SB 23-228

Senate Bill 23-228 creates a new office called the Office of Administrative Services for Independent Agencies within Colorado's judicial department. This office will provide support services like human resources and administrative help to four specific agencies: the child protection ombudsman, independent ethics commission, public guardianship office, and the commission on judicial discipline. The bill also allocates funding from the state’s general fund to set up this new office and ensure it can operate until July 1, 2024. This bill has been signed into law by the governor and is now effective as of April 20, 2023, but some parts depend on another related bill also becoming law.

Official Summary

The act creates the office of administrative services for independent agencies (office) in the judicial department to provide administrative support services to the office of the child protection ombudsman, the independent ethics commission, the office of public guardianship, and the commission on judicial discipline. The act requires the office to be governed by an administrative board that is responsible for hiring the director of the office, assisting the office director in establishing office policies regarding the delivery of support services, and providing human resources assistance to assist in the hiring of office employees. The act sets responsibilities for the office. The act requires the judicial department to provide the office with administrative support until July 1, 2024, and to provide office space for the office. Under current law, certain independent agencies operate through a memorandum of understanding with the judicial department. The act repeals the memorandum of understanding requirements to allow the office to provide those services to the office of the child protection ombudsman and the office of public guardianship. To implement the act, $746,909 is appropriated from the general fund to the judicial department for use by the office, and $100,453 is appropriated from the general fund to the judicial department for the purchase of legal services and is reappropriated to the department of law to provide legal services for the judicial department. Provisions of the act are contingent upon Senate Bill 23-064 being enacted and becoming law. APPROVED by Governor April 20, 2023 EFFECTIVE April 20, 2023 NOTE: Certain sections of the act are contingent on whether or not Senate Bill 23-064 becomes law. Senate Bill 23-064 was signed by the governor May 30, 2023. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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