A state Senate ethics panel on Tuesday began its probe into the ethics complaint requested by the Northglenn City Council and lodged against Sen. Faith Winter, D-Westminster, over allegations of alcoholism.

Winter could face a reprimand, censure, or expulsion, if the committee determines she violated Senate ethics as denoted in Senate rule 43. The reprimand or censure would require a simple majority vote of the Senate. Expulsion, which is highly unlikely, would require a two-thirds vote, meaning 24 of her colleagues would have to kick her out of the chamber.

While an April 3 incident prompted the probe, the ethic panel’s discussion also briefly delved into Winter’s history of alcohol addiction and, notably, whether there is some culpability on the part of lawmakers for not intervening sooner.

Sen. Julie Gonzales, D-Denver, who chairs the panel, said another member’s questions raised an important question: “Whether our own personal knowledge as senators come into play in this discussion or not.”

The probe arose out of an April 3 city council meeting around a Mental Health Transitional Living Home proposed for Northglenn City, in which Winter joined and appeared to be intoxicated.

Winter and her attorney attended the ethics committee meeting on Tuesday via remote access. She spoke at the meeting’s conclusion, thanking the committee for taking the issue seriously.

“I am taking this seriously, as well,” she said.

During the hearing, Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen, a member of the ethics panel, asked if the incident showed a pattern of behavior, whether they should seek information, or even whether it mattered. He pointed out that the Northglenn complaint pointed to a loss of confidence and failure to uphold Winter’s duties.

“One incident does not lead to those sorts of responses,” he said.

Gonzales, as well as an attorney from the Office of Legislative Legal Services, both pointed out the complaint was specific to the April 3 meeting. However, Gonzales said Lundeen’s question raised the issue of culpability on the part of Winter’s colleagues at the state Capitol.

A day after the April 3 meeting, Winter announced she would pursue treatment and resigned her seat as chair of the Senate Transportation & Energy Committee. She has retained her position as assistant majority leader of the Senate, which she was elected to last year, despite widespread knowledge of her alcohol issues.

The City Council had unanimously passed a resolution on May 1 to ask Senate President Steve Fenberg to launch an ethics complaint against Winter.

The resolution pointed out that, at the April 3 meeting, Winter “appeared to be intoxicated while sitting on a panel of the state and local officials answering questions from the community on the decision-making that led to the siting” of a transitional living facility. It noted that Winter “appeared to have glassy eyes, slurred speech, and some individuals smelled alcohol on her breath,” and, as a result, she appeared at various times “disinterested, annoyed, and combative.”

The complaint said the legislator “failed to uphold her office with integrity in the public interest;” that she was “disrespectful to her constituents and the people of the State of Colorado, as well as to herself”; that she had “lost confidence from the public, most damagingly from her own constituents that elected her to office”; and, that she “failed to watchfully guard the responsibilities of the public office and the responsibilities and duties placed on her as a member of the Senate.”

Winter was advised to find a ride home that night instead of driving by local law enforcement.

The councilmembers also leveled sharp words at Winter’s colleagues at the state Capitol, whom they accused of ignoring her alcohol problems for years.

Fenberg announced earlier this month he would appoint an ethics committee. In addition to Gonzales and Lundeen, the panel’s other members are Democrats Sen. Dylan Roberts of Summit County and Senate Pro tem James Coleman of Denver, and Assistant Minority Leader Bob Gardner of Colorado Springs.

Winter has the right to file a response, which was due Thursday. The committee set a July 3 deadline for the preliminary investigation work, and it intends to meet at least twice before then.

The committee will seek transcriptions, if available, of the April 3 Northglenn meeting, as well as for two subsequent hearings the council held that involved the Winter complaint. One included a conversation with local police about the incident and the second was on the council’s discussions of the resolution. A YouTube video also showed Winter at the meeting.

The committee will also seek police reports tied to her conduct at the meeting, if they exist, and review media reports of the meeting.

In the coming weeks, the committee will determine whether probable cause exists to find that an ethics violation may have occurred. The committee would then notify Winter about its decision, and she may request an evidentiary hearing within seven days after that notice.

The evidentiary hearing must take place within 14 days after her request is made. She can present evidence and cross-examine witnesses and may be represented by counsel. The committee also can take testimony and issue subpoenas.

The committee will meet again on June 20.