COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers today called upon Governor Polis to veto the fentanyl billed passed by the legislature and call a special session to pass a bill that adequately addresses the problem.
“The bill that the Colorado legislature passed is wholly inadequate to address this critical problem that is resulting in the death of far too many Coloradans,” Suthers said. “In placing upon prosecutors the burden to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant knew the substance they possessed was fentanyl, the legislature, in almost every instance, is protecting the defendant from felony prosecution. The stark reality remains that someone in Colorado can possess enough fentanyl to kill hundreds of people and avoid serious consequences by merely asserting they didn’t know it was fentanyl. The Democrat majorities in the legislature have thus far shown themselves wholly incapable of adequately dealing with this public health crisis. I hope the governor will attempt to rectify the situation and I hope the voters of Colorado recognize this as the failure of leadership that it is.”