The wearable shock devices, called the G.L.O.V.E. — short for Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter — are made by Compliant Technologies and advertised as a way of reducing harm by subduing violent individuals with a new non-lethal option.
David Asher, CEO of APB Consulting, described the product as game-changing for officers in corrections and law enforcement.
"A tool like this is revolutionary. It's going to change the way officers, corrections, are able to interact with a violent or uncooperative person," he said.
Lawmakers were given an in-person demonstration Thursday. Regarding the actual sensation produced by the gloves, Asher characterized it this way.
"While painful, it doesn't create an injury. It doesn't create a burn. It doesn't create a mark.
It's just painful," he said.
Lawmakers on the Interim Joint Committee on Natural Resources and Energy applauded the technology, and none raised concerns about the devices.
But use of the gloves has drawn criticism from watchdog groups, especially those concerned with their use by ICE.
Critics have warned the devices will be another tool for intimidation in the hands of immigration officers. Nonpartisan watchdog group American Oversight has said military assessments show the gloves can cause "intense pain" and force compliance.
Compliant says the gloves are manufactured to activate only during contact with skin, and not through clothing. According to the Associated Press, the company also warns they should not be used on high-risk populations such as kids, pregnant women, or disabled people.