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Issue record

Public safety

In short

Evans's House office wants criminals held accountable and police given the tools they need. Rutinel's campaign would fully fund local police, with federal money set aside for small-town and rural departments. Wood's campaign lists no public-safety position on the pages checked. The House passed Evans's counterfeit-pill bill, which is not law; Rutinel led 2026 state laws on fatal-crash toxicology reports and trafficking, and voted for a 2025 police-fund law he did not sponsor.

Campaign positions

What each campaign says.

Gabe Evans

Wants criminals held accountable and local police given the tools they need; cites Colorado's auto theft and fentanyl deaths.

Manny Rutinel

Would fully fund local police, with dedicated federal money for small-town and rural departments.

Dave Wood

No statement on public safety was found. His campaign site (home, bio and donate pages), the Libertarian Party of Colorado's candidate list and CPR's voter guide say nothing on this.

Evidence timeline

What the record shows.

  1. official action

    Gabe Evans: Matches stated record claim

    The House passed his bill, H.R. 8005, by voice vote on September 15, 2026, and it went to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

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    His office says his Stop Pills That Kill Act, aimed at counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine, passed the House. He is the sponsor of H.R. 8005. The House passed it by voice vote under suspension on September 15, 2026, and it went to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Limit: A voice vote records no individual votes. The bill is not law.

  2. official action

    Manny Rutinel: Matches stated record claim

    He led a 2026 law on toxicology reports after fatal crashes and co-sponsored two 2026 drunk-driving laws; MADD's backing is not checked.

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    In the October 7 debate he said groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving have backed him because of his legislation to prevent drunk driving. He is a House prime sponsor of HB26-1127, signed May 4, 2026, which has coroners report toxicology results for each person killed in a crash. He co-sponsored two other 2026 laws: HB26-1242, which brings an interlock-restricted license after a first drunk or drugged driving conviction from June 2027, and SB26-132, which has officers offer a voluntary breath test after a crash that kills or seriously injures someone. Limit: MADD's backing was not checked. The bill he led gathers crash data; the two he co-sponsored act on impaired drivers.

  3. official action

    Manny Rutinel: Matches stated record claim

    He and Republican Ryan Gonzalez were the House prime sponsors of a 2026 law letting local governments go beyond state rules for massage businesses to prevent trafficking.

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    In the October 7 debate he said he was the lead sponsor of a bill to prevent human trafficking, alongside a Republican co-sponsor. He and Republican Ryan Gonzalez are the House prime sponsors of HB26-1257, signed May 4, 2026. It lets local governments go beyond state rules for massage businesses, to deter illicit ones and prevent human trafficking. Limit: He did not name the bill. HB26-1257 is the trafficking bill he led, and it works through local rules for massage businesses.

  4. campaign position

    Manny Rutinel: record does not settle this

    Voters set the $350 million goal. He voted for the law creating the fund's current form, without sponsoring or cosponsoring it; other work for it was not fully reviewed.

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    His campaign says he championed a bipartisan effort to create a 350 million dollar fund to recruit, train and keep officers. Proposition 130, which voters approved in November 2024, calls for 350 million dollars more for local law enforcement. SB25-310 carried it out and created the fund in its current form; its sponsors were Senators Kirkmeyer and Bridges and Representatives Bird and Taggart, and Rutinel is not on its sponsor or cosponsor list. He voted yes when the House passed it 55 to 9 on May 5, 2025. Why there is no verdict: Championing an effort can mean work a sponsor list does not show. Whether he offered an amendment, spoke for the bill, or backed Proposition 130 before the 2024 vote has not been fully reviewed. Limit: Proposition 130 set the 350 million dollar goal. SB25-310 put the fund in its current form into law; he voted for it but is not a sponsor.

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Sources19 source records

How we use sources

  1. Public Safetyhttps://gabeevans.house.gov/issues/public-safety

    Office of Rep. Gabe Evans · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Issue page. Undated.

    official office record

    For: Gabe Evans: campaign position

  2. On the Issueshttps://www.mannyforcolorado.com/issues

    Manny Rutinel for Congress (campaign) · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Campaign issues page with a list of state bills he says he sponsored or cosponsored. Undated.

    candidate statement

    For: Manny Rutinel: campaign position; Manny Rutinel: record does not settle this

  3. Dave Wood for Colorado Congressional District 8https://davewood4colorado.com/

    Dave Wood for Congress (campaign) · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Campaign home page; paid for by Dave Wood For Congress. Links the Libertarian Party of Colorado. No social accounts are linked.

    candidate statement

    For: Dave Wood: campaign position

  4. Dave Wood biohttps://davewood4colorado.com/dave-wood-bio/

    Dave Wood for Congress (campaign) · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Campaign biography in his own words. Undated.

    candidate statement

    For: Dave Wood: campaign position

  5. Donate to Win this Novemberhttps://davewood4colorado.com/donate-to-win-this-november/

    Dave Wood for Congress (campaign) · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Gives only a mailing address for checks. The site's sitemap lists this page, the home page, the bio and a WordPress 'Hello World' placeholder post, and nothing else.

    candidate statement

    For: Dave Wood: campaign position

  6. 2026 Libertarian candidateshttps://lpcolorado.org/candidates-2/

    Libertarian Party of Colorado · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Lists 'Congressional District 8 – David Wood' with no positions.

    endorsement

    For: Dave Wood: campaign position

  7. 8th Congressional District voter guidehttps://www.cpr.org/2026/09/24/vg-2026-8th-congressional-district-voter-guide/

    Colorado Public Radio · Published Sep 24, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Names Wood as the Libertarian candidate in one sentence and quotes no position from him.

    original reporting

    For: Dave Wood: campaign position

  8. Congressman Gabe Evans' Stop Pills That Kill Act Passes Househttps://gabeevans.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gabe-evans-stop-pills-kill-act-passes-house

    Office of Rep. Gabe Evans · Published Sep 15, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Press release dated September 15, 2026.

    official office record

    For: Gabe Evans: Matches stated record claim

  9. H.R. 8005, Stop Pills That Kill Acthttps://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/8005

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sponsor: Rep. Evans. Passed the House by voice vote under suspension on September 15, 2026; referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

    official legislative record

    For: Gabe Evans: Matches stated record claim

  10. Berthoud Weekly Surveyor CD8 debate, October 7, 2026 (at 29:09)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOy67ykEoHc&t=1749s

    Berthoud Weekly Surveyor · Published Oct 8, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    The Surveyor's full video of the October 7 debate at Grace Place, Berthoud. Rutinel says groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving have backed him because of his legislation to prevent drunk driving. Described from YouTube's captions of the video, read on October 10, 2026; not quoted, because a second transcript to check the wording against was not available.

    candidate statement

    For: Manny Rutinel: Matches stated record claim

  11. House Bill 26-1127, Reporting After Fatal Car Crashhttps://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb26-1127.html

    Colorado General Assembly · Published May 4, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    Signed May 4, 2026. House prime sponsors Joseph and Rutinel. Coroners must report toxicology results for each person who dies after a motor vehicle crash.

    official legislative record

    For: Manny Rutinel: Matches stated record claim

  12. House Bill 26-1242, Interlock Device for Impaired Drivershttps://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb26-1242.html

    Colorado General Assembly · Published May 28, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    Signed May 28, 2026. Rutinel is a co-sponsor. From June 1, 2027, a first conviction for driving under the influence brings an interlock-restricted license.

    official legislative record

    For: Manny Rutinel: Matches stated record claim

  13. Senate Bill 26-132, Voluntary Alcohol Breath Testhttps://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb26-132.html

    Colorado General Assembly · Published Jun 4, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    Signed June 4, 2026. Rutinel is a House co-sponsor. After a crash that kills or seriously injures someone, officers must offer the driver a voluntary breath test, with some exceptions.

    official legislative record

    For: Manny Rutinel: Matches stated record claim

  14. Berthoud Weekly Surveyor CD8 debate, October 7, 2026 (at 33:21)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOy67ykEoHc&t=2001s

    Berthoud Weekly Surveyor · Published Oct 8, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    The Surveyor's full video of the October 7 debate at Grace Place, Berthoud. Rutinel says he was the lead sponsor of a bill to prevent human trafficking, alongside a Republican co-sponsor. Described from YouTube's captions of the video, read on October 10, 2026; not quoted, because a second transcript to check the wording against was not available.

    candidate statement

    For: Manny Rutinel: Matches stated record claim

  15. House Bill 26-1257, Local Regulation of Massage Facilitieshttps://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb26-1257.html

    Colorado General Assembly · Published May 4, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    Signed May 4, 2026. House prime sponsors Gonzalez and Rutinel; Senate prime sponsors Liston and Mullica. Lets local governments go beyond state rules for massage businesses, including to prevent human trafficking.

    official legislative record

    For: Manny Rutinel: Matches stated record claim

  16. Representative Ryan Gonzalezhttps://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/ryan-gonzalez

    Colorado General Assembly · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    Legislator page. Party: Republican.

    official legislative record

    For: Manny Rutinel: Matches stated record claim

  17. Senate Bill 25-310, signed act (document)

    Colorado General Assembly · Published Jun 2, 2025 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Signed June 2, 2025. Implements Proposition 130 and sets the $350 million total. Senate prime sponsors Kirkmeyer and Bridges, House prime sponsors Bird and Taggart; Rutinel is not on the sponsor or cosponsor list.

    official legislative record

    For: Manny Rutinel: record does not settle this

  18. SB25-310, Proposition 130 Implementation, bill pagehttps://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb25-310.html

    Colorado General Assembly · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Bill summary: voters approved Proposition 130 at the November 2024 election, requiring $350 million more for local law enforcement; the act creates the peace officer training and support fund. Sponsor list (prime, sponsor, co-sponsor) does not include Rutinel.

    official legislative record

    For: Manny Rutinel: record does not settle this

  19. SB25-310 House third reading votehttps://leg.colorado.gov/bill_votes/21667

    Colorado General Assembly · Published May 5, 2025 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    May 5, 2025, third reading of the bill, 55 yes, 9 no, 1 excused. Rutinel voted yes.

    official legislative record

    For: Manny Rutinel: record does not settle this