A strong bipartisan majority of Colorado legislators came together during the 2017 legislative session to pass HB 1313 – Civil Forfeiture Reform.
The bill, which adds necessary transparency and due process protections to the asset forfeiture practices of Colorado law enforcement, passed out of both chambers by a combined 81-19 vote and is awaiting signature by Gov. John Hickenlooper.
As two of the bill's prime sponsors, Sen. Tim Neville (R-Littleton) and I support HB 1313 and urge the governor to respect the will of more than three-fourths of the Legislature by signing it into law.
Colorado's law enforcement can take cash and property from people without charging anyone with a crime – much less securing a conviction – when co-operating with the federal government on investigations.
Law enforcement agencies then get a cut of the proceeds – up to 80 percent – which they can spend in any way they please without a public process. This allows law enforcement agencies to self-fund outside the normal appropriations' process, which by and large is the job of the legislative branch whether it is in state or local governments. Read more…