing, tossing, or expelling the fluid or material; or
Page 2, Line 20(c) With intent to harass, annoy, threaten, or alarm
Page 2, Line 21another person whom the person knows or reasonably should
Page 3, Line 1know to be a transit worker, the person causes the transit
Page 3, Line 2worker to come into contact with blood, seminal fluid, urine,
Page 3, Line 3feces, saliva, mucus, vomit, or toxic, caustic, or hazardous
Page 3, Line 4material by any means, including throwing, tossing, or expelling
Page 3, Line 5the fluid or material. Incidental contact by a transit worker
Page 3, Line 6with a fluid or material for the purposes of cleaning, as a result
Page 3, Line 7of public indecency as described in section 18-7-301, is not assault in the third degree as described in this subsection (1)(c).
Page 3, Line 8(d) With intent to prevent one whom the person knows, or
Page 3, Line 9reasonably should know, to be a transit worker from
Page 3, Line 10performing a lawful duty, the person recklessly causes bodily injury to the transit worker.
Page 3, Line 11SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 24-33.5-538 as follows:
Page 3, Line 1224-33.5-538. Appropriation. The
General AssemblyPage 3, Line 13assembly shall appropriate $350 million to the peace officer training and support fund for the purpose of:
Page 3, Line 14(1) Granting funds to law enforcement agencies in municipalities and counties for operating money to:
Page 3, Line 15(a) Increase annual pay for police, sheriff, and other law
Page 3, Line 16enforcement officials, including regional transportation district transit police officers;
Page 3, Line 17(b) Provide one-time hiring, retention, or merit bonuses to attract,
Page 3, Line 18maintain, or reward exceptional law enforcement officials, including regional transportation district transit police officers;
Page 3, Line 19(c) Hire additional police or law enforcement officials, including
Page 3, Line 20regional transportation district transit police officers, to
Page 4, Line 1address specific geographic areas or specific types of criminal activity,
Page 4, Line 2including gang activity, drug cartels, human trafficking, stolen vehicle
Page 4, Line 3units, and drug interdiction at the state's borders and along the state's interstate highways;
Page 4, Line 4(d) Initial and continuing education for law enforcement,
Page 4, Line 5including regional transportation district transit police
Page 4, Line 6officers, including use of force training, restraint and non-lethal force
Page 4, Line 7training, physical fitness training or enhancement, post-secondary
Page 4, Line 8education advancement in criminal justice or other related areas of study,
Page 4, Line 9and other programs and disciplines that contribute to a comprehensive
Page 4, Line 10training and retraining of law enforcement officials in the state of Colorado; and
Page 4, Line 11(e) Money from the general fund as may be needed to pay the
Page 4, Line 12surviving spouse or children or estate of police, including regional
Page 4, Line 13transportation district transit police officers, and fire or other first responders killed in the line of duty.
Page 4, Line 14(2) An eligible law enforcement agency may grant funds
Page 4, Line 15received from the peace officer training and support fund to the
Page 4, Line 16regional transportation district, as described in article 9 of
Page 4, Line 17title 32, for the purposes described in subsection (1) of this section.
Page 4, Line 18SECTION 4. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act
Page 4, Line 19takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the
Page 4, Line 20ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except
Page 4, Line 21that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V
Page 4, Line 22of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this
Page 4, Line 23act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take
Page 5, Line 1effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in
Page 5, Line 2November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.