Committee advances bill to increase protections for transit workers after operators’ testimonies

The House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee advanced House Bill 12-90 on a unanimous 11-0 vote, sending the measure to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation.

The bill, sponsored by Representative Linstadt and Representative Valdez, would create enhanced criminal penalties and make the Regional Transportation District (RTD) eligible for certain Prop 130 public-safety funds to support transit-worker safety and law enforcement resources. The committee adopted three sponsor-proposed amendments: (L1) adding Amtrak workers; (L2) inserting the word “reasonably” to align language with existing statutes; and (L4) a technical change to allow law-enforcement agencies to access Prop 130 funds through an eligible agency, per discussions with police chiefs.

Why it matters: Sponsors and union representatives said the bill responds to growing assaults and harassment that affect recruitment and retention of transit staff and the public perception of safety on mass transit. Opponents from the criminal-defense community said existing statutes already cover the conduct targeted by the bill and warned that new, victim-class–specific offenses can create redundant special crimes.

Discussion and testimony Representative Linstadt, the bill’s co-sponsor, said the measure grew from stakeholder work after last year’s RTD-related legislation and aims to protect operators and riders while avoiding overreach. Representative Valdez said her downtown-heavy district has the state’s largest ridership and called the measure a “meaningful step” to show operators the state supports their safety. Valdez cited that in the prior year there were 3,592 calls for assistance on RTD vehicles where an operator was present.

Several current and former transit workers described violent encounters on board and at stations. Philip Washington Jr., rail service delivery manager for RTD’s North Metro commuter line, said he manages about 70 employees and asked the committee to “support so that our dedicated Colorado transit workers and RTD transit police can know that the state has their back.” Deborah Johnson, general manager and CEO of the Regional Transportation District, told the committee RTD logged 496 incidents in 2024 that met the Federal Transit Administration’s definition of transit-worker assault and said the increase has hampered recruitment and retention.

Union and operator testimony emphasized threats, spitting and biohazard incidents. Dennis Hawkins, a light-rail operator and steward with Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1001, spoke about repeated verbal and physical assaults and asked lawmakers to pass the bill. Amanda Johnson, a light-rail operator, described a 2019 attack that required surgery and said operators sometimes wait multiple minutes for police to respond. Ronnie Champino and Lance Longenbond, ATU leaders, and Antonio Fisher, a representative from Amtrak/SMART Transportation Division, also urged passage.

Opposition and legal concerns James Karbach of the Office of the State Public Defender and Jessica Jones of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar opposed the bill’s Section 2, saying existing harassment and assault statutes (discussed at the hearing as harassment statute 18-9-111 and third-degree assault provisions) already criminalize spitting and similar conduct and that the bill would create a special-class offense for transit workers. Karbach explained legal doctrines that can cause overlapping charges to merge when based on the same act and said the bill risks creating duplicative offenses. Jones added that criminal penalties alone will not address underlying causes such as mental health or substance use and that expanding criminal statutes risks destabilizing people who then still rely on transit.

Operational context and agency response RTD officials described steps already being taken: increased policing and third-party security details, a Transit Watch app for reporting, live-looking cameras on bus fleets and plans to outfit light-rail vehicles, targeted deployments based on available data, and pilots of drug counselors and victim advocates. Johnson said RTD is expanding programs but that staffing levels limit how much can be done immediately; she also said RTD is conducting an executive recruitment for its police chief position and will involve the public when finalists emerge.

Amendments and committee action - L1 (includes Amtrak workers): described by Representative Linstadt as adding Amtrak employees to the bill’s protections; passed without objection. - L2 (insert “reasonably”): proposed after consultation with the defense bar to better align statutory language; passed. - L4 (Prop 130 eligibility technical fix): crafted with chiefs of police to enable RTD to access Prop 130 funds through an eligible law-enforcement agency; passed.

The committee voted to move House Bill 12-90 to the Committee of the Whole as amended, with Representative Valdez moving the motion. The committee recorded a unanimous vote reported as 11-0 in favor.

What the committee did not decide The committee did not adopt any amendments creating alternative-response programs or remove law-enforcement involvement. Multiple witnesses argued the bill is a partial step and said broader measures — more RTD staffing, better alternative-response services, improved shelters and mental-health treatment — are needed to address root causes of assaults.

Ending note With the committee’s favorable recommendation, House Bill 12-90 will next be considered by the Committee of the Whole. Sponsors and witnesses said they expect additional debate on the bill’s scope and implementation as it advances.