LPC Activity: The LPC did not meet on Friday, April 18.
At the Capitol – Week of April 14:
Long Bill goes to Governor for signature.
The legislature finished work on the Long Bill on Friday, April 18 and sent the bill to the Governor for his signature. From that date, Governor Ritter has 10 days to consider the bill. This is the only bill where the governor has line item veto power when acting on the bill.
Highlights of the Budget for the Judicial Branch follow:
Trial Court Staff - $1.3 million cash funds
- JBC approved 28.0 new Court Judicial Assistants (CJA) f/k/a Court Clerks
Probation Staff - $3.1 million general fund
- JBC approved 48.8 nenw probation officers/staff
Court Appointed Counsel Rates – total cost $3.2 million general fund (includes ADC and OCR)
- Approved a $5/hr rate increase ($60 to $65)
- Added a footnote to request Judicial pilot alternative methods of providing Respondent Parent Counsel services
Judicial Officer Training - $165,000 cash funds
- Approved 2.0 new staff to improve and expand judge training
Probate Staff – $195,000 cash funds
- Approved 3.0 new staff related to probate audit improvements
Staff Salary Increases - $7.6 million general funds ($1.1 million cash funds)
Judge pay - $1.4 million general funds
- Approved 1st year of judge pay plan which included 3% + salary survey (4.09%) + 1% base building performance
- 4-year plan proposes to bring judge salaries up to between 12th and 15th nationally. Colorado per capita income averages 8th to 10th nationally.
- Total increase 8.09% for FY09.
Family Violence Grants - $250,000 general funds
- Approved $250,000 increase (total $750,000)
Pay for Performance - $1.8 million general funds ($250,000 cash funds)
Appellate Building Security - $147,000 general funds
Late Bills of interest (and status)
In the House:
HB 1397 - Concerning the disposition of evidence collected in criminal cases. By Rep. Jahn and Sen. Kopp. Requires the preservation of evidence collected during the investigation of a class 1 felony or a sex crime eligible for indeterminate sentencing that resulted in a sentence for the life of the offender. Creates a process whereby all other evidence may be disposed of after notice to the district attorney and defendant or his or her counsel of record with an opportunity to file an objection with the court.
Requires the court at sentencing to make specific findings related involved reasonable and relevant DNA evidence that should be preserved. Directs the court to enter those findings into the integrated Colorado on-line network. Directs the department of public safety to prepare a report regarding the data collected.
Creates a working group to discuss evidence issues, and specifies the membership of the working group. Directs the working group to make recommendations regarding standardized time lines for retention of reasonable and relevant DNA evidence, provision of storage facilities, and best practices for evidence collection and storage.
Requires new peace officer cadets to receive training at the training academy on proper DNA evidence collection and preservation. Permits the peace officer standards and training board to develop a specialized certification program for evidence collection and retention. On April 16, the Judiciary Committee amended the bill and referred it the Appropriations Committee.
HB 1400 - Concerning the authority of the division of employment and training to use private moneys. By Rep. Scanlan. Authorizes the division of employment and training in the department of labor and employment to accept and expend moneys from gifts, grants, donations, and other nongovernmental contributions for purposes of administering work force development programs. Assigned to the Business Affairs and Labor Committee; the bill is on the committee’s calendar on Monday, April 21 at 1:30 p.m.
New bills by Title and Sponsor(s):
HB 1398 - Concerning the operational account of the severance tax trust fund without making any appropriations therefrom, and, in connection therewith, changing the reserve requirement, requiring most transfers from the account to be made in three installments during a fiscal year, making the second and third transfers subject to proportional reduction if there are insufficient funds in the account to meet the reserve requirement at the end of the fiscal year, and removing obsolete provisions of law. By Rep. Buescher and Sen. Johnson.
HB 1399 - Concerning the use of interest from moneys in the unclaimed property tourism promotion trust fund for state agricultural efforts, and, in connection therewith, specifying how such moneys shall be distributed, clarifying that the distributions shall begin in the 2008-09 state fiscal year, and creating the agriculture management fund. By Rep. Buescher and Sen. Isgar.
HB 1401 - Concerning a requirement that the county clerk and recorder of each county send a voter information card to each registered eligible elector of the county other than an elector whose previous communication from the county clerk and recorder was returned as undeliverable. By Rep. Marshall.
In the Senate:
SB 228 - Concerning increased public disclosure of the contents of a notice of intent to conduct mining operations. By Sen. Schwartz and Rep. Curry. Specifies that all information provided to the mined land reclamation board in a notice of intent to conduct prospecting, or a modification of such notice, is a matter of public record subject to the open records act with the exception of information, as determined by the board, relating to the location, size, or nature of the mineral deposit and other information designated by the operator as proprietary or trade secrets. Requires the person filing such a notice or modification to give an electronic version of the notice or modification, except for that information exempted from public disclosure, to the board in a format determined by the board. Requires the board to post such version of the notice or modification on its web site. Assigned to the Agriculture, Natural Resources & Energy Committee; bill is on the committee’s calendar on April 24 at 1:30 p.m.
SB 230 - Concerning the authority of certain hospital care providers as units of government under Medicaid. By Sen. Morse and Rep. Buescher. Authorizes specified governmental hospital care providers, subject to voter approval, to levy and collect a sales tax within certain geographic areas.
Establishes a definition of "state university teaching hospital". Authorizes the general assembly to appropriate moneys annually to state university teaching hospitals for services provided under the state's Medicaid program. Assigned to the Health and Human Services Committee; bill is on the committee’s calendar on April 23 upon adjournment.
SB 231 - Concerning the transfer of work force development responsibilities from the Department of Local Affairs to the Department of Labor and Employment, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation. By Sen. Veiga and Rep. Vaad. Transfers the state work force development council, which is assigned responsibility for the administration of one-stop career centers and other duties under the "Colorado Work Force Investment Act", from the department of local affairs to the department of labor and employment. Makes an appropriation. Assigned to the Business Labor & Technology Committee; bill is on the committee’s calendar on April 21 at 1:30 p.m.
New bills by Title and Sponsor(s):
SB 225 – Concerning a prohibition on the use of gaming equipment in a cigar-tobacco bar. By Sen. Gordon.
SB 226 - Concerning the prohibition of aquatic nuisance species in Colorado. By Sen. Isgar and Rep. Butcher.
SB 227 - Concerning the membership of the board of governors of the Colorado State University system. By Sen. Tapia and Rep. McFadyen.
SB 232 - Concerning certain entities within the Colorado state university system, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation to the wildfire emergency response fund. By Sen. Isgar and Rep. Curry.
