HB 25-1304

House Bill 25-1304, which has been signed into law, extends the time frame for judges in Colorado to order restitution payments from defendants who have committed crimes. Previously, judges had only 91 days after a conviction to decide on restitution. Now, if the necessary information isn't available right away, prosecutors get an extra 63 days to gather and submit it to the judge. Once they do, judges then have another 63 days to order restitution based on this new information. This change helps ensure victims receive compensation for their losses but only applies to defendants sentenced after the law took effect.

Official Summary

Current law gives a trial court judge 91 days from the day a conviction enters in a criminal case to order restitution, which is the monetary loss a victim suffers due to a defendant's criminal conduct, in a criminal case. The act grants the prosecuting attorney 63 days to submit restitution information to the trial court judge following a conviction if the information is not available on the day a conviction enters, and then grants the trial court judge an additional 63 days following the submission of restitution information to order restitution after it receives the information from the prosecuting attorney. The act applies to defendants sentenced on or after the act's effective date. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Votes