SB 25-067

Senate Bill 25-067 changes how Colorado funds new prosecutors in rural areas. Instead of placing recent law school graduates directly into fellowships, the program now gives money to rural district attorney offices so they can hire new deputy district attorneys themselves. The bill also requires a report on the program's effectiveness by January 1, 2028. This change is meant to help rural areas get more legal support and was signed into law.

Official Summary

The prosecution fellowship program in the department of higher education provides money to the Colorado district attorneys' council (CDAC) to fund fellowships for persons who have recently graduated from a law school in Colorado to allow them to pursue careers as prosecutors in rural Colorado. The program, through a prosecution fellowship committee, places up to 6 fellows in rural district attorneys' offices throughout the state each year. The act changes the prosecutor fellowship program to provide fellowship funding to rural district attorneys' offices to recruit and hire new deputy district attorneys rather than selecting and placing fellows in rural district attorneys' offices. The selected offices then use the money to recruit and hire new district attorneys. The act requires the prosecution fellowship committee to determine which rural district attorneys' offices receive funding. On or before January 1, 2028, CDAC shall provide a report to the judiciary committees regarding the prosecutor fellowship program. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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