S_JUD_2024A 03/06/2024 01:41:54 PM Committee Summary

Jeff Walsh, Interim Director, Commission on Judicial Discipline, provided an overview of commission activities and introduced the appointees. Jim Carpenter, current board member, also gave a brief introduction and made himself  available to answer questions.  A copy of the Governor's appointment letter can be found as Attachment A. 

Ingrid Barrier and Stefanie Trujillo introduced themselves and discussed why they would like to serve on the Commission on Judicial Discipline. 

Committee members asked questions about the relationship between the Judicial Department and the Judicial Discipline Commission.

 

 

Further discussion followed about the educational role of the commission, judicial financial disclosures, conflicts of interest, and the purview of the commission.  Additional questions were raised about the discipline process itself and the annual report.

Committee members thanked the appointees.

Senator Gonzales, bill sponsor, presented Senate Bill 24-118, concerning changes to lifetime supervision of sex offenders to increase access to sex offender treatment for high-risk sex offenders in the Department of Corrections (DOC).  She discussed access to treatment, shortage of sex offender therapists, and other related issues in the DOC. 

 

 

Mr. Jason Lamprecht, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Sarah Croog, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. She distributed handouts about treatment and risk (Attachment B).

Mr. Jeffrey Pagliuca, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Gail Johnson, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Jessica Dotter, representing Colorado District Attorneys' Council, testified in opposition to the bill. She distributed a handout about indeterminate and determinate commitments and discharges from DOC (Attachment C).

Alexis King, representing District Attorney for the 1st Judicial District, testified in opposition to the bill.

Brian McGary, representing 17th Judicial District Attorney's Office, testified in opposition to the bill.

Gordon McLaughlin, representing District Attorney for the 8th Judicial District, testified in opposition to the bill.

Committee members asked questions about treatment in prison and the sentencing structure.  Discussion followed about shortage of therapists. 

 

 

Dr. Walter Simon, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Gary Reser, representing Forensic Evaluation and Treatment Services, testified in support of the bill.

Dr. Michael Miner, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Ashley Charbonneau, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Committee members asked the panel about risk assessment instruments used for this population.  Discussion followed about the therapist shortage and pay. 

 

Michael Rourke, representing District Attorney for the 19th Judicial District, testified in opposition to the bill.

Mr. Michael Allen, representing District Attorny, testified in opposition to the bill.

Brian Mason, representing 17th Judicial District Attorney, testified in opposition to the bill.

Ms. Christine Rinke, representing Boulder District Attorney's Office, testified in opposition to the bill.

Committee members asked the panel about solutions to the treatment problem in prison.  Discussion followed about determinate sentencing.

 

Christie Donner, representing Colorado criminal justice reform coalition, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Amanda Bishop, representing Colorado State Public Defender, testified in support of the bill.

Jeanne Segil, representing Korey Wise Innocence Project, testified in support of the bill.

Ruth Swift, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Committee discussion ensued about DOC budget, vacancy rates, and competitive salaries for therapists.

 

Kimberly Corban, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Jean McAllister, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Chris Lobanov-Rostovsky, representing the Colorado Department of Public Safety, testified in opposition to the bill.

Lauren Crisera, representing Senior Deputy District Attorney for the 5th Judicial District, testified in opposition to the bill.

The panelists responded to questions from the committee.

Amelia Blyth, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Melissa Bossert, representing Office of the State Public Defender, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Jamie Ray, representing Legislation Inside, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Rachel Oliver, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

The panel answered questions from the committee.

Courtney Sutton, representing Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance, testified in opposition to the bill.

Ms. Erin Meschke, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Ms. Adrienne Sanchez, representing Colorado Department of Corrections, testified in opposition to the bill.

Shannon Johnson, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Ms. Laurie Kepros, representing Office of the State Public Defender, testified in support of the bill.

Mr. Rick Ostring, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Tami Floyd, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Hollis Whitson, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Jessica Meza, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Committee members asked questions about treatment costs and waitlists. 

Ms. Pat Harris, representing Advocates for Change, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Justyna Madenska, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Marsha Brewer, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Cheryl Sartain, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Peggy Kindig, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Mr. Jeff Wise, representing Remerg, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Lori Hoffner, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Written testimony submitted about the bill can be found in Attachment D.

Senator Gonazales distributed and explained Amendment L.001 to conform language in the bill (Attachment E).

The bill sponsor made closing comments.  She asked that the bill be laid over to work on amendments.