Bleh Bleh Bleh

Gov. Jared Polis signed four bills into law on Monday designed to protect the rights of the LGBTQ+ community.

The bills included coverage for HIV/AIDS prevention medications, a new process for getting government documents for one’s gender identity, and a ban on gay panic or transgender panic defenses.

News5 took a closer look at SB20-221, which bans the use of a gay or transgender panic defense in the courtroom.

“The gay or transgender panic defense is when someone claims that they had a reasonable fear of a person because of their sexual orientation or gender, that made that person somehow predatory, or somehow a person who you should be afraid of. And so, they react with violence, they try to justify that violent reaction based on who the victim is, rather than their words or actions,” said Amanda Gall, a sexual assault resource prosecutor with the Colorado District Attorneys’ Council.

Some of the bill language states that these kinds of justifications for violent actions appeal to irrational fears and hatred. It goes on to say that legally sanctioned discrimination against sexual orientation or gender identity must end. Gall said the council substantially participated in the writing of this bill. She also said the 22 elected district attorneys are in support of the legislation.

“This bill is going to make it possible to have safer and healthier communities for all in Colorado. When somebody is targeted because of their sexual orientation or gender, we want to make sure that that victim has a fair day in court, and this bill is going to help us ensure that there aren’t biased arguments or bigoted arguments in our courtrooms here in Colorado,” said Gall.