Senate Bill 25-024 Reengrossed

A Bill for an Act

• Page 1, Line 101Concerning judicial officers, and, in connection therewith,

• Page 1, Line 102making an appropriation.

Bill Summary

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.)

Beginning July 1, 2025, the bill increases by one the number of district court judges in the eighth, thirteenth, nineteenth, and twenty-third judicial districts; increases by 2 the number of district court judges in the fourth, seventeenth, and eighteenth judicial districts; and increases by one the number of county court judges in Douglas county, La Plata county, Larimer county, Mesa county, Weld county, Eagle county, Adams county, and Arapahoe county.

Beginning July 1, 2026, the bill increases by one the number of district court judges in the second, seventh, seventeenth, eighteenth, and twentieth judicial districts and the Denver probate court; increases by 2 the number of district court judges in the fourth judicial district; and increases by 3 the number of judges serving on the court of appeals.

Current law requires district court judges regularly assigned to Arapahoe county to maintain offices within Arapahoe county. The bill allows the district court judges assigned to Arapahoe county to maintain offices outside of the county seat.

• Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:

• Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-5-105, add (2)(i) and (2)(j) as follows:

• Page 2, Line 313-5-105.  Fourth district. (2) (i)  Subject to available

• Page 2, Line 4appropriations, effective July 1, 2025, the number of judges for the fourth judicial district is twenty-five.

• Page 2, Line 5(j)  Subject to available appropriations, effective July 1,

• Page 2, Line 62026, the number of judges for the fourth judicial district is twenty-six.

• Page 2, Line 7SECTION 2.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-5-108, amend (2)(c); and add (2)(d) as follows:

• Page 2, Line 813-5-108.  Seventh district. (2) (c)  Notwithstanding the

• Page 2, Line 9provisions of paragraph (a) of this subsection (2), Subject to available

• Page 2, Line 10appropriations, effective July 1, 2011, the number of judges for the seventh judicial district shall be is five.

• Page 2, Line 11(d)  Subject to available appropriations, effective July 1, 2026, the number of judges for the seventh judicial district is six.

• Page 2, Line 13SECTION 3.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-5-114, add (2)(c) as follows:

• Page 3, Line 113-5-114.  Thirteenth district. (2) (c)  Subject to available

• Page 3, Line 2appropriations, effective July 1, 2026, the number of judges for the thirteenth judicial district is six.

• Page 3, Line 3SECTION 4.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-5-118, add (2)(h) and (2)(i) as follows:

• Page 3, Line 413-5-118.  Seventeenth district. (2) (h)  Subject to available

• Page 3, Line 5appropriations, effective July 1, 2025, the number of judges for the seventeenth judicial district is seventeen.

• Page 3, Line 6(i)  Subject to available appropriations, effective July 1,

• Page 3, Line 72026, the number of judges for the seventeenth judicial district is eighteen.

• Page 3, Line 8SECTION 5.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-5-119, amend (2)(e); and add (2)(d)(VIII) and (2)(d)(IX) as follows:

• Page 3, Line 913-5-119.  Eighteenth district. (2) (d) (VIII)  Subject to

• Page 3, Line 10available appropriations, effective July 1, 2025, the number of judges for the eighteenth judicial district is eighteen.

• Page 3, Line 11(IX)  Subject to available appropriations, effective July 1,

• Page 3, Line 122026, the number of judges for the eighteenth judicial district is nineteen.

• Page 3, Line 13(e)  The district judges regularly assigned to Arapahoe county shall

• Page 3, Line 14maintain their offices in one location within Arapahoe county may maintain offices outside of the county seat.

• Page 3, Line 15SECTION 6.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-5-120, add (2)(i) as follows:

• Page 3, Line 1613-5-120.  Nineteenth district. (2) (i)  Subject to available

• Page 3, Line 17appropriations, effective July 1, 2026, the number of judges for the nineteenth judicial district is twelve.

• Page 4, Line 2SECTION 7.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-5-123.1, add (3) as follows:

• Page 4, Line 313-5-123.1.  Twenty-third district. (3)  Subject to available

• Page 4, Line 4appropriations, effective July 1, 2025, the number of judges for the twenty-third judicial district is nine.

• Page 4, Line 5SECTION 8.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, repeal and reenact, with amendments, 13-6-202 as follows:

• Page 4, Line 613-6-202.  Number of judges. (1)  There is one county judge in each county, except that:

• Page 4, Line 7(a)  Subject to available appropriations, the number of county judges in the county of Jefferson is nine;

• Page 4, Line 8(b)  Subject to available appropriations, the number of county judges in the county of El Paso is ten;

• Page 4, Line 9(c)  Subject to available appropriations, the number of county judges in the county of Adams is eight;

• Page 4, Line 11(d)  Subject to available appropriations, the number of county judges in the county of Arapahoe is eight;

• Page 4, Line 13(e)  Subject to available appropriations, the number of county judges in the county of Boulder is five;

• Page 4, Line 14(f)  Subject to available appropriations, the number of county judges in the county of Pueblo is three;

• Page 4, Line 15(g)  Subject to available appropriations, the number of

• Page 4, Line 16county judges in the city and county of Denver is the number of county judges provided by the charter and ordinances thereof;

• Page 5, Line 1(h)  (I)  Subject to available appropriations, the number of county judges in the county of Larimer is five; and

• Page 5, Line 2(II)  Subject to available appropriations, effective July 1, 2026, the number of county judges in the county of Larimer is six;

• Page 5, Line 3(i) (I)  Subject to available appropriations, the number of county judges in the county of Douglas is three; and

• Page 5, Line 4(II)  Subject to available appropriations, effective July 1,

• Page 5, Line 52026, the number of county judges in the county of Douglas is four;

• Page 5, Line 6(j)  Subject to available appropriations, effective July 1,

• Page 5, Line 72025, the number of county judges in the county of La Plata is two;

• Page 5, Line 8(k) (I)  Subject to available appropriations, the number of county judges in the county of Mesa is three; and

• Page 5, Line 9(II)  Subject to available appropriations, effective July 1, 2026, the number of county judges in the county of Mesa is four;

• Page 5, Line 10(l)  Subject to available appropriations, the number of county judges in the county of Weld is four; and

• Page 5, Line 12(m)  Subject to available appropriations, effective July 1, 2026, the number of county judges in the county of Eagle is two.

• Page 5, Line 13(2) (a)  One of the county judges in Boulder county shall

• Page 5, Line 14maintain a courtroom in the city of Longmont at least three days per week.

• Page 5, Line 15(b)  A judge of the Eagle county court shall conduct

• Page 5, Line 16court business in that portion of Eagle county lying in the

• Page 6, Line 1Roaring Fork river drainage area in a manner sufficient to deal with the business before the court.

• Page 6, Line 3SECTION 9.  Appropriation. (1)  For the 2025-26 state fiscal

• Page 6, Line 4year, $2,638,326 is appropriated to the judicial department for use by the

• Page 6, Line 5state courts. This appropriation is from the general fund. To implement this act, the state courts may use this appropriation as follows:

• Page 6, Line 6(a)  $2,120,626 for use by trial courts for trial court programs,

• Page 6, Line 7which amount is based on an assumption that the trial courts will require an additional 17.5 FTE;

• Page 6, Line 8(b)  $115,500 for capital outlay; and

• (c)  $402,200 for courthouse furnishings and infrastructure

• Page 6, Line 9maintenance.

• Page 6, Line 10(2)  For the 2025-26 state fiscal year, $621,337 is appropriated to

• Page 6, Line 11the judicial department for use by the office of state public defender. This

• Page 6, Line 12appropriation is from the general fund. To implement this act, the office may use this appropriation as follows:

• Page 6, Line 13(a)  $557,311 for personal services, which amount is based on an assumption that the office will require an additional 6.7 FTE;

• Page 6, Line 14(b)  $8,576 for operating expenses;

• (c)  $46,690 for capital outlay;

• Page 6, Line 15(d)  $760 for attorney registration; and

• (e)  $8,000 for training.

• Page 6, Line 16SECTION 10.  Safety clause. The general assembly finds,

• Page 6, Line 17determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate

• Page 6, Line 18preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for

• Page 7, Line 1the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state institutions.