Ballot Initiative to Fund the Colorado Crime Victim Services and Behavioral Health and Crisis Response

Boulder County, Colo. — The District Attorney’s Office strongly supports the ballot measure to bolster crime victim services and behavioral health programs across Colorado.

Federal funding for victim services is expected to decrease by 40-50% in the coming year. Our office supported legislation for ongoing, sustainable funding for victims’ services. This ballot measure to the November 2024 statewide election will ask Colorado voters to approve an excise tax on the gross taxable retail sales of gun dealers, gun manufacturers, and ammunition vendors. The collected revenue will fund mental health services, including for at-risk youth and veterans, and support services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking and other violent crimes. This legislation is critical as it will ensure that crime victims continue to receive the help and resources they need.

The measure aims to sustain and expand essential services for crime victims and individuals in behavioral health crises by creating a new revenue stream through a reasonable excise tax. If approved by voters in the November election, HB24-1349 will be allocated as follows:

• $30 million to the Colorado Crime Victim Services Fund to provide grant funding for services such as: counseling, legal advocacy, and emergency hotel, utility, rental, and attorney expenses,
• $8 million to the Behavioral Health Administration to provide crisis resolution services to youth experiencing a behavioral health crisis, and to provide mental health services for veterans, and
• $1 million to support school safety.

District Attorney Michael Dougherty stated, “As District Attorney, I see the devastating impacts that crime can have on victims and their families. Without this funding, victim services will be drastically reduced. I urge voters to consider victim services when they vote in November.”