Bill Summary for Bill Number SB09-006

Date: 02/03/2009

Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB09-006

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND ENERGY

Votes: View-->	Action Taken:
Adopt Amendment L.001 (Attachment A). The motion Conceptual amendment to allow the mobile identific Conceptual amendment to require that upon release Refer Senate Bill 09-006, as amended, to the Commi	Pass Without Objection Pass Without Objection FAIL PASS

02:14 PM -- Senate Bill 09-006

Senator Betty Boyd, prime sponsor, presented Senate Bill 09-006, which creates the County Jail Mobile Identification Unit within the Division of Motor Vehicles, Department of Revenue, in order to process identification cards at metropolitan-area county jails for prisoners without identification cards. The mobile unit will travel to jails in Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Douglas, and Jefferson counties on a regular basis to issue new identification cards to prisoners who do not already have an identification card, but do have all of the proper documentation. Senator Boyd distributed and spoke to Amendment L.001 (Attachment A). The following people testified about the bill:

02:20 PM -- Ms. Harriet Hall, representing the Mentally Ill in the Criminal Justice System task force, spoke in support of the bill. Ms. Hall gave the committee a brief overview of the charge and history of the task force. She said that proper identification is a requirement for mentally ill parolees in order to receive needed services such as Medicaid. Ms. Hall and Senator Boyd addressed questions about how the mobile unit will operate. Discussion ensued about how the identification cards will be delivered to recipients. Discussion turned to the projected fiscal impact of implementing the bill. Ms. Hall addressed a question about alternate methods of attaining identification cards.

02:38 PM -- Mr. Paul Siska, representing the Metro Area County Commissioners (MACC) Task Force for Identifying the Impact of Mentally Ill Offenders, spoke in support of the bill. Mr. Siska spoke about the increased cost of incarceration for the seriously mentally ill and the percentage of these inmates without any form of identification. Mr. Siska explained how inmates without any prior identification documents can be assisted in attaining identification cards. Discussion ensued about the costs of housing the seriously mentally ill in area jails.

02:51 PM -- Mr. Bill Lovingier, representing the Denver Sheriff Department, spoke in support of the bill and noted the average number of inmates with mental health needs that are serviced by area jails each year. Mr. Lovingier explained that issuing identification cards to eligible prisoners will reduce recidivism. He said that although alternatives exist, the best option for issuing identification cards to offenders is a mobile unit.

02:57 PM -- Mr. Rick Doucet, also representing the MACC task force, spoke in support of the bill. He said that identification and medication are critical for the seriously mentally ill population.

02:59 PM -- Commissioner Bob Gaiser, representing the City and County of Broomfield, spoke in support of the bill. He addressed questions about the local costs of creating and maintaining a mobile unit.

03:05 PM -- Mr. Doug Wilson, Colorado Public Defender, spoke in support of the bill. Mr. Wilson said the biggest impediment to inmate re-entry into society is the lack of a driver's licence.

03:08 PM -- Mr. Steven Kopanos , representing Mental Health America of Colorado, spoke in support of the bill and explained the cost-savings that can be realized by reducing recidivism as a result of issuing the identification cards. Mr. Kopanos listed the uses of an identification card.

03:11 PM -- Mr. Mark Couch, representing the Department of Revenue, spoke about the bill. Mr. Couch explained that inmates are required to pay for new identification cards and that identification cards are mailed to inmates after they are released from prison. Discussion ensued about how identification cards are delivered to the paroled inmates. Senator Lundberg expressed his concerns about the fiscal impact of the bill. Mr. Couch spoke to L.001 and explained that the department is in the process of updating its technology in order to prevent identity theft.

03:32 PM -- Ms. Gina Shimeall, representing the Mentally Ill in the Criminal Justice System task force, spoke in support of the bill.

03:35 PM

Senator Boyd made some concluding remarks about the bill.


BILL:	SB09-006
TIME:	03:36:33 PM
MOVED:	Hodge
MOTION:	Refer Senate Bill 09-006, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 4-2-1.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Cadman	No
	Hodge	Yes
	Kester	Excused
	Lundberg	No
	Newell	Yes
	Foster	Yes
	Schwartz	Yes

Final YES: 4 NO: 2 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS


BILL:	SB09-006
TIME:	03:43:25 PM
MOVED:	Foster
MOTION:	Conceptual amendment to require that upon release from jail, at a minimum, inmates are provided with a temporary identification card. The motion failed on a vote of 1-5-1.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Cadman	No
	Hodge	No
	Kester	Excused
	Lundberg	No
	Newell	No
	Foster	Yes
	Schwartz	No

Not Final YES: 1 NO: 5 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL

Prior to the vote, Senator Boyd said that the proposed conceptual amendment will drive additional costs for the Department of Revenue. Senator Cadman expressed concerns with the proposed amendment.


BILL:	SB09-006
TIME:	03:42:07 PM
MOVED:	Schwartz
MOTION:	Conceptual amendment to allow the mobile identification units to be funded by public or private gifts, grants, and donations. The motion passed without objection by those members present.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Cadman
	Hodge
	Kester	Excused
	Lundberg
	Newell
	Foster
	Schwartz

Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	SB09-006
TIME:	03:36:46 PM
MOVED:	Hodge
MOTION:	Adopt Amendment L.001 (Attachment A). The motion passed without objection by those members present.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Cadman
	Hodge
	Kester	Excused
	Lundberg
	Newell
	Foster
	Schwartz

Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

Prior to the vote, Senator Boyd briefly explained L.001. Senator Newell expressed her support of L.001. Discussion ensued about the projected fiscal impact of the bill.