Magnus’s law makes Colorado safer by design: My remarks at the signing of SB26-132

Here are remarks I gave at the Governor’s bill signing of SB26-132—”Magnus’ Law'“—on June 6, 2026:

Representative Junie Joseph asked me to share a few words on her behalf. She regrets she could not be here because she is abroad on a previously scheduled human rights mission. 

She asked me to convey her deep gratitude to Michael and Jill White for their courage, persistence, and partnership in helping make Magnus’s Law a reality.

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Traffic violence is one of the most important unsolved crises and injustices of the last century. In Colorado, over 700 people die on our roads every year.

We know the solutions – they are about policies that create safety by design.

Design to meaningfully protect vulnerable road users under the law.

Design to make dangerous driving have consequences.

Design so we collectively understand and feel that getting behind the wheel creates grave responsibility.

Michael and Jill White: Colorado and our community in Boulder owes you a debt for your courage and your work to turn Magnus’ tragedy into a safer and better world.

Magnus’s Law is simple. When a driver is involved in a crash that kills or seriously injures someone, an officer must offer a voluntary breath test at the scene. That creates a crucial record to protect victims and create accountability.

And it gives us more information to do better. Information that matters because we know a lot of fatal crashes involve an impaired driver—estimates are about 30% nationwide. And for crashes that kill pedestrians and cyclists, the share is higher.

But those numbers are estimates, because right now only about 1 in 3 drivers in fatal crashes have a known blood alcohol content on record. So we are making life and death decisions about road safety based on incomplete information

Magnus’ Law changes that.

This bill passed the Senate 33 to 0. It passed the House 62 to 1. Thank you to the prime sponsors: Senators Dylan Roberts and JoAnn Carson, and Repres`entatives Junie Joseph and Matt Soper. You crossed lines that usually divide us and you got it done.

Magnus was ours. He trained on our roads, he raced for our community, and he was killed on a road that Boulder cyclists ride every week. Magnus’ law makes every road in Colorado safer. And in Boulder, we will ride on in with Magnus.