H_JUD_2020A 02/13/2020 01:32:55 PM Committee Summary

Representatives Herod and Soper, co-prime sponsors, presented Senate Bill 20-062.  The bill enacts the 2019 Colorado Revised Statutes as the positive and statutory law of the state of Colorado.

Jennifer Gillroy, representing the Office of Legislative Legal Services, responded to questions from the committee. She provided a document that explained all of the revisor's changes contained in the bill (Attachment A).

Representative Buentello, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 20-1229.  The bill authorizes the Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Board to provide scholarships for peace officer candidates in rural and small jurisdictions to attend basic law enforcement training.  She responded to questions from the committee.

Sheriff Shawn Mobley, representing the Otero County Sheriff's Office, testified in support of the bill.

Chief Mike Rulo, representing the Cripple Creek Police Department, testified in support of the bill.

Richard Orf, representing the Associated Governments of Northern Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Kim Hernandez, representing the POST Board, testified in support of the bill.

Catherine Rodriguez, representing the POST Board, testified in support of the bill.

The panel of witnesses responded to questions from the committee.

The committee continued to discuss the bill with the panel of witnesses.

Representatives Buckner and Ransom, co-prime sponsors, returned to the committee to discuss House Bill 20-1147, which was originally considered on February 6, 2020. They explained amendment L.001 (Attachment B), which strikes everything below the enacting clause.

Representative Singer, prime sponsor, presented Senate Bill 20-037. The bill creates the Trusted Interoperability Platform Advisory Committee in the Department of Public Safety to develop a strategic plan to implement a trusted interoperability platform that is capable of securely exchanging information between the criminal and juvenile justice systems and community health agencies. He provided a folder with information about the bill (Attachment C). He responded to questions from the committee.

Peggy Heil, representing the data subcommittee of the Task Force Concerning the Treatment of Persons with Mental Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems, testified in support of the bill. She responded to questions from the committee.

The committee took a brief recess.

The committee returned to order.  Representative Froelich, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 20-1228.  The bill requires the Division of Criminal Justice in the Department of Public Safety to research the development of a sexual assault evidence tracking system; requires medical professionals to make certain disclosures to victims; allows victims to be informed of and object to evidence destruction if an alleged sex offense has not resulted in a conviction or plea of guilty; and requires the division to promulgate rules.  Representative Froelich distributed amendment L.004 (Attachment D), amendment L005 (Attachment E), amendment L.006 (Attachment F), and amendment L.007 (Attachment G).

Brie Franklin, representing the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault, testified in support of the bill.

Joanne Schwartz, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

The witnesses responded to questions from the committee.

Lydia Waligorski, representing Violence-free Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

The witnesses and Representative Froelich continued to respond to questions from the committee.

Jerry Barry, representing the Office of Legislative Legal Services, responded to questions from the committee about the amendments and the language in the bill.

Representative Froelich explained each of the amendments.

Representatives Benavidez and Kipp, co-prime sponsors, presented House Bill 20-1241. The bill requires the Colorado Supreme Court to issue a license to practice law and the Department of Education to issue a teaching license to people who meet the licensing requirements and have current employment authorization, issued by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services, are lawfully present and have a valid social security number. Representative Benavidez explained amendment L.001 (Attachment H). The sponsors responded to questions from the committee.

Ryan Case, representing Dr. Sheila Rucki, read a statement from Dr. Rucki in support of the bill.

Ana Rodriguez, representing the Colorado People's Alliance and herself, testified in support of the bill.

Feven Berhanu, representing the Colorado People's Alliance, testified in support of the bill.

The sponsors wrapped up their presentation of the bill and asked for a favorable recommendation.

Representative Tipper, prime sponsor, asked the committee to postpone House Bill 20-1268 indefinitely. She explained what the Colorado Commission on Uniform State Laws was trying to accomplish with the bill.