Second Regular Session Sixty-eighth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO INTRODUCED LLS NO. 12-0743.01 Jennifer Gilroy x4327HOUSE BILL 12-1208 HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Lee, SENATE SPONSORSHIP (None), House Committees Senate Committees Judiciary A BILL FOR AN ACT Concerning a method of achieving the technical recodification of the Colorado Revised Statutes over a period of time. Bill Summary (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://www.leg.state.co.us/billsummaries.) Historically, Colorado's statutes were recodified in 1953, 1963, and 1973. Due to changes in drafting protocols, statutory compilation methods, and comprehensive publications procedures, as well as the publication of the law in replacement softbound volumes, many of the necessary corrective and technical changes since 1973 have been, and continue to be, achieved through revision changes and the authority of the revisor of statutes. Commencing in 2012, however, the committee on legal services (committee) will identify and direct the office of legislative legal services to conduct a comprehensive review of one to 5 statutory titles over the course of each year and make appropriate technical recodification recommendations to the committee regarding those titles for the purpose of achieving the technical recodification of the titles through committee-sponsored legislation. The committee may designate a subcommittee from among its membership to study the titles for recodification. In determining which titles to address in a particular year and in identifying appropriate changes to be made, the committee, the subcommittee, and the office may solicit comments from affected state agencies, the bar association, the judicial department, and other interested persons and organizations. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 2-5-127 as follows: 2-5-127. Recodification of statutes. (1) On or before December 31, 2012, and on or before December 31 of each year thereafter, the committee shall identify one to five statutory titles that the committee determines would benefit from a thorough review and technical recodification. The committee shall direct the office of legislative legal services, referred to in this section as the "office", to conduct a comprehensive review of the titles so identified and report back to the committee on or before December 31 of the following year concerning its recommendations for the recodification of those titles. The committee shall continue to identify one to five statutory titles each year and direct the office to review and report on the titles identified for recodification until all of the titles of the Colorado Revised Statutes are reviewed and recodified, if appropriate. (2) After receiving the report and recommendations of the office, the committee may proceed with legislation to be introduced during the next regular session of the general assembly to recodify the titles, as the committee deems appropriate. (3) (a) The committee may designate a subcommittee from among its membership, pursuant to section 2-3-502 (2), to study one or more statutory titles each year for purposes of identifying and prioritizing which titles should be reviewed for recodification. (b) In determining which statutory titles to address in a particular year and in identifying appropriate technical changes to the selected statutory titles pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the committee, or a subcommittee of the committee designated pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (3), and the office may solicit and take into consideration comments from affected state agencies, the bar association, the judicial department, and other interested persons and organizations. (4) In conducting the comprehensive review of the titles identified pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the office shall consider the following: (a) The overall organization of the title; (b) The numbering within the title; (c) Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other writing conventions; (d) The incidents of obvious errors requiring correction; (e) The need for modernizing language and terminology; (f) The incidents of conflicting or obsolete provisions requiring repeal; and (g) Such other technical, nonsubstantive matters as would improve the clarity and certainty of the statutes without affecting the substance of the law or the intent of the general assembly. SECTION 2. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August 8, 2012, if adjournment sine die is on May 9, 2012); except that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in November 2012 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.