Safety Clauses

Those who are following the Legislature may be wondering about Rep. Douglas Bruce and his well-publicized and generally unsuccessful crusade against safety clauses. Bruce argues that many bills carry the clauses that are not necessary for the “immediate peace, health and safety” of Coloradans. So exactly what is a safety clause? Safety clauses move forward the date in which a new law takes effect. You can read about them, and why or why not the use of them is necessary or unnecessary in different situations, in a fact sheet prepared by the Office of Legislative Legal Services titled Use of Safety Clauses. Although the memo is written for members of the General Assembly, it provides helpful information for anyone wondering about the use of these clauses and why Bruce is taking them on.