Colorado lawmakers kicked off the session last week and hit the ground running, introducing more than 160 bills in the first week.
Among bills recently introduced, one would allow schools and school districts to adopt a policy that allows for the storage and distribution of opiate antagonists like naloxone on school buses, shielding bus operators and other employees on buses from criminal and civil liabilities if they furnish or administer the antagonist in good faith.
Another bill would increase the minimum compensation for a district attorney to match the compensation of a full-time district court judge. According to Jessica Dotter of the Colorado District Attorneys’ Council, this bill’s impact would be felt most by rural DAs, whose counties don’t have the same resources as some of the metropolitan areas of Colorado.
And a bill introduced on the first day of the session would expand the criminal rape shield law to prohibit the admission of evidence of the victim’s manner of dress or hairstyle as evidence of the victim’s consent, among other provisions.
Bill Number: HB24-1090
Title: Privacy Protections Criminal Justice Records
Introduced: Jan. 18
Sponsors: B. Titone, N. Ricks, T. Exum, R. Fields
Summary: Subject to limited exceptions, current law requires that a victim’s name and identifying information be deleted from criminal justice records released to the public if the person was a victim of certain sexual offenses. The bill permits the release of unredacted records to the named victim or victim’s designee. The bill also clarifies that changes in 2023 to the law related to records of child victims and child witnesses apply to records pertaining to offenses committed on or after Jan. 1.
Bill Number: SB24-058
Title: Landowner Liability Recreational Use Warning Signs
Introduced: Jan. 17
Sponsors: M. Baisley, D. Roberts, B. Titone, S. Bird
Summary: The bill states that under such circumstances, an owner doesn’t commit a willful or malicious failure if the owner posts a warning sign at the primary access point where the individual entered the land, maintains photographic or other evidence of the sign and the dangerous condition, use, structure or activity that caused the injury or death is described by the sign. The bill requires an individual who accesses land for recreational purposes to stay on the designated recreational trail, route, area or roadway unless the owner expressly allows otherwise or be deemed a trespasser.
Bill Number: SB24-053
Title: Racial Equity Study
Introduced: Jan. 17
Sponsors: J. Coleman, L. Herod, N. Ricks
Summary: The bill requires the State Historical Society, commonly known as History Colorado, to conduct a study to determine any historical and ongoing effects of slavery and subsequent systemic racism on Black Coloradans that may be attributed to Colorado state policies and to identify measures that are consistent with the constitution to address those effects. The bill establishes the Black Coloradan Racial Equity Steering Committee to provide input to the society about the study, including guidance about the research, economic analysis, and recommendations. The bill is contingent upon the society receiving $100,000 of gifts, grants or donations to conduct the study.
Bill Number: HB24-1013
Title: Victim Programs in New Twenty-Third Judicial District
Introduced: Jan. 10
Sponsors: A. Hartsook, M. Lukens, R. Pelton, J. Bridges
Summary: The new 23rd Judicial District exists beginning Jan. 7, 2025. The bill makes changes so that the crime victim compensation board and the victims and witnesses assistance and law enforcement board may provide compensation and services once the new judicial district exists.
Bill Number: HB24-1003
Title: Opiate Antagonists and Detection Products in Schools
Introduced: Jan. 10
Sponsors: B. McLachlan, M. Young, C. Simpson, D. Michaelson Jenet
Summary: Under current law, a school district, state charter school institute or the governing board of a nonpublic school may adopt a policy for a school to maintain a supply of and distribute opiate antagonists. The bill allows the adoption of a similar policy for maintaining a supply of opiate antagonists on school buses and extends existing civil and criminal immunity to school bus operators and other employees present on buses if they furnish or administer an opiate antagonist in good faith, in addition to other requirements.
Bill Number: HB24-1008
Title: Wage Claims Construction Industry Contractors
Introduced: Jan. 10
Sponsors: M. Duran, M. Froelich, J. Danielson, S. Jaquez Lewis
Summary: For wage claims brought by individuals working in the construction industry, the bill requires that a subcontractor that receives a written demand for payment forward a copy of the written demand for payment to the general contractor within three business days after receipt. Among other things, it also specifies that a general contractor and a subcontractor that is a direct employer of an employee are jointly liable for all debts owed based on a wage claim or investigation that are incurred by the subcontractor acting under, by or for the general contractor.
Bill Number: HB24-1034
Title: Adult Competency to Stand Trial
Introduced: Jan. 10
Sponsors: J. Amabile, M. Bradfield, R. Fields
Summary: The bill reforms and clarifies the criminal competency to proceed process. It would provide necessary parties with access to information related to the defendant’s claim of incompetency to proceed. The bill requires the Department of Human Services to search prior competency evaluations in its possession when the court orders a competency evaluation or the court finds the defendant incompetent to proceed and provide any evaluations to the court.
Bill Number: HB24-1067
Title: Ballot Access for Candidates with Disabilities
Introduced: Jan. 10
Sponsors: D. Ortiz
Summary: The bill requires the General Assembly, the secretary of state and each political party to ensure that the caucus process or any future alternative process by which candidates may access the ballot that is accessible to persons with disabilities remains an option in the state. The bill specifies that the petition process is not a means of ballot access that is accessible to persons with disabilities.
Bill Number: HB24-1072
Title: Protection of Victims of Sexual Offenses
Introduced: Jan. 10
Sponsors: S. Bird, L. Frizell, B. Kirkmeyer, R. Fields
Summary: Under current law, certain evidence of a victim’s or witness’s prior or subsequent sexual conduct is presumed irrelevant, but there is an exception for evidence of the victim’s or witness’s prior or subsequent sexual conduct with the defendant. The bill eliminates this exception. The bill expands the criminal rape shield law to prohibit the admission of evidence of the victim’s manner of dress or hairstyle as evidence of the victim’s consent or a victim’s behavioral or mental health that is offered by a defendant who is a psychotherapist who is accused of unlawful sexual behavior, unless the court finds that the evidence is relevant to a material issue to the case.
Bill Number: SB24-006
Title: Pretrial Diversion Programs
Introduced: Jan. 10
Sponsors: R. Rodriguez, R. Fields, R. English, M. Bradfield
Summary: The bill requires a district attorney’s office, or the office’s designee, to consider the use of a juvenile diversion program to prevent a juvenile who demonstrates behaviors or symptoms consistent with an intellectual and developmental disability, a mental or behavioral health issue or a lack of mental capacity from further involvement in formal delinquency proceedings.
Bill Number: SB24-013
Title: District Attorneys’ Salaries
Introduced: Jan. 10
Sponsors: B. Gardner, N. Hinrichsen, B. McLachlan
Summary: Currently, the minimum compensation of a district attorney is set statutorily, and any amount in excess of the minimum is set by the board or boards of county commissioners comprising the district. The current minimum compensation for a district attorney is $130,000. Effective Jan. 1, 2025, the bill increases the minimum compensation for a district attorney to match the compensation of a full-time district court judge.
Law Week’s legislative tracking is done through State Bill, a product of our publisher, Circuit Media.