Committee advances bill to reimburse enrolled tribal victims for traditional healing and ceremonial expenses

Representative Velasco urged the House Judiciary Committee to approve Senate Bill 12, saying the measure removes administrative barriers so tribal members can obtain compensation for ceremonial healing practices and associated travel. "We are removing a barrier for our tribal members to access compensation for ceremonies," Velasco said during the sponsor'statement.

The bill adds traditional Native healing practices and ceremonial burials to the list of compensable losses under the existing statewide victims compensation program. Matthew Lunn, director of the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice, told the committee the change fills a statutory gap that has produced inconsistent approvals at the local level. "The lack of explicit statutory clarity can create hesitation or inconsistency in approving these requests," Lunn said, adding that historically many programs have paid for these expenses but without uniform guidance.

Multiple tribal elders and advocates testified in support, describing the practical costs of culturally grounded ceremonies. "Ceremonies alone can cost thousands of dollars before we even get to the burial," said Teddy McCullough, an enrolled member of the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians. Monica Snowbird, representing Sweetgrass Advocacy and MMIR advocates, said the bill responds to survivors who were denied reimbursement under current practice: "We're just trying to codify the fact that tribal healing is valuable."

Committee members focused on drafting details and fiscal questions. Chelsea Princell of the Office of Legislative Legal Services explained the bill's structure and the committee's targeted limitation: "Subsection m is the only one in that list of the new items that we are adding that limits it to an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe," Princell said, and that subsection i deals specifically with travel expenses related to those services. Representative Espinosa moved a sponsor amendment (L003) to clarify the relationship between travel reimbursement and the tribal membership limitation; the amendment was adopted.

Sponsor and advocates emphasized the bill does not create a new fund or expand the victims compensation eligibility pool; it only clarifies which expenses are reimbursable for victims already eligible under existing law. Representative Velasco said the state's victim compensation program already pays an average of about $1,500 per claim and that the bill simply acknowledges culturally appropriate forms of healing.

After adopting L003 to clarify drafting, the committee moved SB 12 as amended to the committee of the whole with a favorable recommendation. The clerk recorded an 8 to 3 vote in committee. Supporters urged further consultation with the executive branch on implementation details; opponents warned of possible fiscal and scope effects and sought assurances on limiting the covered services to enrolled tribal members as drafted.

What happens next: SB 12 was reported to the committee of the whole for further consideration; sponsors said they will continue conversations with the governor's office and DCJ about implementation and administrative verification procedures.