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First Regular Session | 75th General Assembly
Colorado General Assembly
HB23-1037

Department Of Corrections Earned Time For College Program Completion

Type Bill
Session 2023 Regular Session
Subjects
Crimes, Corrections, & Enforcement

Concerning awarding earned time to nonviolent offenders who complete an accredited higher education program.

Bill Summary:

The act requires the department of corrections (department) to, for an inmate who was sentenced for a nonviolent felony offense, deduct earned time from the inmate's sentence for each accredited degree or other credential awarded by an institution of higher education to the inmate while the inmate is incarcerated or on parole, in the following amounts:

  • 18 months of earned time for a master's degree and 2 years of earned time for a doctoral degree;
  • One year of earned time for receiving an associate or baccalaureate degree; and
  • 6 months of earned time for receiving a certificate or other credential that requires completion of at least 30 credit hours.
The act requires the department to designate up to six regionally accredited institutions of higher education that may award a degree or credential to an inmate for which earned time must be deducted.

The act requires the general assembly to annually appropriate to the department of higher education the savings incurred during the prior state fiscal year as a result of the release of inmates from correctional facilities because of earned time granted for completion of a higher education degree or credential. The appropriation to the department of higher education is for allocation to institutions of higher education that offer accredited programs in correctional facilities.

APPROVED by Governor April 12, 2023

EFFECTIVE August 7, 2023

NOTE: This act was passed without a safety clause and takes effect 90 days after sine die.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Prime Sponsors

Representative Matthew Martinez

Representative

Matthew Martinez

Representative Rose Pugliese

Representative

Rose Pugliese

Senator Julie Gonzales

Senator

Julie Gonzales

Committees

House

Judiciary

Senate

Judiciary

Status

Became Law

Introduced

Passed

Became Law

Related Documents & Information

Date Version Documents
04/12/2023 Signed Act PDF
04/03/2023 Final Act PDF
03/17/2023 Rerevised PDF
03/16/2023 Revised PDF
02/20/2023 Reengrossed PDF
02/17/2023 Engrossed PDF
01/09/2023 Introduced PDF
Date Version Documents
03/14/2023 PA2 PDF
02/08/2023 PA1 PDF
Date Version Documents
05/24/2023 FN3 PDF
03/02/2023 FN2 PDF
01/23/2023 FN1 PDF
Activity Vote Documents
Adopt amendment L.006 (Attachment A) The motion passed without objection. Vote summary
Adopt Amendment L.007 (Attachment B) The motion passed without objection. Vote summary
Adopt conceptual amendment to amend Amendment L.007 to change a date from September 31, 2023, to September 30, 2023 on Line 8. The motion passed without objection. Vote summary
Refer House Bill 23-1037, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 4-1. Vote summary
Hearing Summary
|
Committee Report:  PDF
Activity Vote Documents
Adopt amendment L.003 (Attachment A) The motion passed without objection. Vote summary
Refer House Bill 23-1037, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 11-2. Vote summary
Hearing Summary
|
Committee Report:  PDF
Date Calendar Motion Vote Vote Document
03/20/2023 Senate Amendments REPASS
57
AYE
3
NO
5
OTHER
 		Vote record
03/20/2023 Senate Amendments CONCUR
59
AYE
1
NO
5
OTHER
 		Vote record
02/21/2023 Third Reading BILL
61
AYE
1
NO
3
OTHER
 		Vote record
Date Calendar Motion Vote Vote Document
03/17/2023 Third Reading BILL
28
AYE
6
NO
1
OTHER
 		Vote record
Date Amendment Number Committee/ Floor Hearing Status Documents
03/13/2023 L.007 SEN Judiciary Passed [*] PDF
03/13/2023 L.006 SEN Judiciary Passed [*] PDF
02/17/2023 L.005 Second Reading Passed [**] PDF
02/17/2023 L.004 Second Reading Passed [**] PDF
02/07/2023 L.003 HOU Judiciary Passed [*] PDF

* Amendments passed in committee are not incorporated into the measure unless adopted by the full House or Senate.

** The status of Second Reading amendments may be subsequently affected by the adoption of an amendment to the Committee of the Whole Report. Refer to the House or Senate Journal for additional information.

Date Location Action
04/12/2023 Governor Governor Signed
04/03/2023 Governor Sent to the Governor
04/03/2023 Senate Signed by the President of the Senate
03/31/2023 House Signed by the Speaker of the House
03/20/2023 Senate House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass
03/17/2023 Senate Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
03/16/2023 Senate Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments - Committee
03/13/2023 Senate Senate Committee on Judiciary Refer Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole
02/23/2023 Senate Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Judiciary
02/21/2023 House House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
02/17/2023 House House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor
02/10/2023 House House Second Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments
02/07/2023 House House Committee on Judiciary Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole
01/09/2023 House Introduced In House - Assigned to Judiciary
Effective Date Chapter # Title Documents
08/07/2023 66 DOC Earned Time For College Program Completion PDF

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