House Advances Improvements to Judiciary Training in Assault, Domestic Violence Cases

DENVER, CO - The House today advanced a bipartisan bill to identify improvements in trainings for judicial personnel so they can better understand the complex issues that victims of crimes like sexual assault and domestic violence face.

“As a survivor myself, I know how distressing it can be to seek accountability through the justice system as a victim of domestic violence,” said Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge. “Judges, attorneys, and other judicial personnel often don’t have a firsthand understanding of the complicated emotions and dynamics that victims of crimes like domestic violence and sexual assault experience. One of my major focuses as a legislator is to create safer outcomes for victims while they seek justice from their aggressor, and this legislation gives us the tools to do that.”

HB23-1108, which passed by a vote of 56-8, creates a task force to examine current victim and survivor awareness and responsiveness trainings within the Office for Victims Programs. The task force would report their findings and make recommendations on how to improve trainings for judicial personnel to better serve victims and survivors of crimes including sexual assault, harassment, and domestic violence. The task force would be required to submit a report including findings and recommendations to the House and Senate Judiciary committees by November 1, 2023.