HB 23-1108

House Bill 23-1108 in Colorado establishes a task force to study and recommend training for judges and other judicial personnel on how to better support victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other crimes. The task force will include members with experience or personal knowledge related to these issues and must submit its findings by February 1, 2024. This bill aims to improve the way Colorado’s justice system handles cases involving such victims and survivors. It has been signed into law and is now effective, meaning that the process of setting up the task force and gathering data can begin immediately.

Official Summary

The act creates a task force to study victim and survivor awareness and responsiveness training requirements for judicial personnel (task force) in the office for victims programs in the division of criminal justice. The task force consists of members who have experience representing victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, or other crimes; lived experience as a victim or survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault, or other crimes; or are members of the judicial community. The task force is required to analyze current training provided to judicial personnel around the country on topics of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other crimes, in order to determine best practices and training requirements for judicial personnel in the state. The act requires the task force to establish a working group to analyze and determine training standards for judicial personnel regarding issues relevant to domestic relations cases and must consider data provided to the working group by the office of the state court administrator. The office of the state court administrator must provide the working group with the described data not later than November 1, 2023. The task force is required to convene by July 15, 2023, and is required to meet at least 4 times but not more than 10 times no later than January 15, 2024. The task force is required to submit a report with its findings and recommendations to the house of representatives judiciary committee and the senate judiciary committee, or their successor committees, and the judicial department by February 1, 2024. The task force is repealed, effective July 1, 2024. The act appropriates $11,900 from the general fund to the department of public safety for use by the division of criminal justices for administrative services. APPROVED by Governor May 25, 2023 EFFECTIVE May 25, 2023 (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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