Date: 04/02/2015

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB15-1291

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Adopt amendment L.003 (Attachment E). The motion p
Adopt amendment L.004 (Attachment F). The motion p
Refer House Bill 15-1291, as amended, to the Commi		Pass Without Objection
Pass Without Objection
PASS



07:47 PM -- HB15-1291

Representative Melton, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 15-1291. The bill prohibits a peace officer from using a choke hold, defined as wrapping an arm around or gripping the neck in a manner that limits or cuts off either the flow of air by compressing the windpipe or the flow of blood through the carotid arteries on each side of the neck. Violations are punishable as a class 1 misdemeanor.

Representative Melton distributed amendment L.001 (Attachment D). The committee discussed the amendment.

15HouseJud0402AttachD.pdf15HouseJud0402AttachD.pdf

07:52 PM -- Chief Dwight Henninger, representing the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police, spoke in favor of the bill with the adoption of amendment L.001. Chief Henninger discussed the infrequent use of a choke hold. He responded to questions from the committee.

07:59 PM -- Pastor Leo Garcia, representing Ambassadors for Christ Ministries, spoke in favor of the bill. Pastor Garcia discussed his son's experience with choke holds.

08:02 PM -- Mr. Jason Warf, representing the Southern Colorado Cannabis Council, spoke in favor of the bill. Mr. Warf provided statistics about deaths and serious injuries related to police use of choke hold.

08:05 PM -- Mr. Alex Landau, representing himself, spoke in favor of the bill. Mr. Landau discussed the dangers of the use of choke holds.

08:07 PM -- Ms. Laura Altobelli, representing the Southern Colorado Cannabis Council, spoke in favor of the bill.

08:12 PM -- Brother Jeff Fard, representing Brother Jeff's Cultural Center, spoke in favor of the bill. Brother Jeff discussed different types of choke holds.

08:14 PM -- Ms. Julie Gonzales, representing the Colorado Latino Forum, spoke in favor of the bill with amendments. Ms. Gonzales expressed her opinion that officers who use choke holds illegally should be prosecuted.

08:16 PM -- Mr. Tom Raynes, representing the Colorado District Attorneys' Council, suggested an amendment to page 2, line 5, of the printed bill, after "chokehold" insert "to another person".

08:18 PM -- Sheriff Jim Crone, representing the County Sheriffs of Colorado, spoke in favor of the bill with the adoption of amendments. Sheriff Crone objected to taking a tool out of the law enforcement toolbox. He stated that choke holds are used infrequently and are very effective. He expressed his opinion that death cannot result from compression of the carotid artery.
BILL:HB15-1291
TIME: 08:22:26 PM
MOVED:Court
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.003 (Attachment E). The motion passed without objection.
15HouseJud0402AttachE.pdf15HouseJud0402AttachE.pdf
SECONDED:Lawrence
VOTE
Buckner
Carver
Court
Dore
Foote
Lawrence
Lundeen
Pettersen
Salazar
Van Winkle
Willett
Lee
Kagan
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:HB15-1291
TIME: 08:24:58 PM
MOVED:Kagan
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.004 (Attachment F). The motion passed without objection.
15HouseJud0402AttachF.pdf15HouseJud0402AttachF.pdf
SECONDED:Lee
VOTE
Buckner
Carver
Court
Dore
Foote
Lawrence
Lundeen
Pettersen
Salazar
Van Winkle
Willett
Lee
Kagan
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:HB15-1291
TIME: 08:26:24 PM
MOVED:Court
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1291, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 11-0, with 2 excused.
SECONDED:Salazar
VOTE
Buckner
Yes
Carver
Excused
Court
Yes
Dore
Yes
Foote
Yes
Lawrence
Yes
Lundeen
Yes
Pettersen
Yes
Salazar
Yes
Van Winkle
Yes
Willett
Excused
Lee
Yes
Kagan
Yes
Final YES: 11 NO: 0 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS