Bans On Police Chokeholds, Profiling Advance In State House

DENVER (AP) — Colorado's House has advanced four bills designed to increase public confidence in the police.

Passing by unanimous voice vote on Wednesday is a bill to ban police use of chokeholds, except in circumstances threatening the safety of police or bystanders.

Another is a ban on police profiling based on race, sexual orientation, socio-economic status and other factors.

A third allows police agencies, when making hiring decisions, to seek normally-confidential personnel records from other departments. It's designed to prevent the hiring of officers who engaged in misconduct in previous jobs.

The fourth makes it easier to expunge arrest records in cases that don't result in conviction.

The bills go to the Senate after a procedural House vote.

Legislators last year created a grant program to increase police use of body cameras.

(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)