County leaders celebrate successful legislative initiative to reduce human trafficking in Colorado

Pictured: Barbara Bird, from silenced to saved; Lillian Higgs, Douglas County Youth Commissioner; Douglas County Youth Commissioner Katherine Whitmore; Douglas County Commissioner Lora Thomas; John Kellner, 18th Judicial District Attorney; Douglas County Commissioner Abe Laydon; Casey Brown, Douglas County Prosecutor's Office; Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly; Jeff Garcia, Douglas County Prosecutor

Did you know that your Douglas County Commissioners represent your interests and those of your community at the state level? This year, in partnership with Rep. Anthony Hartsook, Rep. Brandi Bradley, and Rep. Lisa Frizell, on the 18th^th The Judicial District Attorney's Office and the Douglas County Sheriff have worked to change state law to prevent human trafficking.

During the 2024 Colorado General Assembly legislative session, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners initiated HB24-1371 require owners, operators or employees of massage establishments to pass a national criminal background check as part of the business licensing process.

In the interest of public safety, the Commission initially took local measures in April 2023 with a prescription requiring similar background checks in unincorporated Douglas County. Now this approach is required statewide.

“As lead commissioner for several years on this very real public safety initiative involving activity that actually and statistically harms young people, I was pleased to see my proposal supported by the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Commissioners county all over the state, the state. the legislature and the governor,” said Commissioner Abe Laydon. “We still have work to do with our nonprofits next session, but this is an important victory in our collective war against human trafficking. »

Throughout the session, the Douglas County Youth Commission learned about the county legislative process and learned how local governments influence state law.

The law project, More uniform regulation of local massage facilitieswas signed into law by Governor Jared Polis on June 6.