Senate Bill 25-210

BY SENATOR(S) Amabile and Kirkmeyer, Bridges;

also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Bird and Sirota, Taggart, Garcia, Story.

Concerning repealing the five-year appropriation requirement for bills that result in a net increase in periods of incarceration.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:

SECTION 1.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, repeal 2-2-703 as follows:

2-2-703.  General assembly - bills which result in a net increase in periods of imprisonment in state correctional facilities - funding must be provided in the bill.On and after July 1, 2025, a bill may not be passed by the general assembly which would result in a net increase in periods of imprisonment in state correctional facilities unless, in such bill, there is an appropriation of money which is sufficient to cover any increased capital construction costs, any increased operating costs, and increased parole costs which are the result of such bill for the department of corrections in each of the first five years following the effective date of the bill. Money sufficient to cover such increased capital construction costs and increased operating costs for the first five fiscal years following the effective date of the bill must be estimated by the appropriations committee, and after consideration of such estimate the general assembly shall make a determination as to the amount of money sufficient to cover the costs, and such money must be appropriated in the bill in the form of a statutory appropriation from the general fund in the years affected. Any such bill which is passed on or after July 1, 1991, which is silent as to whether it is intended to be an exception to this section, shall not be deemed to be such an exception. Any bill which is enacted which is intended to be an exception to this section must expressly state such exception in such bill.

SECTION 2.  Act subject to petition - effective date. This act takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.