- Colorado lawmakers consider bill that would implement statewide jail standards (Denver7, 1/23/2023)
- Colorado lawmakers are considering House Bill 24-1054, aimed at making state jails safer by implementing a basic set of standards as recommended by the Legislative Oversight Committee for Colorado Jail Standards. The bill follows a troubling trend of in-custody deaths in Colorado. Supporters argue that the proposed standards, covering areas such as food service, visitor policies, and staff training, will create a safer environment for both inmates and jail staff, addressing concerns about mental health and suicide prevention.
- Colorado legislative committee to examine behavioral health in criminal justice system (The Denver Gazette, 7/22/2024)
- In the upcoming legislative session, Colorado will focus on improving mental health support within its criminal justice system, with a six-member oversight committee and a 31-member task force aiming to introduce five new bills in 2025. These bills will address various issues, including oversight of youth offender case management, pre-trial deflection programs, extending hospital stays for mental health patients, and revising the not guilty by reason of insanity plea. The committee has previously proposed significant funding for a crisis response system within the Behavioral Health Administration and is set to continue its work towards comprehensive reforms.
- Alarming reports about PERA’s finances spark questions about future of the state’s pension (The Colorado Sun, 7/30/2024)
- The Colorado Public Employees’ Retirement Association (PERA) is facing scrutiny over its finances, with an independent review suggesting the pension fund may be underestimating its financial problems by billions of dollars. In response, a legislative oversight panel is considering recommending further reforms to the pension system, which serves over 700,000 current and former public sector workers. PERA’s advisors have disputed the review’s findings, but the pension’s own analyses acknowledge a significant risk of financial setback in 2025, which could lead to more benefit cuts and contribution increases. The panel is expected to draft a letter to the Pension Review Commission to propose potential actions to address the pension’s financial security.
- Legislators looking to offer better breaks on business personal property tax (The Sum & Substance, 8/16/2024)
- Members of Colorado’s Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning Tax Policy are reviewing the state auditor’s report which found that the business personal property tax credit is underutilized, with less than 1% of eligible businesses taking advantage of it. In response, they are considering reforms to expand the credit’s reach, such as raising the exemption threshold or simplifying the application process. The goal is to provide more effective tax relief while addressing the concerns highlighted in the audit.
