h_phc_2017a_2017-04-25t13:34:29z1 Hearing Summary

Date: 04/25/2017

Location: HCR 0107

01:55 PM -- SB 17-126



Representative Hamner and Representative Willet, bill sponsors, presented Senate Bill 17-126 to the committee and distributed amendment L.007 (Attachment A). The reengrossed bill creates the Colorado Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board (board) in the Department of Law. The board is to be chaired by a designee of the Attorney General and shall include between 17 and 20 other members appointed by October 1, 2017. Members include representatives from the forensic, domestic violence, law enforcement, prosecutor, and judicial communities. Members serve without compensation, but may receive per diem and reimbursement for costs, subject to the availability of funds. The board is repealed as of September 1, 2022. The board is to convene its first meeting no later than November 1, 2017, and is charged with:



170425 AttachA.pdf170425 AttachB.pdf



• examining data collected by review teams during the preceding year;

• identifying measures to help prevent domestic violence fatalities and near-death incidents;

• establishing uniform methods for collecting, analyzing, and storing data relating to domestic violence fatalities and near-death incidents; and

• making annual reports and policy recommendations concerning domestic violence to the General Assembly on or before December 1, 2018, and each December 1 thereafter.



02:00 PM -- Jose Esquibel, Colorado Office of the Attorney General, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Esquibel responded to committee questions.



02:03 PM -- Scott Turner, Colorado Office of the Attorney General, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Turner responded to committee questions.



02:09 PM -- Margaret Abrams, Rose Andom Center, testified in support of the bill.



02:14 PM -- Rita Cotter, Family Tree and Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence, testified in support of the bill.



02:17 PM -- Shanna Mae Petersen, Denver Metro Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Petersen responded to committee questions.



02:23 PM -- Sterling Harris, Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Harris responded to committee questions.



02:27 PM -- Jennifer Anderson, Colorado Office of the Attorney General, read the testimony of Jenn Doe, representing herself, in support of the bill.



02:31 PM



Representative Hamner explained amendment L.007 (Attachment A) to the committee.

02:33 PM



Representatives Willet and Hamner gave concluding remarks on the bill.