First Regular Session
               Seventieth General Assembly
                    STATE OF COLORADO
                                                 INTRODUCED
                                                           
                                                           
 LLS NO. 15-0450.01 Richard Sweetman x4333SENATE BILL 15-037
                   SENATE SPONSORSHIP
 Garcia, 
 
                    HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
 Navarro, Esgar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Senate Committees
 House Committees
 
 
 Judiciary
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                         A BILL FOR AN ACT
       Concerning youthful offenders sentenced to the department
            of corrections.
       
       
                           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.)
       
            The executive director of the state department of corrections
       (DOC) or his or her designee may transfer any youthful offender
       sentenced to the DOC into and out of the youthful offender system at his
       or her discretion.
            Under current law, the division of criminal justice (DCJ) is
       required to  independently monitor and evaluate, or contract with a public
       or private entity to independently monitor and evaluate, the youthful
       offender system and report its findings, or the findings of the contract
       entity, to the judiciary committees of the senate and the house of
       representatives on or before November 1 every 2 years. The bill amends
       this reporting requirement to apply every 5 years.
       
       
       
       Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
            SECTION 1.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 18-1.3-407, amend
       (1) (c) and (10) (b) as follows:
            18-1.3-407.  Sentences - youthful offenders - legislative
       declaration - powers and duties of district court - authorization for
       youthful offender system - powers and duties of department of
       corrections - definitions. (1) (c) (I)  It is the intent of the general
       assembly that offenders sentenced to the youthful offender system be
       housed and serve their sentences in a facility specifically designed and
       programmed for the youthful offender system and that offenders so
       sentenced be housed separate from and not brought into daily physical
       contact with inmates older than twenty-four years sentenced to the
       department of corrections who have not been sentenced to the youthful
       offender system, except as specifically provided under subsection (5) of
       this section.
            (II)  For the purposes of public safety, academic
       achievement, rehabilitation, the development of pro-social
       behavior, or reentry planning for youthful offenders, the
       executive director or his or her designee may transfer any
       youthful offender sentenced to the department of corrections
       into and out of the youthful offender system at his or her
       discretion.
            (III)  The facility that houses offenders sentenced to the youthful
       offender system shall be limited to two hundred fifty-six beds.
            (10) (b)  The division of criminal justice shall independently
       monitor and evaluate, or contract with a public or private entity to
       independently monitor and evaluate, the youthful offender system. On or
       before November 1, 2002 November 1, 2014, and on or before
       November 1 every two five years thereafter, the division of criminal
       justice shall report its findings, or the findings of the contract entity, to
       the judiciary committees of the senate and the house of representatives.
       The department of corrections shall cooperate in providing the necessary
       data to the division of criminal justice or an entity designated by the
       division of criminal justice to complete the evaluation required in this
       section.
            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
       5, 2015, if adjournment sine die is on May 6, 2015); 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 2016 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the
       official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.