Colorado Proposition 130, Law Enforcement Funding Initiative (2024)

Colorado Proposition 130
Election date November 5, 2024
Topic Law enforcement
Status a Approved
Type State statute	Origin Citizens

Colorado Proposition 130, the Law Enforcement Funding Initiative, was on the ballot in Colorado as an initiated state statute on November 5, 2024. The ballot measure was approved.

A "yes" vote supported creating the Peace Officer Training and Support Fund to provide funding for law enforcement training, retention, and hiring; training surrounding the use of force; and death benefits for surviving spouses and children of officers or first responders killed in the line of duty.

A "no" vote opposed creating the Peace Officer Training and Support Fund to provide funding for law enforcement training, retention, and hiring; training surrounding the use of force; and death benefits for surviving spouses and children of officers or first responders killed in the line of duty.

Election results

Colorado Proposition 130
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		1,583,118	52.79%
No		1,415,528	47.21%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Overview

What did Colorado Proposition 130 do?

See also: Text of measure

This initiative created the Peace Officer Training and Support Fund to provide additional supplemental funding for law enforcement.

Under the initiative, the Colorado State Legislature was required to appropriate $350 million to the Peace Officer Training and Support Fund. The funds were set to be used as grants to law enforcement agencies for the following purposes:

• increasing salaries for police officers, sheriffs, and other law enforcement officials;
• providing a one-time hiring, retention, or merit bonus to attract, maintain, or reward exceptional law enforcement officials;
• hiring additional police or law enforcement officials to address specific geographic areas or types of criminal activity such as gang activity, drug cartels, human trafficking, stolen vehicles, and drug trafficking at the state's borders and along the state's highways; and
• funding initial and continuing education for law enforcement officials including use of force training, restraint and non-lethal force training, physical fitness training or enhancement, post-secondary education advancement in criminal justice or other related areas of study, and other programs that contribute to training and re-training of law enforcement.

The initiative created a death benefit of $1 million for the surviving spouse, children, or estate of a peace officer killed in the line of duty. The state was required to appropriate death benefit funds to the Peace Officer Training and Support Fund as needed for the benefit.

The legislative council staff estimated that the legislature would need to provide $4 million per year for the death benefit.

What did supporters and opponents say about the measure?

See also: Support and Opposition

The initiative was sponsored by Advance Colorado, a conservative policy advocacy organization that describes itself as "an idea incubator, generating new, common sense solutions to many of our state’s biggest challenges, including limited government, taxation, education, crime and public safety, and mental health." Advance Colorado also sponsored Proposition 128, which would increase the time requirements for individuals convicted of certain violent crimes before becoming eligible for parole. Advance Colorado said, "Colorado is in the middle of a violent crime and property crime surge. Violent crime is at a 25-year high and has grown 28% in the last decade alone." Michael Fields, president of Advance Colorado, said, "Families and communities across Colorado say that crime and illegal drug trafficking are among their biggest concerns. That’s why the ‘Back The Blue’ initiative will require a much-needed investment to ensure that we can fight back against criminals with highly trained and equipped and well-compensated men and women across the state."

Coloradans for Smart Justice registered as a committee to oppose Proposition 130. The American Civil Liberties Union donated $51,355 to the campaign. Sophia Mayott-Guerrero, interim director of advocacy and strategic alliances at the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado, said, "[Proposition 130] is designed to waste taxpayer money while masquerading as a ballot measure for public safety. This measure will direct additional money away from critical community programs such as education, social services, and healthcare, that are proven ways to increase community safety and does not include any financial support for diversion, mental health resources, or other, more effective public safety programs."

Were there any similar measures on the ballot in 2024?

See also: Arizona Proposition 311 (2024)

Arizona Proposition 311, which was referred to the 2024 ballot by the Arizona State Legislature, was designed to establish a $20 penalty fee for each criminal conviction in the state of Arizona. The fees were designed to go to a newly created state supplemental benefit fund. Under Proposition 311, a surviving spouse or children of a first responder would receive a benefit of $250,000 from the fund if the first responder is killed in the line of duty.

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for the initiative was as follows:

“

Shall there be a change to the Colorado Revised Statutes concerning state funding for peace officer training and support, and, in connection therewith, directing the legislature to appropriate 350 million dollars to the peace officer training and support fund for municipal and county law enforcement agencies to hire and retain peace officers; allowing the fund to be used for pay, bonuses, initial and continuing education and training, and a death benefit for a peace officer, police, fire and first responder killed in the line of duty; and requiring the funding to supplement existing appropriations?

”

Full text

The full text of the measure can be read below.

Readability score

See also: Ballot measure readability scores, 2024

Using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) formulas, Ballotpedia scored the readability of the ballot title for this measure. Readability scores are designed to indicate the reading difficulty of text. The Flesch-Kincaid formulas account for the number of words, syllables, and sentences in a text; they do not account for the difficulty of the ideas in the text. The state board wrote the ballot language for this measure.

The FKGL for the ballot title is grade level 24, and the FRE is 8. The word count for the ballot title is 93.

Support

Supporters

Officials

• Gov. Jared Polis (D)

Organizations

• Advance Colorado Institute
• Independence Institute

Individuals

• Michael Fields (R) - President of Advance Colorado and sponsor of the initiative

Arguments

• Michael Fields of Advance Colorado: "Families and communities across Colorado say that crime and illegal drug trafficking are among their biggest concerns. That’s why the ‘Back The Blue’ initiative will require a much-needed investment to ensure that we can fight back against criminals with highly trained and equipped and well-compensated men and women across the state."
• Paul Pazen, former chief of the Denver Police Department and Fellow at the Common Sense Institute: "I would point to the Gallup surveys that say communities of color — 81% of African American communities — say they don't want less police in their neighborhoods. Eighty-two percent of Latino communities indicated they don't want less police. People — regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation — want to be safe. And fewer police officers in communities certainly isn’t going to contribute to safer communities."
• Advance Colorado: "Colorado is in the middle of a violent crime and property crime surge. Violent crime is at a 25-year high and has grown 28% in the last decade alone. Rising crime is a statewide problem which disproportionately impacts communities of color and low income communities. Conservatives seek to provide excellent training for our law enforcement officers, work to retain more officers, push down the crime rate, and bring safety to our neighborhoods. ... Experienced officers continue to hang up their badges in communities across Colorado because policymakers have made officers and their families liable for mistakes and they’ve failed to provide funds for necessary training."

Opposition

Opponents

Officials

• State Rep. Emily Sirota (D)

Political Parties

• Green Party of Colorado

Organizations

• American Civil Liberties Union

Arguments

• Sophia Mayott-Guerrero, interim director of advocacy and strategic alliances at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Colorado: "[Proposition 130] is designed to waste taxpayer money while masquerading as a ballot measure for public safety. This measure will direct additional money away from critical community programs such as education, social services, and healthcare, that are proven ways to increase community safety and does not include any financial support for diversion, mental health resources, or other, more effective public safety programs."

Media editorials

See also: 2024 ballot measure media endorsements

Support

• Colorado Springs Gazette and Denver Gazette Editorial Board: "It establishes the Peace Officer Training and Support Fund to provide funding for law enforcement training, retention, and hiring across the state. The fund also will pay a death benefit of $1 million to the surviving spouse, children or estate of any peace officer killed in the line of duty. Now more than ever, Colorado’s law enforcement agencies need this boost in their crime fight — in a state battered by a crime wave."

Opposition

You can share campaign information or arguments, along with source links for this information, at editor@ballotpedia.org.

Campaign finance

See also: Campaign finance requirements for Colorado ballot measures

The campaign finance information on this page reflects the most recent scheduled reports that Ballotpedia has processed, which covered through December 5, 2024.

Ballotpedia did not locate any committees registered to support the initiative.

Coloradans for Smart Justice registered as a political action committee (PAC) to oppose the parole eligibility initiative and the police funding initiative.

	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Support	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
Oppose	$101,000.00	$2,933.25	$103,933.25	$100,314.60	$103,247.85
Total	$101,000.00	$2,933.25	$103,933.25	$100,314.60	$103,247.85

Support

Ballotpedia did not locate any committees registered to support the initiative.

Opposition

The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committee in opposition to the initiative.

Committees in opposition to Proposition 130
Committee	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Coloradans for Smart Justice	$101,000.00	$2,933.25	$103,933.25	$100,314.60	$103,247.85
Total	$101,000.00	$2,933.25	$103,933.25	$100,314.60	$103,247.85

Donors

The following were the top donors to the opposition committee.

Donor	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions
American Civil Liberties Union	$50,000.00	$2,033.00	$52,033.00
Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition	$50,000.00	$0.00	$50,000.00

Methodology

To read Ballotpedia's methodology for covering ballot measure campaign finance information, click here.

Background

Survivor benefits for law enforcement officers in Colorado

Spouses and children of law enforcement officers receive survivor benefits through the Fire and Police Pension Association (FPPA), which provides at least 70% of a fallen officer's base salary if the officer is killed in the line of duty. Additionally, some local law enforcement agencies provide their own death or disability benefits. State law enforcement officers have death benefits through the Public Employees' Retirement Association.

Arizona Proposition 311 (2024)

Arizona Proposition 311, which was referred to the 2024 ballot by the Arizona State Legislature, was designed to establish a $20 penalty fee for each criminal conviction in the state of Arizona. The fees were designed to go to a newly created state supplemental benefit fund. Under Proposition 311, a surviving spouse or children of a first responder would receive a benefit of $250,000 from the fund if the first responder is killed in the line of duty.

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing the initiative process in Colorado

The state process

In Colorado, the number of signatures required to qualify an initiated state statute for the ballot is equal to 5 percent of the total number of votes cast for the office of Colorado secretary of state in the preceding general election. State law provides that petitioners have six months to collect signatures after the ballot language and title are finalized. State statutes require a completed signature petition to be filed three months and three weeks before the election at which the measure would appear on the ballot. The Constitution, however, states that the petition must be filed three months before the election at which the measure would appear. The secretary of state generally lists a date that is three months before the election as the filing deadline.

The requirements to get an initiated state statute certified for the 2024 ballot:

• Signatures: 124,238 valid signatures
• Deadline: August 5, 2024

The secretary of state is responsible for signature verification. Verification is conducted through a review of petitions regarding correct form and then a 5 percent random sampling verification. If the sampling projects between 90 percent and 110 percent of required valid signatures, a full check of all signatures is required. If the sampling projects more than 110 percent of the required signatures, the initiative is certified. If less than 90 percent, the initiative fails.

Details about this initiative

• The initiative was filed by Suzanne Taheri and Michael Fields. It was approved for signature gathering on March 4, 2024, with petitions due by August 5, 2024.
• On July 31, 2024, sponsors submitted 185,889 signatures.
• The Colorado Secretary of State announced on August 29, 2024, that the measure had qualified for the November ballot.

Signature gathering cost

See also: Ballot measures cost per required signatures analysis

Sponsors of the measure hired Blitz Canvassing to collect signatures for the petition to qualify this measure for the ballot. A total of $1,450,510.00 was spent to collect the 124,238 valid signatures required to put this measure before voters, resulting in a total cost per required signature (CPRS) of $11.68.

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Colorado

See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in Colorado.

How to vote in Colorado

Poll times

In Colorado, polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time for those who choose to vote in person rather than by mail. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.

Registration

Check your voter registration status here.

In Colorado, an individual can pre-register to vote if they are at least 15 years old. Voters must be at least 18 years old to vote in any election. A voter must be a citizen of the United States and have established residence in Colorado to vote.

Colorado voters can register to vote through Election Day. However, in order to automatically receive a absentee/mail-in ballot, a voter must register online, through the mail, at a voter registration agency, or driver's license examination facility at least eight days prior to Election Day. A voter that registers through a voter registration drive must submit their application no later than 22 days before the election to automatically receive an absentee/mail-in ballot. A voter can register online or submit a form in person or by fax, email, or mail.

Automatic registration

See also: Automatic voter registration

Colorado automatically registers eligible individuals to vote through the Department of Motor Vehicles and certain other state agencies.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Colorado has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

See also: Same-day voter registration

Colorado allows same-day voter registration for individuals who vote in person.

Residency requirements

Colorado law requires 22 days of residency in the state before a person may vote.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Colorado does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The site Go Vote Colorado, run by the Colorado Secretary of State office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

Colorado requires voters to present non-photo identification when voting in person. If voting by mail for the first, a voter may also need to return a photocopy of his or her identification with their mail-in ballot. Click here for more information.

The following list of accepted forms of identification was current as of October 2025. Click here for the most current information, sourced directly from the Office of the Colorado Secretary of State.

“

The following documents are acceptable forms of identification: A valid Colorado driver’s license or valid identification card issued by the Colorado Department of Revenue. (Note: documents issued to not lawfully present and temporarily lawfully present individuals under Part 5 of Article 2 of Title 42, C.R.S. are not acceptable forms of identification.) A valid U.S. passport. A valid employee identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. government or of Colorado, or by any county, municipality, board, authority, or other political subdivision of Colorado. A valid pilot’s license issued by the federal aviation administration or other authorized agency of the U.S. A valid U.S. military identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector. A copy of a current (within the last 60 days) utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the elector. A Certificate of Degree of Indian or Alaskan Native Blood. A valid Medicare or Medicaid card issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. A certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate for the elector. Certified documentation of naturalization. A valid student identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector issued by an institute of higher education in Colorado, as defined in section 23-3.1-102(5), C.R.S.. A valid veteran identification card issued by the U.S. department of veterans affairs veterans health administration with a photograph of the eligible elector. A valid identification card issued by a federally recognized tribal government certifying tribal membership. Any form of identification listed above that shows your address must show a Colorado address to qualify as an acceptable form of identification. The following documents are also considered acceptable forms of identification for voting: Verification that a voter is a resident of a group residential facility, as defined in section 1-1-104(18.5), C.R.S. Verification that a voter is a person committed to the department of human services and confined and eligible to register and vote shall be considered sufficient identification of such person for the purposes of section 1-2-210.5, C.R.S. Written correspondence from the county sheriff or his or her designee to the county clerk indicating that a voter is confined in a county jail or detention facility.

”

• Note: SB 1, signed into law on May 12, 2025, specified that tribal IDs issued by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Indian Health Service, or another federal agency were also valid identification.

See also

2024 measures

• 2024 ballot measures
• Law enforcement on the ballot
• 2024 petition deadlines

Colorado

• Colorado ballot measures
• Colorado initiative laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls
• Ballot measure signature costs

External links

• Colorado Secretary of State Initiative Filings
• Full text