Rep. Leslie Herod

The bill creates the Urban Peak Housing and Support Services for Youth Experiencing Homelessness fund (fund) in the state treasury. A voluntary contribution designation line for the fund will appear on the state individual income tax return form (form) for the 5 income tax years following the year that the executive director of the department of revenue (department) certifies to the revisor of statutes that: There is a space available on the form; and The fund is next in the queue. Once the fund is placed on the form, the department is directed to determine annually the total amount contributed to the fund and report that amount to the state treasurer and the general assembly. The state treasurer is required to credit that amount to the fund, and the general assembly appropriates from the fund to the department the costs of administering moneys designated for the fund. After that amount is deducted, the moneys remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year are transferred to Urban Peak, a nonprofit organization. Following the statutory 2-year grace period for new tax check-offs, the fund is required to achieve the minimum contribution amount of $50,000 per year to remain on the form. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The bill requires the sex offender management board, in collaboration with the department of corrections, the judicial department, and the parole board, and in consultation with sex offender research experts, to establish evidence-based criteria for the release of low-risk offenders. The bill requires the department of corrections to allow a low-risk sex offender to complete his or her required treatment in a community-based program if the department does not have sufficient prison-based treatment for the offender. The bill prohibits the parole board from denying parole to a low-risk sex offender because the offender did not complete treatment if the offender is seeking release to complete treatment in a community-based program. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill requires the division of criminal justice in the department of public safety (division) to establish and maintain a website containing: Specified information on each criminal forfeiture involving property; and Specified information on how each governmental agency that received proceeds from forfeitures used those proceeds. The bill requires each governmental agency involved in seizing property under forfeiture statutes (seizing agency) to update the information posted on the division's website and establishes consequences if a seizing agency fails to update the website in a timely manner. The executive director of the department of public safety (executive director) is authorized to adopt rules concerning the website. The state auditor is required to annually perform a financial audit of seized property and expenditures of forfeiture proceeds and submit a report on the audit to certain committees of the general assembly and to the executive director. The executive director shall submit an annual report to certain committees and officers summarizing seizure and forfeiture activities in the state. The bill prohibits a seizing agency from transferring or referring seized property to a federal governmental agency for forfeiture litigation unless the property includes currency in excess of $100,000. The bill authorizes the division to charge a seizing agency a fee when the seizing agency updates the website to offset the division's costs of developing and maintaining the website. The bill establishes a cash fund for the fees. The bill clarifies that information and reports developed pursuant to the bill are public records subject to inspection under the 'Colorado Open Records Act'. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)