House Bill 25-1290 Preamended

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.

• This Unofficial Version Includes Committee

• Amendments Not Yet Adopted on Second Reading

• Page 1, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:

• Page 2, Line 1 SECTION 1.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 18-9-101, add (3) as follows:

• Page 2, Line 218-9-101.  Definitions. As used in this part 1, unless the context otherwise requires:

• Page 2, Line 3(3)  "Transit worker" means a bus operator, train

• Page 2, Line 4operator, ticket inspector, conductor, station customer

• Page 2, Line 5assistant, or a person whose official duties include the

• Page 2, Line 6maintenance, repair, inspection, troubleshooting, testing, or

• Page 2, Line 7cleaning of buses, trains, or facilities of a mass transportation

• Page 2, Line 8system, as defined in section 32-9-103, or a commuter rail agency,

• Page 2, Line 9authority, or company, public or private, whose operation is

• Page 2, Line 10authorized by the state, whether the person is employed by a political subdivision or a private entity.

• Page 2, Line 11SECTION 2.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 18-9-111, amend (1) introductory portion, (1)(h), and (2)(a); and add (1)(i) as follows:

• Page 2, Line 1218-9-111.  Harassment - Kiana Arellano's Law. (1)  A person

• Page 2, Line 13commits harassment if, with intent to harass, annoy, or alarm another person, he or she the person:

• Page 2, Line 14(h)  Repeatedly insults, taunts, challenges, or makes

• Page 2, Line 15communications in offensively coarse language to another in a manner likely to provoke a violent or disorderly response; or

• Page 2, Line 16(i)  Wrongfully interferes with a transit worker performing a lawful duty.

• Page 2, Line 17(2) (a)  A person who violates subsection (1)(a), or (1)(c), or (1)(i)

• Page 2, Line 18of this section or violates any provision of subsection (1) of this section

• Page 2, Line 19with the intent to intimidate or harass another person, in whole or in part,

• Page 2, Line 20because of that person's actual or perceived race; color; religion; ancestry;

• Page 3, Line 1national origin; physical or mental disability, as defined in section

• Page 3, Line 218-9-121; sexual orientation, as defined in section 18-9-121; or transgender identity commits a class 1 misdemeanor.

• Page 3, Line 3SECTION 3.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-4.1-302, add (1)(cc.2) as follows:

• Page 3, Line 424-4.1-302.  Definitions. As used in this part 3, and for no other purpose, including the expansion of the rights of any defendant:

• Page 3, Line 5(1)  "Crime" means any of the following offenses, acts, and

• Page 3, Line 6violations as defined by the statutes of the state of Colorado, whether committed by an adult or a juvenile:

• Page 3, Line 7(cc.2)  Harassment in violation of section 18-9-111 (1)(i);

• Page 3, Line 8SECTION 4.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 32-9-160, amend (1) as follows:

• Page 3, Line 932-9-160.  Misdemeanors. (1)  Any person who wrongfully

• Page 3, Line 10damages, injures, or destroys, or in any manner impairs the usefulness of

• Page 3, Line 11any facility, property, structure, improvement, equipment, or other

• Page 3, Line 12property of the district acquired under the provisions of this article 9, or

• Page 3, Line 13who wrongfully interferes with any officer, agent, or employee of the

• Page 3, Line 14district in the proper discharge of the officer's, agent's, or employee's duties, commits a class 2 misdemeanor.

• Page 3, Line 15SECTION 5.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 24-33.5-538 as follows:

• Page 3, Line 1624-33.5-538.  Appropriation. The General Assembly general

• Page 3, Line 17assembly shall appropriate $350 million to the peace officer training and support fund for the purpose of:

• Page 3, Line 18(1)  Granting funds to law enforcement agencies in municipalities

• Page 3, Line 19and counties for operating money to:

• Page 4, Line 1(a)  Increase annual pay for police, sheriff, and other law

• Page 4, Line 2enforcement officials, including regional transportation district transit police officers;

• Page 4, Line 3(b)  Provide one-time hiring, retention, or merit bonuses to attract,

• Page 4, Line 4maintain, or reward exceptional law enforcement officials, including regional transportation district transit police officers;

• Page 4, Line 5(c)  Hire additional police or law enforcement officials, including

• Page 4, Line 6regional transportation district transit police officers, to

• Page 4, Line 7address specific geographic areas or specific types of criminal activity,

• Page 4, Line 8including gang activity, drug cartels, human trafficking, stolen vehicle

• Page 4, Line 9units, and drug interdiction at the state's borders and along the state's interstate highways;

• Page 4, Line 10(d)  Initial and continuing education for law enforcement,

• Page 4, Line 11including regional transportation district transit police

• Page 4, Line 12officers, including use of force training, restraint and non-lethal force

• Page 4, Line 13training, physical fitness training or enhancement, post-secondary

• Page 4, Line 14education advancement in criminal justice or other related areas of study,

• Page 4, Line 15and other programs and disciplines that contribute to a comprehensive

• Page 4, Line 16training and retraining of law enforcement officials in the state of Colorado; and

• Page 4, Line 17(e)  Money from the general fund as may be needed to pay the

• Page 4, Line 18surviving spouse or children or estate of police, including regional

• Page 4, Line 19transportation district transit police officers, and fire or other first responders killed in the line of duty.

• Page 4, Line 20(2)  An eligible law enforcement agency may grant funds

• Page 4, Line 21received from the peace officer training and support fund to the

• Page 4, Line 22regional transportation district, as described in article 9 of

• Page 5, Line 1title 32, for the purposes described in subsection (1) of this section.

• Page 5, Line 2SECTION 6.  Act subject to petition - effective date. This act

• Page 5, Line 3takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the

• Page 5, Line 4ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except

• Page 5, Line 5that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V

• Page 5, Line 6of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this

• Page 5, Line 7act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take

• Page 5, Line 8effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in

• Page 5, Line 9November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.