SB 25-170

Senate Bill 25-170 allocates $3 million from the state budget to help clear a backlog of DNA and sexual assault kit tests at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The bill also allows CBI to hire outside labs to assist with testing. Additionally, it requires CBI to regularly update the public on progress through a dashboard on the Department of Public Safety’s website and provide detailed reports to lawmakers every month from March 2025 to June 2026. Since the bill has been signed into law, these measures are now in effect and will help address delays in processing crucial evidence related to sexual assault cases.

Official Summary

The act requires the Colorado bureau of investigation (CBI) to spend $3,000,000 in specifically appropriated money from House Bill 24-1430, concerning the provision for payment of the expenses of the executive, legislative, and judicial departments of the state of Colorado, and of its agencies and institutions, for and during the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, except as otherwise noted, on backlogged DNA evidence and sexual assault kit tests, as well as DNA retesting related to CBI's laboratory misconduct that was discovered in 2023. Additionally, the act allows CBI to contract with external labs to perform the testing. The act requires CBI to create a dashboard on the department of public safety's website to update the public on the backlog at least every 30 days. CBI shall provide the general assembly with updates on the sexual assault kit backlog, including the number of cases pending, the number of tests CBI's lab conducted, the number of tests CBI contracted out, an update on CBI's laboratory staffing levels, the average turnaround time for a sexual assault kit test, and other relevant data points every 30 days from March 10, 2025, through June 30, 2026. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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