In a state shaken by tragic shootings, Colorado lawmakers advanced a measure to allow victims and relatives of school violence to sue the state for financial damages in what critics called a dramatic shift in policy.

The state Senate gave preliminary approval to the bill Tuesday after naming it in honor of Claire Davis, the 17-year-old senior shot and killed by a classmate at Arapahoe High School in 2013.

Senate President Bill Cadman, the lead sponsor, made the legislation one his top priorities and fought attempts to soften the measure.

“What is our goal with this bill? Moving our schools in the direction that provides increased safety for our kids with increased peace of mind for parents,” the Colorado Springs Republican said.

Backed by top House Democrats, the legislation — Senate Bill 213 — establishes a duty of “reasonable care” that makes school officials responsible for safety and allows for an exemption to the government immunity that protects against most lawsuits.

Under the bill, students, teachers and school employees killed or seriously injured can file a lawsuit for negligence and claim damages up to $350,000 a person. The cap is $900,000 total for multiple injuries in a single event.

Democratic lawmakers attempted to raise the bar for claims to a higher legal standard — such as deliberate indifference or gross negligence — citing concerns it would overly burden school districts, the largest of which are expected to see their liability insurance increase $20,000 to $30,000 per year.

“There is nowhere in state law where that (ability to sue the state) exists,” argued Sen. Mike Johnson, D-Denver and a former school principal. “What we are talking about is a massive expansion of the right to sue the state.”

“The goal is to affect change. The goal is to motivate behavior. The goal is to improve safety for our kids,” replied Sen. Mark Scheffel, R-Parker, the GOP majority leader.

A companion measure — Senate Bill 214 — creates a legislative committee to look at school safety and youth mental health.

Davis’ parents helped shape the legislation and stood to benefit under the original version, which would have set a retroactive effective date and allowed them to sue. Michael and Desiree Davis recently struck a deal with Littleton Public Schools to arbitrate their claim and avoid a protracted lawsuit.

The bill sponsors amended the measure to make it effective upon passage with the claims for damages available for incidents after June 30, 2017.