SB 17-051

Senate Bill 17-051 updates Colorado’s laws to better protect crime victims by expanding their rights and defining new types of crimes that can harm them. The bill includes situations like hit-and-run accidents causing serious injuries, violations of protection orders for stalking cases, and posting private images for harassment or profit as criminal offenses. It also ensures victims have the right to be heard at various court proceedings and to receive information about decisions made by courts, parole boards, and the governor that affect their case. Since this bill has been signed into law, it is now enforceable and will directly impact crime victims in Colorado who are seeking justice or updates on cases involving them.

Official Summary

The bill makes various amendments to statutes concerning the rights of crime victims, including the following: The definition of 'crime' is amended to include: Failure to stop at the scene of an accident that results in serious bodily injury of another person; Violation of a protection order issued against a person charged with stalking; and Posting a private image for harassment or for pecuniary gain. The definition of 'critical stages' is amended to include any full parole board review hearing. The definition of 'modification of sentence' is amended to include a resentencing following a probation revocation hearing or a request for early termination of probation. The bill creates a victim's right: To be heard at any court proceeding at which the court considers a request for progression from a person accused or convicted of a crime against the victim and who is in the custody of the state mental health hospital. 'Progression' includes off-grounds supervised or unsupervised privileges, community placement, conditional release, unconditional discharge, or a special furlough. To be informed of the results of a probation or parole revocation hearing; and To be informed of the governor's decision to commute or pardon a person convicted of a crime against the victim before such information is publicly disclosed. The bill requires a district attorney's office, if practicable, to inform a victim of any pending motion to sequester the victim from a critical stage in the case. Unless a victim requests otherwise, the district attorney shall inform each victim of the right to receive information from the state mental health hospital concerning the custody and release of a person convicted of a crime against the victim and ordered by a court into the hospital's care, including how the victim may request notification from the hospital. Upon the written request of a victim, the Colorado mental health institute at Pueblo or the Colorado mental health institute at Fort Logan shall notify the victim of certain information regarding any person who was charged with or convicted of a crime against the victim. The bill requires the juvenile parole board to report additional information concerning juvenile parole hearings. The court shall inform the probation department before any hearing regarding any request by a probationer for early termination of probation or any change in the terms and conditions of probation. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

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