2F3E0825A09A4B4D87258BC6006AEF33 Hearing Summary

Elizabeth Moran, representing The Arc of Colorado, thanked Commissioner Gardner for carrying the bill last year and those involved in the stakeholding process on it. She noted that it's been 23 years since Colorado has done a comprehensive update of its guardianship law, which is now largely outdated and not in line with national best practices. The biggest hurdle to the act's passage last year was funding, so this year the focus was will be on the fiscal impact.

Ben Orzeske, representing Uniform Law Commission, thanked Ms. Moran and her colalition on their work on the act last year. He added that he expects at least five other states to be working on the act for introduction this year and that he is happy to support efforts on the act again this year.

Maureen Welch, representing Navigating Disability Colorado, testified that there is a need for comprehensive updates to Colorado laws regarding guardianships. The small tweaks over the years have not resulted in the changes needed.

Commissioner Levy thanked Commissioner Gardner and the stakeholders for their work on this act last year and would like to see the act introduced this year, starting where last year's bill left off.

Commissioner Gardner noted that the bill was killed last year due to the fiscal note and would like to see the act reintroduced. He suggested that the fiscal note might be addressed by phasing in portions of the act or looking at some reorganization of the judicial guardianship system.

Commissioner Snyder agreed that the act should be reintroduced this year and that the fiscal note could be brought down.

The commission thanked the witnesses and the stakeholder group for their testimony and hard work .