Colorado Voters Eliminate Bail for Individuals Accused of First-Degree Murder

November 7, 2024 TruthUSA

Approximately 70 percent of voters, based on current tallies, support the removal of the right to bail for individuals charged with first-degree murder.

A constitutional amendment in the state of Colorado that eliminates the possibility of bail for those accused of first-degree murder has been approved.

During the November 5 election in Colorado, about 70 percent of voters, as per the latest count, favored Amendment I, which revokes bail for individuals charged with first-degree murder.

In 2020, Colorado’s state legislature abolished the death penalty. In June 2023, during the trial of People v. Smith, the court ruled that since the death penalty was eliminated, there was no basis for treating crimes as capital offenses for bail purposes.

Other Matters

According to Colorado’s election results page, there were a total of 13 issues on the ballot, out of which eight, including Amendment I, were passed, two failed, and four are still pending results.

An exemption on property taxes for military veterans with full disability, up to 50 percent on the first $200,000 of their home’s value, was approved with 73 percent in favor.

The establishment of an independent board to investigate judicial misconduct also received 73 percent approval.

The alteration of the constitutional definition of marriage to a union between one man and one woman was also supported by 64 percent of voters.

An amendment guaranteeing the right to abortion in the state Constitution and lifting the restriction on government funding for the procedure also passed, with 62 percent of voters in approval.

The state can now retain a larger portion of tax revenue exceeding a previously approved $29 million limit, with 76 percent in favor after the proposal’s adoption.

A tax on firearms, imposing a 6.5 percent state tax on firearms, parts, and ammunition, also received approval, with 54 percent supporting the measure. The revenue generated from the tax will go towards services for crime victims, mental health, and school security.

The final proposition to pass concerned parole eligibility. About 62 percent of voters agreed that individuals convicted of certain violent crimes should serve a minimum of 85 percent of their prison term before becoming eligible for parole.

A ban on the hunting or trapping of big cats, such as lynx and mountain lions, was one of the two propositions that failed, with 55 percent voting against it.

The other proposition regarding ranked-choice voting was also unsuccessful.

An amendment to alter the state Constitution in order to move deadlines for referendum petitions a week earlier and another allowing school choice for K-12 children are still awaiting results.

Two propositions, one to establish a mid-level position between veterinarians and veterinary technicians, and another to approve $350 million for increases in local law enforcement pay and a $1 million death benefit for officers killed in the line of duty, are also too close to call.

Colorado has over 4 million active voters, and the election results page shows that more than 2.6 million voters participated in the November 5 election.

Source link