Date: 04/26/2006

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB06-1363

SENATE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Refer House Bill 06-1363 to the Committee on ApproPASS


02:32 PM -- House Bill 06-1363

Senator Shaffer, sponsor, presented House Bill 06-1363 concerning grants for programs designed to prevent juvenile delinquency. The bill, as amended in the House Health and Human Services Committee, the House Finance Committee, and the House Appropriations Committee, creates the Colorado Student Delinquency Prevention Program, within the Tony Grampsas Youth Services Program, to provide grants for before-and-after school programs for youth enrolled in kindergarten and grades 1 through
8. Funding would be provided through a surcharge to be assessed against individuals who commit certain crimes. In addition, beginning with FY 2006-07, the bill requires that 30% of the amount annually appropriated for the Tony Grampsas Youth Services Program be allocated to grants awarded through the delinquency prevention program. The Prevention Services Division in the Department of Public Health and Environment would ensure that at least 15% of the total amount annually available to award through the delinquency prevention program is awarded to entities operating before-and-after school programs in underserved communities.

Beginning July 1, 2006, each person who is convicted in a criminal action (a felony offense or a misdemeanor offense) or adjudicated in a juvenile action (an offense that would constitute a felony offense or a misdemeanor offense if committed by an adult) would be required to pay a surcharge of $75 to the clerk of the court in which the conviction or adjudication occurs. The bill states that the court shall not waive all or any portion of the surcharge unless the court finds that the defendant is indigent or unable to pay the surcharge.

02:37 PM -- Mark Messenbaugh, Boys' and Girls' Clubs of America, spoke in favor of the bill. Mr. Messenbaugh discussed the connection between the programs addressed by this bill and the revenue streams for funding them. He stressed that after school programs are crime prevention tools.

02:41 PM -- Dave Thomas, Colorado District Attorney's Council, spoke in support of the bill. Mr. Thomas reiterated testimony regarding the effectiveness of before and after school programs as crime prevention tools. He talked about the times of day that young people are at risk for committing crimes.

02:42 PM -- Maureen Cain, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, spoke opposition to the bill. Ms. Cain stressed that she is not opposed to the programs addressed by the bill, but she is opposed to additional surcharges on crimes. She mentioned that, in addition to other fees paid by defendants, this surcharge would be unbearable. The committee discussed the burden to indigent defendants of criminal surcharges.
BILL:HB06-1363
TIME: 02:50:47 PM
MOVED:Shaffer
MOTION:Refer House Bill 06-1363 to the Committee on Appropriations with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed on a vote of 5-1.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Bacon
Yes
Dyer
Excused
Gordon
Yes
Mitchell
No
Traylor
Yes
Shaffer
Yes
Grossman
Yes
Final YES: 5 NO: 1 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS