2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 24 - GOVERNMENT - STATE (§§ 24-1-101 — 24-116-102) › PRINCIPAL DEPARTMENTS (§§ 24-30-101 — 24-36-306) › Article 33.5 - Public Safety (§§ 24-33.5-101 — 24-33.5-2704) › Part 18 - SCHOOL SAFETY RESOURCE CENTER (§§ 24-33.5-1801 — 24-33.5-1811) › Section 24-33.5-1801 - Legislative declaration

(1)
The general assembly hereby finds that:
(a)
A safe and healthy learning environment for all students in Colorado is an important priority for the state;
(b)
Research into evidence-based practices continues to demonstrate that academic achievement improves as the level of safety and security in a school increases;
(c)
Studies of recent school attacks have established that school violence may be prevented with appropriate information sharing;
(d)
Suicide, which remains one of the leading causes of death for Colorado's youth, may also be prevented with appropriate intervention;
(e)
Both the physical and psychological well-being of students and school personnel is critically important; and
(f)
Improving student engagement, including reducing dropout rates and truancy levels, is an important factor for ensuring that schools are safe and successful.
(2)
The general assembly further finds that:
(a)
The most appropriate way to prevent and prepare for acts of violence and other emergencies that may occur on school campuses is to foster a cooperative effort by schools, school resource officers, law enforcement agencies, emergency responders, behavioral health experts, parents, and community members to identify, gather, and apply the necessary resources; and
(b)
Emergency response and crisis management measures should be implemented in all communities within the state to protect students and school personnel.
(2.5)
The general assembly further finds and declares that:
(a)
Human trafficking is a matter of statewide concern and has a direct impact on local communities, law enforcement agencies, and organizations that provide services to human trafficking survivors;
(b)
Although training resources are available on the front range, many areas of the state have limited training resources pertaining to human trafficking that are easily available or accessible;
(c)
Labor and sex trafficking can happen in any community. All areas of the state should have access to training to help identify human trafficking and provide critical services to human trafficking survivors.
(d)
Traffickers target and recruit children in schools in Colorado. It is essential to increase awareness of school staff, parents and guardians, and students of the dangers of human trafficking. To assist schools, parents, and children, the Colorado school safety resource center shall annually update and disseminate a list of available human trafficking curricula to schools, including some that are free of charge.
(e)
The Colorado human trafficking council has developed a curriculum and train-the-trainer program for law enforcement; and
(f)
The council was also charged with developing a curriculum and train-the-trainer program for entities that provide services to human trafficking survivors. The curriculum and training programs may supplement the excellent anti-trafficking work being done by advocacy and service organizations across the state.
(3)
Now, therefore, the general assembly declares that:
(a)
Safe schools are a matter of statewide concern;
(b)
All schools have common needs and goals to ensure a safe environment;
(c)
Resources are needed to fully develop safety plans and practices in Colorado's schools, colleges, and universities;
(d)
A school safety resource center dedicated to providing evidence-based practices and expertise to all schools is a cost-effective means to improve school safety;
(e)
Law enforcement agencies, organizations that provide services to human trafficking survivors, and local communities would benefit from additional training opportunities related to human trafficking;
(f)
The division of criminal justice and the Colorado human trafficking council are well placed to develop human trafficking curricula and to help provide training in this critical area; and
(g)
The Colorado school safety resource center is committed to continuing to make available human trafficking educational resources to schools, parents, and children.
Amended by 2019 Ch. 404,§ 2, eff. 8/2/2019.
Amended by 2013 Ch. 253,§ 5, eff. 5/23/2013.
L. 2008: Entire part added, p. 727, § 1, effective May 13. L. 2013: (2)(a) amended, (SB 13-138), ch. 1343, p. 1343, § 5, effective May 23. L. 2019: (2.5), (3)(e), (3)(f), and (3)(g) added and (3)(c) amended, (HB 19-1051), ch. 3576, p. 3576, § 2, effective August 2.
For the legislative declaration in the 2013 act amending subsection (2)(a), see section 1 of chapter 253, Session Laws of Colorado 2013.