h_jud_2018a_2018-01-30t10:20:35z0 Hearing Summary

Senator Gardner called the meeting to order and made opening remarks. 

Representative Hamner, member of the Joint Budget Committee (JBC), introduced the other members of the JBC at the table:  Senator Lambert, Senator Lundberg, Senator Moreno, Representative Rankin, and Representative Young.   Representative Hamner distributed a listing of JBC potential and adopted legislation for the session (Attachment A). 

Senator Moreno presented the JBC staff budget briefing summary to the committee and walked the committee through the major highlights of agencies under its purview (the budget briefing summary may be accessed at:  https://leg.colorado.gov/publications/fy-2018-19-staff-budget-briefing-summary).

Senator Moreno first discussed the Department of Corrections (DOC) supplemental funding request to lease an empty private prison and staff it with state employees for more prison bed space. 

Senator Moreno continued reporting on budget requests from other agencies.  The Department of Law had no major budget requests.  The Judiciary Department requested a system maintenance study, salary increases, and courthouse furniture.  The Department of Public Safety requested funds for additional troopers and support staff.  

The committee raised questions about the Sex Offender Management Board and lack of funds to collect data. 

Further discussion followed regarding DOC policies, prison capacity, and correctional officer turnover rates.  Committee members also raised points relating to better utilizing community corrections and parole instead of relying on more prison beds.  Committee members commented on DOC's unchanging vacancy rates and questioned the need to expand prison bed capacity.   Senator Moreno recapped DOC's prison bed forecast and reiterated their position that current beds are often reserved for specialized populations.  

JBC and Joint Judiciary members continued to discuss prison bed capacity, inaccurate projections, increase in felony filings, alternatives to prison beds, and other substantive changes to better match offenders to services.   

Committee members discussed population issues and utilization studies, including the interim committee that looked at overcrowded jails.  Concerns were raised about the federal Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and impact on local detention facilities.  Some of the budget proposals in the Judicial Department were debated. 

Discussion continued regarding correctional capacity issues, bail, and other associated expenses.  Committee members urged the JBC to think about a variety of ways to manage the prison population and not solely focus on beds. 

Representative Lee offered his viewpoint that expanding prison facilities is antithetical to better managing offender populations.  He discussed more effectively accessing community corrections, parole, and other alternatives.  He also covered bail reform, judicial discretion, and other ways to take the pressure off of DOC. 

Committee members discussed the need for interpreters in the criminal justice system.  They also talked about alcohol and drug treatment and mental health services for the offender population. 

Judiciary Committee members acknowledged that alternatives to incarceration are discussed routinely, but there is a lack of unanimity among members to pass any related laws or policies.  Discussion followed regarding decreases in violent crime, increases in criminal court filings, and concerns about over-prosecution and over-charging of crimes.  

JBC members thanked Judiiciary for the informative conversation. 

Representative Hamner made closing remarks.