Brittany Pettersen in CO legislative records

On Crime: Expunge arrest records based on mistaken identity

A court shall expunge the arrest and criminal records information of a person who was arrested as a result of mistaken identity, and who did not have charges filed against him or her, within ninety days of an investigation that finds that a person was arrested as a result of mistaken identity and no charges were filed. The law enforcement agency that made the arrest shall petition the district court, in the judicial district where the person was arrested, for an expungement order for the arrest and criminal records information made as a result of the mistaken identity, at no cost to the person arrested.

Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 3/31/2016; State Rep. Brittany Pettersen voted YES; Gov Hickenlooper signed 6/10/2016

On Civil Rights: Voted YES on authorizing same-sex civil unions

• Defines "civil union" as a legal relationship between 2 individuals, who are at least 18 years of age, that provides rights, benefits, and responsibilities comparable to spouses including, but not limited to, the laws regarding private property inheritance; adoption; medical care decisions; life insurance coverage; and public assistance benefits.
• Prohibits religious officials from being required to certify civil unions.
• Authorizes legal relationships that are substantially similar to civil unions, which were validly entered into in another state, to be considered as a civil union in Colorado.
• Authorizes a partner in a civil union to be considered a dependent, including designation as a dependent for insurance purposes, effective January 1, 2014.

On Abortion: YES on penalties for violent offenses against pregnant women

On Crime: Voted YES on requiring all convicts to submit DNA

• Requires an individual convicted of a Class 1 misdemeanor on or after July 1, 2013 to submit and pay for the collection and chemical testing of a sample of his or her own DNA.
• Authorizes an individual to submit a written request to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation for expungement of the DNA sample if his or her misdemeanor conviction is overturned on a post-conviction appeal.
• Requires the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to send notification stating either that the Bureau destroyed the DNA sample test results or why the results have not been destroyed following a written request for expungement.
• Prohibits a DNA sample from being admitted as evidence against an individual in a criminal prosecution and used as a basis to identify an individual if the DNA sample was supposed to be expunged or obtained after the required date of expungement.

On Government Reform: Voted NO on same-day voter registration

The intent of this act is to remove barriers to participation in the electoral process by making both voting and voter registration more convenient and accessible. Therefore, all eligible citizens who want to exercise their right to vote should have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote by being able to register to vote up to and on election day.

The general assembly declares that the peoples' self-government through the electoral process is more legitimate and better accepted when voter participation increases. By implementing this act, the general assembly hereby concludes that it is appropriate to expand the use of mail ballot elections as a means to increase voter participation. (State Rep. Brittany Pettersen voted YES)

On Drugs: Voted YES on regulating retail marijuana

The bill:
• creates the regulatory framework for retail marijuana
• deposits all of the application & licensing fees and sales, use, and special marijuana sales taxes from retail marijuana into a cash fund
• sets the application fees for applicants who are current medical marijuana licensees at $500 and at $5,000 for new applicants.
• allows an existing medical marijuana licensee the opportunity to apply for a retail marijuana license
• places a 3-month moratorium on retail marijuana license applications from individuals who are not currently licensed for medical marijuana.
• The following businesses must be licensed to operate a retail marijuana business: retail marijuana stores, retail marijuana products manufacturers, retail marijuana cultivation facilities, and marijuana testing facilities.
• The bill allows the state license to be conditioned on the local jurisdiction's approval.

On Environment: Require real-time emissions monitoring of air toxics

Legislative Summary: House Bill 21-1189, passed by state legislators last year, required polluters like Suncor to conduct real-time, "fenceline" emissions monitoring and establish emergency notification systems to alert nearby communities of potentially hazardous incidents. [OTI notes: Suncor is the state's only oil and gas refinery. "Fenceline" monitoring means monitoring technology at the perimeter of the refinery, to measure the air concentration of pollutants.]

Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 21-14-0 on Jun/2/21; State Sen. Brittany Pettersen voted YES; passed House 41-24-0 on Jun/8/21; Signed by Governor Jared Polis on Jun/24/21

On Drugs: Allow changing marijuana designation from retail to medical

Legislative Summary: The bill allows a medical marijuana cultivation facility licensee to receive and change marijuana's designation from retail to medical and a marijuana products manufacturer licensee to receive and change a marijuana product from retail to medical. The bill clarifies that a transfer and change of designation of the marijuana from retail to medical does not create a right to a refund of a retail marijuana excise tax imposed or paid prior to the transfer and change of designation.

Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 26-9-0 on Jun/4/21; passed House 48-17-0 on Jun/8/21; State Sen. Brittany Pettersen voted YES; Signed by Governor Jared Polis on Jun/23/21

On Crime: Restrict use of solitary confinement in local jails

Legislative Summary: House Bill 21-1211 seeks to significantly restrict the use of solitary confinement in jails for those with mental health diagnoses or neurocognitive impairments, juveniles, people who are pregnant or in the postpartum period, or people who have intellectual or developmental disabilities.

Legislative Outcome: Passed House 40-25-0 on Apr/12/21; State Sen. Brittany Pettersen voted YES; passed Senate 21-14-0 on May/13/21; Signed by Governor Jared Polis on Jun/24/21