Jail Standards Commission

The act creates the legislative oversight committee (committee) concerning Colorado jail standards and the Colorado jail standards commission (commission) in the legislative branch. The committee consists of 6 members of the General Assembly and oversees the commission. The committee may introduce up to 3 pieces of legislation in the 2024 session based on recommendations from the commission.

The commission recommends standards for the operation of Colorado's county jails (jails). The commission consists of the following 22 members:

• 5 sheriffs or senior jail administrators;
• 2 county commissioners;
• 3 people with lived experience of being incarcerated or having a family member who is or was incarcerated in a jail;
• One mental health professional with experience working in a jail;
• One person representing competency services;
• One person representing the behavioral health administration;
• One person representing police officers;
• One person representing a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer advocacy organization;
• One person representing an organization advocating for the rights of people with disabilities;
• One person representing an organization advocating for the rights of communities of color;
• One person representing an organization advocating for the rights of persons with mental or physical disabilities;
• One non-law-enforcement person with experience working in a jail;
• The state public defender or the state public defender's designee;
• One district attorney; and
• One person representing the department of public safety with expertise in jail operations.

The commission shall recommend standards for all aspects of jail operations as follows:

• Reception and release;
• Classification of inmates;
• Security;
• Housing;
• Sanitation and environmental conditions;
• Communication;
• Visitation;
• Health care, mental and behavioral health care, and dental care;
• Food service;
• Recreation and programming;
• Inmate disciplinary processes;
• Restrictive housing;
• Inmate grievances;
• Staffing; and
• Inmates' prerogatives.

The commission shall complete a report that includes its recommendations regarding the feasability of jails of various sizes and their ability to implement the recommendations and present it to the committee for approval by November 15, 2023.

The act repeals the committee and commission on July 1, 2024.

The act appropriates $96,039 from the general fund to the legislative department.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)