40AD0636C214316C87258AAE007198E8 Hearing Summary

Represenative Bird, Chair of the Joint Budget Committee (JBC), made opening remarks. 

Senator Bridges, Joint Budget Committee member, discussed the Department of Corrections (DOC) budget request.  Committee members asked questions about bed numbers and bed differentiations, workforce housing, inmate deaths, and health care.  Further discussion ensued about methodologies departments use to determine budget requests.

Senator Zenzinger, Joint Budget Committee member, proceeded to discuss the DOC supplemental request.

The JBC Staff Budget Briefing document that includes all state agences may be accessed at this link: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/fy24-25brfsum-12-22-23_0.pdf

The DOC budget briefing document is located here: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/fy2024-25_corbrf.pdf. 

The DOC supplemental request is linked here:  https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/cy24_corsup.pdf

Senator Bridges next discussed the Judicial Department budget.  He highighted budget requests related to staff and salary increases, case management system upgrades, and the competency backlog. Committee members noted the recent vandalism at the Ralph Carr Building and associated repair costs. Further questions were raised about the Office of Administrative Services for Independent Agencies (ASIA).  Additional inquiries were made about probation fees and attorney compensation. 

Senator Bridges proceeded to summarize the Department of Law budget, followed by the Department of Public Safety. He highlighted natural resources, auto theft, crime victims services funding, disaster recovery, and law enforcement recruiting.  Committee members asked questions about grants.