Date: 03/05/2015

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB15-1183

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Refer House Bill 15-1183 to the Committee of the WPASS



01:41 PM -- HB15-1183

Representative Fields, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 15-1183, concerning the admission of a child's statements describing attempted acts of unlawful sexual offense. Representative Fields provided background on legislation passed previously concerning out-of-court statements, and explained the effect of the bill. The following persons testified regarding HB 15-1183:

01:43 PM -- Ms. Diana Goldberg, representing the Colorado Children's Alliance and Sungate Kids, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Goldberg discussed the work in which she engages, and the circumstances of the children she often encounters at Sungate Kids. Ms. Goldberg responded to questions regarding the problems that the bill seeks to address. Ms. Goldberg responded to questions regarding the circumstances under which a child's statement is allowed in court.

01:50 PM -- Mr. Tom Raynes, representing the Colorado District Attorneys' Council, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Raynes discussed the genesis of the legislation, and the process by which a child may provide information to the court during criminal proceedings associated with allegations of certain crimes. Mr. Raynes responded to questions regarding the reasons why current law pertaining to out-of-court statements by children needs to be altered, and why the issue was not addressed earlier. Mr. Raynes responded to questions regarding jurisprudence pertaining to the issue of child out-of-court statements, and the process of amending statutes to address court rulings. Mr. Raynes addressed a hypothetical situation.

01:59 PM -- Ms. Peg Ackerman, representing the County Sheriffs of Colorado, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Ackerman noted that the sheriffs are sensitive to not retraumatizing children who have already been traumatized.


02:00 PM

No amendments were offered to HB 15-1183. Representative Fields provided closing remarks in support of the bill. Various committee members provided their positions on the bill.
BILL:HB15-1183
TIME: 02:02:45 PM
MOVED:Court
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1183 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 13-0.
SECONDED:Van Winkle
VOTE
Becker K.
Yes
Carver
Yes
Court
Yes
Dore
Yes
Foote
Yes
Lawrence
Yes
Lundeen
Yes
Pettersen
Yes
Salazar
Yes
Van Winkle
Yes
Willett
Yes
Lee
Yes
Kagan
Yes
Final YES: 13 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS