The grim reality is that domestic violence is a driver in Colorado’s homicide rate. Tracking that violence to better understand it could lay groundwork for law enforcement and the rest of society to respond more effectively. It could even prevent more deaths.

That’s the premise of a bipartisan measure that unanimously passed the Senate this week, establishing a Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board. Its prime sponsor, state Senate Democratic Leader Lucia Guzman of Denver, says, “It’s about saving lives.”

The board to be created by Senate Bill 126, whose cosponsor in the upper chamber is Sen. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, would:

Citing a 10-year high in homicides in Colorado that “included a spike in domestic violence-related fatalities,” a Senate Democratic press release noted:

Currently, these are few places in Colorado that collect information regarding domestic violence cases, hence depriving law enforcement of data critical to prevention efforts.

…The bipartisan bill is supported by Attorney General Cynthia Coffman, whose office would appoint individuals to the board if established.

Guzman is quoted in the press release:

Colorado needs to be pursuing every avenue and using every piece of data possible to figure out how law enforcement can be best equipped to not only respond to instances of domestic violence quickly, but to prevent people from dying.

The bill was introduced in the House on Monday.