Saying the state has no business putting money into countries accused of genocide, Colorado lawmakers proposed a bill Monday that would bar most state investments in Sudanese companies after the U.S. accused the government there of genocide in Darfur.
House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, said the state can take action to stop further human-rights abuses in Sudan by passing legislation directing the Public Employees Retirement Association and other government investment managers to drop any investment that aids the Sudanese government.
Companies that are working with the government to provide humanitarian aid would be exempted.
“In January, we will ask our colleagues a simple question: Should Colorado invest in companies that do business with the Sudanese government? At some point this is no longer a political or financial question. It is a moral question. The answer must be no,” said Romanoff.
PERA spokeswoman Katie Kaufman said state pension fund officials are unaware of any investments in Sudan.
Ethnic violence has killed at least 200,000 people and turned 2.5 million people into refugees in the region since 2003.
