SENTENCES

FROM PAGE 4 the bill, an important aspect of the new legislation is that the sentence reduction is mandatory.

“DOC can’t say, ‘Well, they earned their degree but this, this and this,’” said Martinez, who is the former prison college program director at Adams State University. “It has to be accounted for, for early release.”

“Some other states have this in some way, shape or form, but this is by far the most overarching policy in the nation at the moment,” Martinez added, who cosponsored the bipartisan bill alongside State Rep. Rose Pugliese, a Colorado Springs Republican, and State Sen. Julie Gonzales, a Denver Democrat.

State lawmakers will receive an update in 2028 on how the new program is meeting its objectives, according to the law. Martinez hopes to commission the same reason the controls must be extended to commercial operators: eir gas machines are running all day, every day, and contribute more to the ozone problem.

Since the homeowner equipment ban is a sales restriction, not a ban on using existing gas equipment, a metro Denver buyer could in theory drive to Colorado Springs outside the nonattainment area and buy a traditional gas mower.

But, RAQC spokesperson David Sabados said, “we’re seeing retailers already transitioning to electric, so I don’t think there will be that many gas models that will be available in the greater region anyway.” is story is from e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support e Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com. e Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media. a study in the coming years to measure recidivism, employment rates and the wages a person receives once released.

Mishra hopes that better access to education for incarcerated students will lead to larger systemic changes within the criminal justice system. He hopes that those with violent felony convictions will also be given the opportunity to earn time o their sentences for obtaining college degrees.

“We need to punish for crimes because we live in a civilized society. But we don’t need to punish them so bad that we make them worse,” Mishra said. “ ey need to be given the tools to make themselves better, and then motivate them to do so. And that’s where education comes in.”

Freelance reporter Moe K. Clark wrote this story for e Colorado Trust, a philanthropic foundation that works on health equity issues statewide and also funds a reporting position at e Colorado Sun.