Who is the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition?

Our mission is to reverse the trend of mass incarceration in Colorado. We are a coalition of nearly 7,000 individual members and over 100 faith and community organizations who have united to stop perpetual prison expansion in Colorado through policy and sentence reform.

Our chief areas of interest include drug policy reform, women in prison, racial injustice, the impact of incarceration on children and families, the problems associated with re-entry and stopping the practice of using private prisons in our state.

If you would like to be involved please go to our website and become a member.


Wednesday, February 04, 2009

CCJRC 2009 Legislative Agenda

CCJRC Legislative Agenda

The following is a summary of the bills introduced in the 2009 legislative session that CCJRC has taken a position on. It is not a comprehensive list of all the criminal justice related legislation that has been introduced. For more information about the bills, you can go to the legislative website at www.leg.state.co.us

On the CCJRC website, we have a tutorial that shows you how to use the legislative website to read the full text of the bill introduce, track a bill through the process, and how to find out when a bill has been calendared for a vote. Go to http://www.ccjrc.org/legislative-info.shtml

As you can see, this is going to be a busy legislative session and we will send out action alerts as needed.

PRIORITY BILLS:

HB 1075: Concerning Expansion of Criminal History Employment Disqualifications for Employees of the Department of Human Services

Sponsor: Representative Middleton

CCJRC Position: OPPOSE/NEUTRAL

(On 1/26/09, HB 1075 was significantly amended to remove the expansion of employment disqualification due to criminal convictions; current employment disqualifications would only apply to positions with direct client contact of vulnerable persons. Consequently, CCJRC’s position is now NEUTRAL.)

HB 1238: Concerning Civil Forfeiture

Sponsors: Representative Rice and Senator Shaffer

CCJRC Position: OPPOSE

SB 135: Concerning Information Collection Regarding Parole Decisions

Sponsors: Senator Penry

CCJRC Position: SUPPORT

HB 1251: Concerning the Disclosure of Criminal Justice Records

Sponsors: Representatives Kefalas and McCann

CCJRC Position: SUPPORT

SB 79: Concerning Improving the Well-Being of Children In the Foster Care System by Improving the Ability of Birth Siblings to Maintain Long-Term Connections

Sponsors: Senator Newell and Representatives Acree and Kefalas

CCJRC Position: SUPPORT

Legislation from the Commission on Criminal & Juvenile Justice (CCJJ)

HB 1044: Concerning Expungement of Records Relating to a Criminal Matter For Which a Juvnile is Sentenced as a Juvenile after Being Charged by the Direct Filing of Charges in District Court.

Sponsors: Representative Roberts and Senator Morse

CCJRC Position: SUPPORT

HB 1122: Concerning Increasing the Age of Persons Eligible for Sentencing to the Youthful Offender System

Sponsors: Representative Roberts and Senator Morse

CCJRC Position: SUPPORT

HB 1262: Concerning the Issuance of a Summons Instead of an Arrest Warrant in Certain Circumstances

Sponsors: Representative Casso and Senator Morse

CCJRC Position: SUPPORT

HB 1263: Concerning Time Computation While An Inmate Is Incarcerated In A County Jail.

Sponsors: Representative Casso and Senator Carroll

CCJRC Position: SUPPORT

HB 1264: Concerning the Costs Associated With College-Level Academic Programs for State Inmates

Sponsors: Representative Benefield and Senator Hudak

CCJRC Position: SUPPORT

HB 1266: Concerning the Repeal of the Loss of Driving Privileges As A Penalty For Certain Crimes

Sponsors: Representative McCann and Senator Carroll

CCJRC Position: SUPPORT

Legislation from the Legislative Oversight Committee for the Continuing Examination of the Treatment of Persons with Mental Illness who are Involved in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems

HB 1021: Concerning the Extension of the Study of the Treatment of Persons with Mental Illness Who Are Involved in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems (to 2015).

Sponsors: Representative Solano and Senator Boyd

CCJRC Position: SUPPORT

HB 1022: Concerning Assistance to Counties to Implement Recidivism Reduction Programs For the Mentally Ill

Sponsors: Representative Solano and Senator Boyd
CCJRC Position: SUPPORT

SB 6: Concerning Creation of an Identification Processing Unit for Detention Facilities

Sponsors: Senators Boyd and Representative Solano

CCJRC Position: MONITOR

SB 19: Concerning the Establishment of a Pilot Program To Fund Grants to Local Governments To Facilitate Changes in Land Development Regulations to Accommodate The Housing Needs of Persons With Mental Illness Who Are Involved in the Criminal Justice System

Sponsors: Senator Boyd and Representative Solano

CCJRC Position: MONITOR

Legislation from the Dept of Corrections

SB 34: Concerning the Security Level Designation For the Centennial Correctional Facility

Sponsors: Senator Kester and Representative Todd

CCJRC Position: MONITOR

HB 1011: Concerning the Authority of the State to Enter Into Lease-Purchase Agreements for Office of the Department of Corrections in El Paso County

Sponsors: Representative B. Gardner and Senator Morse

CCJRC POSITION: OPPOSE

(On February 3, 2009, this bill was killed in the House Committee on State, Veterans, and Military Affairs)