A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning processes for offender release from custody.
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.)
Under current law, a sheriff may allow an individual to choose to stay in jail overnight after release when extenuating circumstances exist. The bill states it is an extenuating circumstance to facilitate a connection to a service provider. If a defendant remains in jail overnight, the defendant must be released by 10 a.m. the next morning.
Under current law, there is a distinction for those who are 55 years of age or older, and for those under that age with certain medical conditions, for special needs parole. The bill changes that distinction. The bill makes an inmate eligible for special needs parole if the inmate is 55 years of age or older and suffers from a diagnosed severe cognitive impairment or serious impairment that limits the person's ability to function. The bill makes an inmate eligible for special needs parole if the inmate is under 55 years of age and suffers from a diagnosed severe cognitive impairment or serious impairment that limits the person's ability to function; has served at least 25% of the inmate's sentence, or 10 years imprisonment, whichever is shorter; and has not incurred a class I code of penal discipline violation within the 12 months before the date of the application for special needs parole. The bill makes a person eligible for special needs parole if the person has a condition such as advanced or metastatic cancer; end-stage renal disease; end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder; end-stage heart disease; end-stage liver disease; progressive neurodegenerative disease such as Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; intractable seizure disorder; severe dementia; or Alzheimer's disease. The bill provides that when a health-care provider who is providing care to the person makes a determination that the person's medical condition meets the standard for special needs parole, then a referral must be made to the parole board.
The department of corrections is required to include in each contract with a licensed health-care provider involved in providing patient care to an inmate a requirement that the provider screen each patient for eligibility for special needs parole.
The bill requires legislative council staff to conduct a study of options for releasing aging and seriously ill offenders from secure custody to appropriate care or placing offenders in alternative programs that can better provide the offender's needed medical care.
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 16-4-102, amend (2)(b)(I) as follows:
Page 2, Line 316-4-102. Right to bail - before conviction. (2) (b) (I) A judge,
Page 2, Line 4judicial officer, or bond hearing officer shall not require a monetary bond
Page 2, Line 5to be paid in the defendant's name. Bond may be paid, at a minimum, by
Page 2, Line 6cash, money order, or cashier's check. If bond is paid by money order or
Page 2, Line 7cashier's check, the money order or cashier's check may be payable to the
Page 2, Line 8holding county. Before bond is posted, the sheriff shall provide the
Page 2, Line 9defendant and surety, if any, a copy of the notice described in subsection
Page 3, Line 1(2)(h)(I) of this section. When the bond is posted, the sheriff shall provide
Page 3, Line 2the defendant and surety, if any, a copy of the bond paperwork and
Page 3, Line 3information regarding the defendant's next court date. The individual
Page 3, Line 4processing the bond shall certify, in writing, that the
payor payerPage 3, Line 5received a copy of the bond paperwork, the notice described in subsection
Page 3, Line 6(2)(h)(I) of this section, and information regarding the defendant's next
Page 3, Line 7court date and shall place a copy of the certification in the defendant's
Page 3, Line 8file. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, a sheriff may allow
Page 3, Line 9an individual to choose to stay in jail overnight after release when
Page 3, Line 10extenuating circumstances exist, including inclement weather, lack of
Page 3, Line 11transportation,
or lack of shelter, or to facilitate a connection to aPage 3, Line 12service provider. If a defendant remains in jail overnight, the defendant must be released by 10 a.m. the next morning.
Page 3, Line 13SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 17-1-102, amend (6.7), (7.4), and (7.5); and add(1.1), (6.8), and (7.6) as follows:
Page 3, Line 1417-1-102. Definitions. As used in this title 17, unless the context otherwise requires:
Page 3, Line 15(1.1) "Activities of daily living" means basic self-care
Page 3, Line 16activities, including, but not limited to, eating, bathing,
Page 3, Line 17dressing, grooming, transferring from bed to chair, toileting,
Page 3, Line 18taking medications, cleaning, using prison communications systems, and independent ambulation.
Page 3, Line 19(6.7) "Inmate liaison" means an inmate's family member or
Page 3, Line 20attorney; a government agency; a public defender liaison, described
Page 3, Line 21in section 21-1-104, to the department of corrections and the
Page 3, Line 22state board of parole; or a representative from an organization with
Page 3, Line 23experience in helping inmates apply for special needs parole, high-needs
Page 4, Line 1prerelease planning, or reentry. The organization must be in good
Page 4, Line 2standing with the Colorado secretary of state for the past twelve
Page 4, Line 3consecutive months, and the organization's involvement must be at the
Page 4, Line 4request of the inmate, or an inmate's family member or attorney should the inmate be unable to make the request.
Page 4, Line 5(6.8) "Licensed health-care provider" means a medical or
Page 4, Line 6behavioral health-care provider licensed in this state who is
Page 4, Line 7employed by or under contract with the department or a private
Page 4, Line 8licensed health-care provider who is providing or recently has provided patient care to the inmate.
Page 4, Line 9(7.4) "Serious impairment that limits a person's ability to function"
Page 4, Line 10means
a medically diagnosed physical or mental condition that is chronicPage 4, Line 11
and long term in nature and severely limits a person's ability toPage 4, Line 12
independently perform essential day-to-day activities without dailyPage 4, Line 13
intervention, attention, or support from an inmate aide or professionalPage 4, Line 14
caregiver a medically diagnosed physical condition that isPage 4, Line 15chronic, severe, and long term in nature and that causes the
Page 4, Line 16inmate to require assistance with two or more activities of daily
Page 4, Line 17living on a daily and sustained basis. Such conditions include,
Page 4, Line 18but are not limited to, advanced or metastatic cancer;
Page 4, Line 19end-stage renal disease; end-stage chronic obstructive
Page 4, Line 20pulmonary disorder; end-stage heart disease; end-stage liver
Page 4, Line 21disease; progressive neurodegenerative disease such as
Page 4, Line 22Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; and intractable seizure disorder.
Page 4, Line 23(7.5)
(a) "Special needs offender" means a person in the custodyPage 4, Line 24
of the department:Page 5, Line 1
(I) Who is fifty-five years of age or older and has been diagnosedPage 5, Line 2
by a licensed health-care provider who is employed by or under contractPage 5, Line 3
with the department or by a private licensed health-care provider involvedPage 5, Line 4
in providing patient care to the inmate as suffering from a chronicPage 5, Line 5
infirmity, illness, condition, disease, or behavioral or mental healthPage 5, Line 6
disorder that causes serious impairment that limits the person's ability to function;Page 5, Line 7
(II) Who, as determined by a licensed health-care provider whoPage 5, Line 8
is employed by or under contract with the department or by a privatePage 5, Line 9
licensed health-care provider involved in providing patient care to thePage 5, Line 10
inmate, suffers from a chronic, permanent, terminal, or irreversiblePage 5, Line 11
physical illness, condition, disease, or a behavioral or mental health disorder that requires costly care or treatment and who is incapacitated;Page 5, Line 12
(III) Who is sixty-four years of age or older and has served at leastPage 5, Line 13
twenty years of the person's sentence and was not convicted of a class 1Page 5, Line 14
or class 2 felony for a crime as defined in section 24-4.1-302 (1),Page 5, Line 15
unlawful sexual behavior as defined in section 16-22-102 (9), a crime thatPage 5, Line 16
includes domestic violence as defined in section 18-6-800.3 (1), or stalking as described in section 18-3-602; orPage 5, Line 17
(IV) Who, as determined by a licensed health-care provider whoPage 5, Line 18
is employed by or under contract with the department or a competencyPage 5, Line 19
evaluator as defined in section 16-8.5-101 (3) and approved by thePage 5, Line 20
department of human services, on the basis of available evidence, notPage 5, Line 21
including evidence resulting from a refusal of the person to acceptPage 5, Line 22
treatment, is incompetent to proceed and does not have a substantialPage 5, Line 23
probability of being restored to competency for the completion of anyPage 5, Line 24
sentence including a person who has been diagnosed with dementia thatPage 6, Line 1
renders the person incompetent to proceed. As used in this subsectionPage 6, Line 2
(7.5)(a)(IV), "competency" has the same meaning as "competent toPage 6, Line 3
proceed", as defined in section 16-8.5-101 (5), and "incompetent to proceed" has the same meaning as defined in section 16-8.5-101 (12).Page 6, Line 4
(b) (I) Notwithstanding subsection (7.5)(a) of this section, "special needs offender" does not include a person who:Page 6, Line 5
(A) Was convicted of a class 1 felony and sentenced to life withPage 6, Line 6
the possibility of parole and the offender has served fewer than twenty calendar years in a department of corrections facility for the offense;Page 6, Line 7
(B) Was convicted of a class 1 felony and sentenced to life without parole; orPage 6, Line 8
(C) Was convicted of a class 2 felony crime of violence asPage 6, Line 9
described in section 18-1.3-406 and the offender has served fewer than ten calendar years in a department of corrections facility for the offense.Page 6, Line 10
(II) This subsection (7.5)(b) does not apply to an inmate who hasPage 6, Line 11
been diagnosed as having a terminal illness with an anticipated lifePage 6, Line 12
expectancy of twelve months or less by a licensed health-care providerPage 6, Line 13
who is employed by or under contract with the department or by a privatePage 6, Line 14
licensed health-care provider involved in providing patient care to thePage 6, Line 15
inmate. "Severe cognitive impairment" means a substantialPage 6, Line 16disorder of cognitive ability or mental illness that is chronic,
Page 6, Line 17severe, and long term in nature that results in marked
Page 6, Line 18functional disability, significantly interfering with adaptive
Page 6, Line 19behavior and causing an inmate to require assistance with two
Page 6, Line 20or more activities of daily living on a daily and sustained basis.
Page 6, Line 21Such conditions include, but are not limited to, dementia
Page 6, Line 22diseases and related disabilities, as defined in section 25-1-502,and Alzheimer's disease.
Page 7, Line 1(7.6) (a) "Special needs offender" means an inmate in the custody of the department:
Page 7, Line 2(I) Who has been diagnosed by a licensed health-care
Page 7, Line 3provider as suffering serious impairment that limits the person's ability to function and:
Page 7, Line 4(A) Is fifty-five years of age or older; or
Page 7, Line 5 (B) Is under fifty-five years of age; has not incurred a
Page 7, Line 6class I code of penal discipline violation within twelve months
Page 7, Line 7before the date of the application for special needs parole; and
Page 7, Line 8has served at least twenty-five percent of the imposed sentence,
Page 7, Line 9including any earned time awarded, if the inmate is eligible for
Page 7, Line 10parole after serving fifty percent of the imposed sentence
Page 7, Line 11pursuant to section 17-22.5-403 (1); has served at least
Page 7, Line 12thirty-five percent of the imposed sentence, including any
Page 7, Line 13earned time awarded, if the inmate is eligible for parole after
Page 7, Line 14serving seventy-five percent of the imposed sentence pursuant
Page 7, Line 15to section 17-22.5-403 (2) and (2.5); has served at least forty
Page 7, Line 16percent of the imposed sentence if the inmate is eligible for
Page 7, Line 17parole after serving seventy-five percent of the imposed
Page 7, Line 18sentence pursuant to section 17-22.5-403 (3) and (3.5); or has been
Page 7, Line 19diagnosed by a licensed health-care provider as having a
Page 7, Line 20terminal illness that is irreversible, unlikely to be cured, and likely to cause death.
Page 7, Line 21(II) Who has been determined by a licensed health-care provider as suffering from severe cognitive impairment and:
Page 7, Line 22(A) Is fifty-five years of age or older; or
Page 8, Line 1(B) Is under fifty-five years of age; has not incurred a
Page 8, Line 2class I code of penal discipline violation within twelve months
Page 8, Line 3before the date of the application for special needs parole; and
Page 8, Line 4has served at least twenty-five percent of the imposed sentence,
Page 8, Line 5including any earned time awarded, if the inmate is eligible for
Page 8, Line 6parole after serving fifty percent of the imposed sentence
Page 8, Line 7pursuant to section 17-22.5-403 (1); has served at least
Page 8, Line 8thirty-five percent of the imposed sentence, including any
Page 8, Line 9earned time awarded, if the inmate is eligible for parole after
Page 8, Line 10serving seventy-five percent of the imposed sentence pursuant
Page 8, Line 11to section 17-22.5-403 (2) and (2.5); has served at least forty
Page 8, Line 12percent of the imposed sentence if the inmate is eligible for
Page 8, Line 13parole after serving seventy-five percent of the imposed
Page 8, Line 14sentence pursuant to section 17-22.5-403 (3) and (3.5); or has been
Page 8, Line 15diagnosed by a licensed health-care provider as having a
Page 8, Line 16terminal illness that is irreversible, unlikely to be cured, and likely to cause death.
Page 8, Line 17(III) Who is sixty-four years of age or older and has
Page 8, Line 18served at least twenty years of the person's sentence and was
Page 8, Line 19not convicted of a class 1 or class 2 felony for a crime as
Page 8, Line 20defined in section 24-4.1-302 (1); unlawful sexual behavior, as
Page 8, Line 21defined in section 16-22-102 (9); a crime that includes domestic
Page 8, Line 22violence, as defined in section 18-6-800.3 (1); or stalking as described in section 18-3-602.
Page 8, Line 23(b) (I) Notwithstanding subsection (7.6)(a) of this section, "special needs offender" does not include an inmate who:
Page 8, Line 24(A) Was convicted of a class 1 felony and sentenced to
Page 9, Line 1life imprisonment with the possibility of parole and the inmate
Page 9, Line 2has served fewer than twenty calendar years in a department of corrections facility for the offense;
Page 9, Line 3(B) Was convicted of a class 1 felony and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole; or
Page 9, Line 4(C) Was convicted of a class 2 felony crime of violence as
Page 9, Line 5described in section 18-1.3-406 and the inmate has served fewer
Page 9, Line 6than ten calendar years in a department of corrections facility for the offense.
Page 9, Line 7 (II) This subsection (7.6)(b) does not apply to an inmate
Page 9, Line 8who has been diagnosed as having a terminal illness that is
Page 9, Line 9irreversible, unlikely to be cured, and likely to cause death by a licensed health-care provider.
Page 9, Line 10SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 17-22.5-403.5,
Page 9, Line 11amend (1) introductory portion, (3)(a) introductory portion, (3)(b)
Page 9, Line 12introductory portion, (3)(b.5), (4)(a), (4)(b), and (4)(f); repeal (2); and add (3)(a)(III.5), (3)(b)(V), (9), and (10) as follows:
Page 9, Line 1317-22.5-403.5. Special needs parole. (1) Notwithstanding any
Page 9, Line 14provision of law to the contrary, a special needs offender, as defined in
Page 9, Line 15
section 17-1-102 (7.5)(a) section 17-1-102 (7.6), may be eligible forPage 9, Line 16parole prior to or after the offender's parole eligibility date pursuant to this section if:
Page 9, Line 17(2)
This section shall apply to any inmate applying for parole onPage 9, Line 18
or after July 1, 2001, regardless of when the inmate was sentenced. ThePage 9, Line 19
provisions of this section shall not affect the length of the parole period to which a special needs offender would otherwise be subject.Page 9, Line 20(3) (a) The department is responsible for identifying inmates who
Page 10, Line 1are special needs offenders.
and Once a licensed health-carePage 10, Line 2provider determines, and documents in the patient's medical
Page 10, Line 3record, that the inmate suffers from a serious impairment that
Page 10, Line 4limits the inmate's ability to function, or a severe cognitive
Page 10, Line 5impairment,the department shall submit a referral to the state board
Page 10, Line 6of parole for
all special needs offenders the inmate. A licensedPage 10, Line 7health-care provider is not liable to any person regarding a
Page 10, Line 8determination whether an inmate has a serious impairment that
Page 10, Line 9limits a person's ability to function or severe cognitive
Page 10, Line 10impairment. If the inmate has been diagnosed by a licensed
Page 10, Line 11health-care provider as suffering from a serious impairment
Page 10, Line 12that limits the inmate's ability to function, or a severe cognitive
Page 10, Line 13impairment, the department shall not set aside or disregard
Page 10, Line 14that determination on the basis that an employee of the
Page 10, Line 15department does not concur in that assessment. The department
Page 10, Line 16shall not determine that an inmate does not have a serious
Page 10, Line 17impairment that limits an inmate's ability to function based on
Page 10, Line 18the department's ability to accommodate the inmate's physical
Page 10, Line 19or mental impairment. The department shall submit a referral
Page 10, Line 20to the state board of parole for all other special needs
Page 10, Line 21offenders identified by the department. If notification to the district
Page 10, Line 22attorney is required pursuant to subsection (3)(c)(II) of this section, the
Page 10, Line 23inmate shall authorize the department to release the information described
Page 10, Line 24in subsections (3)(b)(I) and (3)(b)(I.5) of this section to the district
Page 10, Line 25attorney. An inmate or inmate liaison, if the inmate is unable to, may also
Page 10, Line 26request that the department make a determination of whether an inmate
Page 10, Line 27is eligible for special needs parole and the department shall make a
Page 11, Line 1determination within thirty days after receiving the request.
unless aPage 11, Line 2
competency evaluation has been requested. The department, inPage 11, Line 3consultation with the state board of parole, shall develop any necessary policies and procedures regarding special needs parole to ensure that:
Page 11, Line 4(III.5) The department shares relevant and necessary
Page 11, Line 5data and information with the public defender liaisons as
Page 11, Line 6described in section 21-1-104 in order to allow the liaisons to effectively assist special needs parole applicants.
Page 11, Line 7(b) If an inmate meets the eligibility requirements pursuant to
Page 11, Line 8section 17-1-102, the department shall submit a referral to the board that,
Page 11, Line 9in addition to the requirements of section 17-22.5-404 (4)(a),
shall include includes:Page 11, Line 10(V) Any information, statements, letters, and documents
Page 11, Line 11provided by the inmate liaison or by the public defender liaison
Page 11, Line 12as described in section 21-1-104, if the public defender liaison
Page 11, Line 13program is assisting the inmate. The parole board shall review and consider the submission by the public defender liaison.
Page 11, Line 14(b.5) The department shall provide a copy of the referral packet
Page 11, Line 15submitted to the parole board to the inmate or inmate liaison and to the
Page 11, Line 16public defender liaison as described in section 21-1-104, except
Page 11, Line 17for the victim impact statement and response from the district attorney.
Page 11, Line 18The inmate,
or inmate liaison, or the public defender liaison asPage 11, Line 19described in section 21-1-104, has thirty calendar days to submit
Page 11, Line 20additional health records or other relevant information not included in the
Page 11, Line 21referral packet to the department for submission to the parole board prior to the parole board's decision.
Page 11, Line 22(4) (a) The state board of parole shall consider an inmate for
Page 12, Line 1special needs parole upon referral by the department and shall consider
Page 12, Line 2all of the information provided to the board pursuant to subsection (3) of this section and any victim impact statement.
Page 12, Line 3(b) The state board of parole shall make a determination of the
Page 12, Line 4risk of reoffense that the inmate poses after considering
the factors inPage 12, Line 5
section 17-22.5-404 (4)(a), as well as the nature and severity of thePage 12, Line 6inmate's medical or physical condition, the age of the inmate,
the abilityPage 12, Line 7
of the department to adequately provide necessary medical or behavioralPage 12, Line 8
health treatment, the inmate's current and up-to-date risk and needsPage 12, Line 9assessment scores, the nature and severity of the offense for which the
Page 12, Line 10inmate is currently incarcerated, the inmate's criminal history, the inmate's
Page 12, Line 11institutional conduct, program and treatment participation, and other relevant risk and risk-reduction factors.
Page 12, Line 12(f) If, prior to or during any parole revocation hearing,
Page 12, Line 13including hearings for offenders granted parole pursuant to
Page 12, Line 14subsection (5) of this section, the department or
any a member of thePage 12, Line 15parole board has a substantial and good-faith reason to believe that the
Page 12, Line 16offender is incompetent to proceed, as defined in section 16-8.5-101 (12),
Page 12, Line 17the parole board shall suspend all proceedings and notify the public
Page 12, Line 18defender liaison described in section 21-1-104 (6). The office of state
Page 12, Line 19public defender shall be appointed by the court to represent the inmate
Page 12, Line 20and shall file a written motion with the trial court that imposed the
Page 12, Line 21sentence to determine competency. The motion must contain a certificate
Page 12, Line 22of counsel stating that the motion is based on a good-faith belief that the
Page 12, Line 23inmate is incompetent to proceed. The motion must set forth the specific
Page 12, Line 24facts that have formed the basis for the motion. The court shall seal the
Page 12, Line 25motion. The court shall follow all the relevant procedures in article 8.5 of
Page 13, Line 1title 16 regarding the determination of competency. The presence of the inmate is not required unless there is good cause shown.
Page 13, Line 2(9) The department shall include in each contract with a
Page 13, Line 3licensed health-care provider involved in providing patient care
Page 13, Line 4to an inmate a requirement that the provider screen each patient for eligibility for special needs parole.
Page 13, Line 5(10) This section does not require an inmate to seek an
Page 13, Line 6outside medical opinion of impairment or second opinion of any kind.
Page 13, Line 7SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 2-3-313 as follows:
Page 13, Line 82-3-313. Legislative council staff - study correctional release
Page 13, Line 9options for aging and seriously ill offenders. (1) Legislative council
Page 13, Line 10staff shall conduct a study of options for releasing aging and
Page 13, Line 11seriously ill offenders from secure custody to appropriate care
Page 13, Line 12or placing offenders in alternative programs that can better provide the offender's needed medical care.
Page 13, Line 13(2) The study must include, but is not limited to:
Page 13, Line 14(a) A review of the compassionate release or special needs
Page 13, Line 15parole laws of other states, including a review of the federal compassionate release laws;
Page 13, Line 16(b) A description of placement programs in use in other
Page 13, Line 17states that have been shown to be effective in addressing the
Page 13, Line 18transition and placement of the aging and seriously ill offender
Page 13, Line 19population, including a description of the funding sources used
Page 13, Line 20to support the programs, which must include medicaid, medicare,
Page 13, Line 21social security, and any other governmental resources;
Page 14, Line 1(c) Identifying alternative facilities that are available
Page 14, Line 2in Colorado to receive aging and seriously ill offenders,
Page 14, Line 3including nursing homes and other community-based residential or non-residential programs;
Page 14, Line 4(d) A description of the ability of current or future
Page 14, Line 5community corrections providers to develop placements and
Page 14, Line 6programs to serve the aging and seriously ill offender
Page 14, Line 7population, including whether the existing community
Page 14, Line 8corrections programs have the ability to serve persons with
Page 14, Line 9disabilities as defined in the federal "Americans with Disabilities
Page 14, Line 10Act of 1990", 42 U.S.C. sec. 12101 et seq. in residential or nonresidential programs;
Page 14, Line 11(e) A description of the ability of the department to
Page 14, Line 12access medicaid or other health-care funds for placements
Page 14, Line 13outside of the department, the extent of the funding, and how
Page 14, Line 14the funding could be increased by the placement of aging and seriously ill offenders in the community;
Page 14, Line 15(f) Identifying any statutory or other legal regulations
Page 14, Line 16that create barriers to the implementation of community-based
Page 14, Line 17programs for the placement and transition of aging and special needs offenders; and
Page 14, Line 18(g) Evaluate the feasibility of opening or retrofitting one
Page 14, Line 19or more locations to be operated by the department of corrections as an elder-care facility for aging and ill inmates.
Page 14, Line 20(3) Legislative council staff shall prepare a report
Page 14, Line 21summarizing the results of the study required by this section
Page 14, Line 22before December 15, 2025, and shall submit the report to the
Page 15, Line 1department, the joint budget committee, the legislative audit
Page 15, Line 2committee, and the house of representatives judiciary committee
Page 15, Line 3and the senate judiciary committee, or their successor committees.
Page 15, Line 4SECTION 5. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act
Page 15, Line 5takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the
Page 15, Line 6ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except
Page 15, Line 7that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V
Page 15, Line 8of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this
Page 15, Line 9act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take
Page 15, Line 10effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in
Page 15, Line 11November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.