Newell Bills Protect Families and Strengthen Our Economy

Wednesday, June 30 2010

Sen. Newell’s Two Bills Go Into Effect July 1st

DENVER—This year, the members of the Colorado legislature tackled many issues, and in spite of the difficult budget situation, they accomplished a great deal for the people of the state. Senator Linda Newell (D-Littleton) sponsored legislation to protect Colorado families, streamline government, and support our economic recovery. Two of Sen. Newell’s bills go into effect Thursday, July 1, 2010.  

One bill, SB 80, ties up a loose end in the law to ensure law enforcement and the courts have the tools to protect people from domestic violence. It makes threatening, molesting, concealing, killing, or disposing of someone’s pet or animal a protective order violation. The bill was sponsored in the House by Representative Sara Gagliardi (D-Arvada).

Sen. Newell said, “Abusers and stalkers often follow a ‘pattern of crime over time’: damage property, injure or kill a pet, then attack their victim. This will close a gap in our law to provide law enforcement and the courts with another tool to prevent domestic violence and potentially save lives.”

Often, when abusers injure or kill their target’s animal, the perpetrator is only charged with animal cruelty, even though the crimes against humans often escalate. This change will allow law enforcement to establish documented patterns of behavior, and will also clarify the law for judges across the state.

Sen. Newell continued, “With this simple clarification, protective orders will be much stronger, and will do just what they are supposed to: protect victims and prevent domestic violence.”

Also going into effect July 1 is SB 158, sponsored in the House by Representative Joe Rice (D-Littleton), which will consolidate the Offices of Colorado Council for the Arts, Arts in Public Places and Film and Media Production into a Creative Industries Division within the Office of Economic Development & International Trade. This division will support Colorado’s numerous artistic industries and help make the industry more competitive and stronger nationwide. This change will help bring more companies to Colorado, stimulate job creation, and accelerate the growth in this already strong industry.  

 “We are already highly-ranked nationally in architecture and publishing,” said Sen. Newell.  “We need to continue to foster a business environment in which these fields can thrive and create jobs in Colorado. This will show that in Colorado, the arts mean business, revenue, tourism, and jobs.”