Date: 05/01/2015

Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB15-184

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Adopt amendment L.007 (Attachment A). The motion p
Refer Senate Bill 15-184, as amended, to the Commi		Pass Without Objection
PASS



12:58 PM -- SB15-184

Representative Pettersen, chair, welcomed the committee. Representative Fields, sponsor, presented Senate Bill 15-184, which requires the chief judge in each judicial district to convene a meeting of community stakeholders to create a policy for addressing truancy cases in ways other than the use of detention. She explained the factors that led to the creation of the bill and the reasons that lead to recurring truancy. She spoke about her work on an educational success task force and the stories she has heard from young people. She expressed her opinion that jail is not the answer for truancy because it can lead to great harm for the children as they meet hardened criminals while detained. She spoke about stakeholder engagement and explained the provisions of the bill. Representative Fields responded to questions from the committee.

01:12 PM -- Julie Pelegrin, representing the Office of Legislative Legal Services, came to the table to respond to questions from the committee. Representative Fields continued responding to questions from the committee.


01:15 PM

The following people testified:

01:16 PM -- Judge Karen Ashby, representing the Judicial Branch, spoke about the bill. She spoke about the use of detention for truants and about developments in the Denver juvenile court and other judicial districts. She spoke about a drop in the use of detention for truants and stated that in 2014, 204 youths were detained. She stated that Arapahoe, El Paso, and Weld Counties had high rates of detention previously, but that Arapahoe County had no detentions in the second half of 2014. She explained that Jefferson County's detention rate dropped 82 percent in four years. She described the situation in El Paso County, where the court adopted a new approach that led to an 83 percent drop in the detention rate over four years. She spoke about stakeholder input and about the ways courts can address truancy without the use of detention. She spoke about federal legislation on this issue. Judge Ashby responded to questions from the committee.

01:27 PM -- Justin Cooper, representing the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition, spoke in support of the bill. He described his work in the criminal justice system with wraparound services, and how the truancy process works. He spoke about the procedures when juveniles are detained for truancy. He spoke about the importance of the bill. Mr. Cooper responded to questions from the committee.

01:35 PM -- Sophia San Miguel, representing herself, spoke about the bill. She stated that jail time is not the answer and that it is bad for the children. She described the necessity for intervening into the lives of truant children with special services and therapy.


01:38 PM

No further witnesses being present, Representative Pettersen closed public testimony. Representative Fields discussed amendment L.007 (Attachment A).

15HouseEd0501AttachA.pdf15HouseEd0501AttachA.pdf
BILL:SB15-184
TIME: 01:38:21 PM
MOVED:Fields
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.007 (Attachment A). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Lee
VOTE
Everett
Fields
Garnett
Lee
Lundeen
Moreno
Priola
Wilson
Windholz
Hamner
Pettersen
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


01:39 PM

Representative Fields offered closing comments to the bill.
BILL:SB15-184
TIME: 01:41:16 PM
MOVED:Fields
MOTION:Refer Senate Bill 15-184, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 11-0.
SECONDED:Lee
VOTE
Everett
Yes
Fields
Yes
Garnett
Yes
Lee
Yes
Lundeen
Yes
Moreno
Yes
Priola
Yes
Wilson
Yes
Windholz
Yes
Hamner
Yes
Pettersen
Yes
Final YES: 11 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS