Compensation for Colorado’s Wrongly Convicted Passes House

People wrongly convicted of crimes would eligible for compensation from the state under a bill passed in the Colorado House with near unanimous support.

The bill passed the House on a 60-2 vote Tuesday and now heads to the Senate.

The bill would allow exonerated former prisoners or their survivors up to $70,000 for every year wrongly spent behind bars for a felony conviction. The person would have to be proved innocent, not cleared on legal technicalities or appeals.

The measure also would give the wrongly convicted health insurance, a tuition waiver at state universities and back payments for legal fees and fines.

At least 27 states and the federal government have similar laws.