SB 17-126

Senate Bill 17-126 establishes a Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board in Colorado, aimed at collecting and analyzing data on domestic violence fatalities and near-fatal incidents. The board will work with local review teams across the state to gather information and make recommendations for improving communication between organizations and enhancing community responses to domestic violence. These findings are intended to help reduce domestic violence incidents and improve primary prevention strategies. The bill was signed into law, meaning its provisions are now in effect until September 1, 2022, when it will be reviewed before potentially being repealed.

Official Summary

The bill creates the Colorado domestic violence fatality review board (board) in the department of law (department). The review board includes the attorney general or his or her designee, who acts as chair, and at least 17 other members, to be appointed by the attorney general. The review board shall: Coordinate with local and regional domestic violence review teams (review teams) to collect data; Review and analyze the data; and Prepare recommendations for the general assembly. The board shall submit a written report of its recommendations to the health and human services and judiciary committees of the senate and the public health care and human services and judiciary committees of the house of representatives on or before December 1, 2018, and on or before December 1 each year thereafter through December 1, 2021. The report may include, but is not limited to the following: Recommendations for improving communication between public and private organizations and agencies; The number of domestic violence fatalities and near-death incidents that occurred in each county during the preceding year and the factors associated with each fatality; Recommendations for reducing the incidence of domestic violence in the state, and for improving responses to domestic violence incidents by the legal system and by communities; and Recommendations directed at primary prevention of domestic violence. A city, county, or district court may establish a review team to review fatal and near-fatal incidents of domestic violence, related domestic violence matters, and suicides related to domestic abuse. Each review team shall collect data and report it to their communities and to the review board. A local or regional child fatality prevention review team may operate as a domestic violence review team. The bill creates the Colorado domestic violence review board cash fund (fund) and authorizes the department and the review board to seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, and donations to the fund from private or public sources. The board is repealed, effective September 1, 2022. Before the repeal, the review board shall be reviewed by the department of regulatory agencies. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Votes