By Joanna Putman
EMS1
DENVER, Colo. — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill on April 4 that prohibits law enforcement, first responders and coroners from using the term “excited delirium” in official documents, CBS Colorado reported.
The legislation specifically bars training programs for law enforcement personnel, EMS providers and other first responders from incorporating the term “excited delirium,” according to the report. An exception is made for EMS provider training, where the term can be discussed in the context of its historical use.
The bill also mandates that peace officers cannot use “excited delirium” to describe an individual’s condition in incident reports. Coroners or any authorized individuals responsible for determining causes of death are forbidden from listing “excited delirium” as a cause of death on death certificates, according to the report.
This move makes Colorado the second state, following California, to ban the term, which has been criticized for lacking a valid medical or psychiatric basis, according to a report by Physicians for Human Rights.