DENVER — On Monday, lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to advance a bill that would require law enforcement offer drivers a voluntary alcohol screening test when responding to scenes where someone has been seriously injured or killed in a crash.
Senate Bill 26-132, known as Magnus' Law, is a bipartisan proposal that honors the legacy of 17-year-old Magnus White, a decorated cyclist who was hit and killed by a driver while on a training ride in Boulder County in 2023.
The driver, Yeva Smilianska, was convicted of vehicular homicide and sentenced to four years in prison in 2025 after admitting to passing out behind the wheel.
Magnus' parents testified before the committee on Monday, telling lawmakers what happened to their son — and what did not happen at the crash scene.
“A car had left the roadway and traveled 300 feet into a field. There were no skid marks, and a 17-year-old boy was dead," said Michael White, Magnus' father. “The only person tested for drugs or alcohol that day was Magnus, the victim... No impairment test was given. No impairment test was offered. No one was required to ask. No one asked that.”
During Smilianska's trial, prosecutors pointed to video evidence that showed Smilianska drinking late into the night prior to the crash.
"One question at that spot where my son died could have brought the truth out immediately," Michael told the committee. "Too many things broke that day. Too many things failed Magnus that day. This bill is our way of fixing one of them. It's straightforward, bipartisan, constitutional and long overdue.”
State Sen. John Carson, R — District 30, is one of the sponsors of the legislation.
“This bill is based on the belief that if a driver has killed a person at the scene of a crash, we need to be absolutely certain that the driver was not intoxicated," Carson said. "You ask the driver if they're willing to take the test. It's optional. They have the choice."
Politics
Bill would change how Colorado law enforcement responds to serious crashes
Brian Reed testified alongside the Whites, telling his own story of being struck by a driver while riding his bicycle in Denver.
“We were in a designated bike lane. A car came into our lane and had stopped, and we had no choice but to run straight into it," Reed said. "I flew over the car. I landed underneath a parked car that was on the side of the road, and my son came bouncing over, laying next to me — screaming, terrified, in shock."
Following the crash, Reed was dependent on crutches for a handful of months.
Reed said he believed the driver was intoxicated at the time of the crash, but told Denver7 law enforcement did not administer an alcohol screening test.
“We were left with questions," Reed said, explaining why he supports the legislation.
According to a report from The White Line, the nonprofit founded by the Whites in the wake of Magnus' death, more than 80% of Coloradans are in favor of mandatory drug and alcohol testing after a serious crash.
There is no cost associated with the bill, which is notable in a year where lawmakers are staring down a multi-million dollar budget shortfall.
SB26-132 heads to the Committee of the Whole for consideration next.
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