Colorado
Colorado lawmakers speak out about bill aimed at saving lives, opens discussion around mental health
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) -11News is speaking with the legislators behind a new law that’s aimed at regulating the sale of a dangerous chemical that some people use to complete suicide. The bill was signed into law by Colorado Governor Jared Polis on Wednesday.
“The world is full of these kinds of things that are happening and we are not aware of them until it affects us as a individual,” said Representative Marc Catlin of District 58.
Representative Marc Catlin and Representative Judy Amabile worked together across party lines to bring attention to an extremely lethal chemical that can be bought online with little to no restrictions.
“It was brought to me by a constituent who lost his son. His son bought this product online, it was promoted through a suicide enabling website,” said Representative Judy Amabile of District 49.
The chemical, which we are purposely not naming, is typically used for preserving food like meats. According to the law’s text, from 2018 to 2023, more than 25 Coloradans died from ingesting it.
“It was disturbing to find. It just seemed like today is the day to do it and we did,” Representative Catlin.
The law puts restrictions on who can buy it. It also ensures it is properly labeled.
“It can only be sold to somebody, or an entity, who has a legitimate business purpose for it,” said Amabile.
“If it saves, just one person, it has been worth the effort,” said Catlin.
Both lawmakers tell 11News it’s just one small part of the broader conversation surrounding mental health.
“Families really just have to be looking out for one another. We have to try to get at the root causes of why people are turning to suicide and work on those things in a broader and deeper way,” said Amabile.
If found guilty of violating the law, a civil penalty of $10,000 will be issued and the amount can go up to no more than a $1,000,000 for every violation afterwards.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or in need of support, help is available right now. You can call 988 for free confidential support at any time.
Copyright 2024 KKTV. All rights reserved.
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MURRIETA, Calif. (KRDO) – A Bent County Deputy is in jail in California following an alleged fight with another Bent County Deputy.
The Bent County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) says that Deputy Ryan Sellin and another deputy were in California to extradite an inmate to Colorado.
The Murrieta Police Department (MPD) in California responded to a Marriott Courtyard Hotel just after Midnight on May 22. The call came in as battery/assault and when officers arrived they found two males in a “combat situation.”
MPD says that one deputy was transported to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. While neither party wished to press charges, due to the extent of injuries, police were required to investigate further. MPD says while investigating they discovered both parties were law enforcement officers.
According to MPD, Deputy Sellin was cooperative when arrested but booked on charges of Felony Battery with Serious Injuries.
Deputy Sellin is currently being held in the Southwest Detention Center on a $250,000 bail.
Sheriff Six with the BCSO confirms an internal investigation is underway but couldn’t say anything more at this time.
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The Colorado Air National Guard on Friday announced that they will be flying F-16s in formation over Colorado’s skies this weekend in honor of those who died in service to the country. The Memorial Day weekend flights will happen, as long as the weather cooperates, on Saturday and Monday.
140th Wing Commander U.S. Air Force Col. Jeremiah “Weed” Tucker said in a statement that the flyovers are “more than just a display of aerial precision, they are a solemn salute to our fallen heroes.”
“Each pass through the sky honors their bravery and reminds us of the high price paid for our freedom,” Tucker said.
The planes will depart on Saturday and on Monday from Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora.
Saturday’s flights will include planned flyovers at the Colorado Freedom Memorial in Aurora at 10 a.m. and at a time to be determined later at Silverton Town Park in Silverton on the Western Slope.
On Monday a much more elaborate set of flyover demonstrations is planned. The planes will fly from Northern Colorado down close to the southern border, to Grand Junction out west, through Grand County and then back to the Denver metro area. The final flyover will be at Folsom Field in Boulder for the Memorial Day tribute that’s held at the conclusion of the annual Bolder Boulder 10K race.
The exact schedule for Monday is as follows:
10:30 a.m. Linn Grove Cemetery in Greeley
10:35 a.m. Parker Cemetery in Parker
10:50 a.m. Veterans Memorial Park, Silver Cliff
11:00 a.m. Homelake Cemetery in Monte Vista
11:15 a.m. Western Colorado Veterans Cemetery in Grand Junction
11:35 a.m. Grand Lake Memorial Day Parade
11:40 a.m. Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver
11:50 a.m. Olinger Highland Cemetery in Thornton
12:07 p.m. Folsom Field at the University of Colorado Boulder
The planes will be F-16C Vipers, and in addition to being a powerful salute, they provide training for the Colorado Air National Guard’s pilots.
Visit co.ng.mil for updates on the flight plans.
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