[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6120929,"mediaKeyId","2705114-1ac08f6893c7192027ee8d2f51bd0a31","parentId",2705114,"title","Committee postpones House Bill 12‑27 at sponsor's request","audioSeconds",133,"startMs",44000,"endMs",177000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2705114-1ac08f6893c7192027ee8d2f51bd0a31&start=44&end=177","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2705114-1ac08f6893c7192027ee8d2f51bd0a31/thumbnail_44000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6120929/Colorado/Committee-postpones-House-Bill-1227-at-sponsors-request","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6120929-7cf4f2446345f4fbfc04cb2dd40b4922/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448405&Signature=OMSjj2W--Y9yA-Kt2xLAd7y1RnjdWrD0IGpjOYZq3zpm7bI2VEjoOyA-ZVyLxYKgMcbyUjdg3EA11Rf0Po249L5QB3vQNho2Qztn3QGt5mbdVqtUUQeuqd~dPmyJQOYC0ebpirl1dmcFbih~~2eBdYO1mam3hwgHHQz8yF0i7shXPLFicPkV8dB47TGPjdc0rDlNhS4hizeIJXhoRI7d~Dmv4LDWXlPhvzQ~wqct~YvNtSbRWKH0W5~M-kJ5kgNqQ9yty4yt-Nddm5p0k8L-6eSky6s-xJh9CIpC6MOcd06Q2ZWJ7hWdVq4t~AKZbtgPltuhgJsQ8lrFLrsejxP90g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Colorado Legislature","date","2025-03-18T00:00:00Z","article","The House Judiciary Committee postponed House Bill 12‑27 indefinitely at the request of the bill sponsor.

The bill sponsor, Rep. Hartsock, told the committee the measure was \"not ready to present prime time, but we will bring it back next year,\" and asked for a procedural postponement. No witnesses asked to testify; committee staff reported one person had signed up but declined to appear after the sponsor indicated a postponement.

Nut graf: With no debate or substantive testimony, a motion to postpone the bill indefinitely was made by Representative Silver and seconded; the committee recorded the action as a procedural postponement. Mr. Polk called the roll and the clerk announced the vote as 8‑0 with three excused.

The committee chair closed the item and recessed for a short break following the vote.

Ending: House Bill 12‑27 is postponed indefinitely and may be reintroduced by the sponsor in a future session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Judiciary Mar 18, 2025 ","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 12‑27 was postponed indefinitely at the sponsor's request after no public testimony; the motion to postpone was adopted by voice/roll call and recorded as 8‑0 with three excused.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature CO, Colorado","taxId",77676,"location","Colorado","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6120933,"Committee advances House Bill 11‑36 after adopting law‑enforcement amendments",270,2065000,2335000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2705114-1ac08f6893c7192027ee8d2f51bd0a31&start=2065&end=2335","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2705114-1ac08f6893c7192027ee8d2f51bd0a31/thumbnail_2065000.jpg","/articles/6120933/Colorado/Committee-advances-House-Bill-1136-after-adopting-lawenforcement-amendments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6120933-7bfbaa348d8bab44929925a8f94840b6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448405&Signature=lvGSLkT7EiYQaXO6VDN8HEhHzNb~Ihed36Y-YWHW8BJUIEmj6X6ZZmDfqUZm0OqGzRfRRyDA~MuKLDseVeZVPhwd91ifI7Vy7JUk5cc5gzGh9bFmlh6heOUD4WzLdXHMnsEoOWVabl3B6UFWvzMllzJhmFcEif4vra8D3i02B-dTC3aou7b-Dl8qnQ0Y35gCP91qnCxDwPHjzwNG-pgEeEauft0sezqju~YrYK-40qkFxGmRey1SUwTJP7HlVnIES0ghpNaHUQC6y7MsrUNphWRTVhE5YVsYgQGcEVSntD-mNtzhhLRqIsIiVz7QW3oa-UKrPVbP2Lt8rAXD6WLe5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 11‑36, a measure introduced by Representative Clifford and described in committee as a package of changes requested by law‑enforcement stakeholders, was amended on several motions and advanced to the Committee of the Whole.

Rep. Clifford said the bill \"is from the collective law enforcement community,\" and described the amendments as changes requested by prosecutors, chiefs and the attorney general's office. Clifford said an updated fiscal‑note memorandum removed any fiscal note tied to adoption of two amendments and that one correction moved original jurisdiction from the attorney general to district attorneys.

Nut graf: Committee members considered and adopted several amendments (referred to in the hearing as L001, L4 and L005) that sponsors characterized as technical and intended to address law‑enforcement and prosecutorial concerns. After the amendment process the committee voted to advance the bill to the Committee of the Whole.

Representatives adopted L4 and L5 (L3 had become L4 earlier in the hearing); Rep. Clifford said the most significant change in one amendment was to ensure peace officer credibility disclosures \"were properly managed.\" Committee members had time to review amendments; there was no recorded public opposition during the amendment moments reported in the transcript.

The committee then voted to send House Bill 11‑36, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The roll call recorded the motion passing 6‑4 with one member excused.

Ending: Sponsors described the set of amendments as collaborative and technical; the committee advanced HB 11‑36 to the Committee of the Whole for further consideration.","House Bill 11‑36, sponsored by Rep. Clifford and others and described as originating from the law‑enforcement community, was amended on several points and advanced to the Committee of the Whole on a 6‑4 vote. Sponsors said amendments were technical and removed an unintended grant of jurisdiction to the attorney general over criminal matters.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6120938,"Committee approves measure to establish judicial performance commission for new district",395,1439000,1834000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2705114-1ac08f6893c7192027ee8d2f51bd0a31&start=1439&end=1834","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2705114-1ac08f6893c7192027ee8d2f51bd0a31/thumbnail_1439000.jpg","/articles/6120938/Colorado/Committee-approves-measure-to-establish-judicial-performance-commission-for-new-district","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6120938-652afbbbdafb2e02039b07c271edba41/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448405&Signature=RDQ7AqSE0KD9V02Mjx2QBj8QZFKM44O-bocVzsq-XOy8MqhCOVJ2stFkzcHEVJahrFjRG3L-JyseZXbCP6AIptxVopXh8M0rSocroysymsNSmz3g51yZ19UxYMfb5wPbbHdVBfHEoEcOY2DKWWUPwOLx2jnrpBqdFSLENWpXjdZ5OH1b6yn1rYCLJ0zoPT8uK4DO-0~SnSUowQcMDIgFo6nfQvjGCDhRJyacDQmzLwokqo6SEX6SNqd5o~V2eiSxOKXqRvW0vVdYCgMImNY20R69mSQ~Q0yubqRYkC17Lmh1poeHbjyXw~NAlk1cwAfvtIFcT~kGtzuw3ToxqZJPxA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Judiciary Committee voted to move House Bill 12‑98 to the Committee of the Whole after sponsors described the measure as a routine, non‑fiscal step to organize judicial performance review for the newly established 20 Third Judicial District.

Representative Richardson, the bill sponsor, said the measure \"creates the judicial performance committee for the 20 Third\" and fills transition pieces so that \"there not be any interruptions in service as we moved across the transition date.\" Kent Wagner, executive director of the Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, testified in support and said the commission would \"conduct evaluations of the judges in the 20 Third Judicial District\" to inform voters.

Nut graf: lawmakers described HB 12‑98 as a technical, low‑cost bill to ensure continuity of judicial evaluations after district reorganization. Vice Chair Carter, who also serves on performance committees, said the measure would avoid gaps by letting the 18th Judicial Performance Committee continue covering judges in the interim and by establishing a permanent commission moving forward.

Witnesses were brief and supportive. Terry Scanlon, legislative liaison for Colorado courts, said the bill is \"an important piece of legislation.\" Committee members asked whether the measure had any fiscal impact; members were told committee members serve without pay and there would be no additional cost.

Representative Richardson had no amendments and urged members to vote yes. Vice Chair Carter described the bill as ensuring accountability and feedback for judges. The committee approved the motion to move HB 12‑98 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation; the roll call recorded the committee as advancing the bill on an 8‑0 vote with three members excused.

Ending: HB 12‑98 was presented as the final transitional step in standing up the new judicial district's review process; the committee advanced it without recorded opposition.","The committee approved House Bill 12‑98 to create a judicial performance committee for the newly formed 20th/23rd judicial district, ensuring evaluations of judges and continuity with the 18th Judicial Performance Committee.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6120943,"Committee moves to bar municipal criminal ordinances for failure to appear",5879,2450000,8329000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2705114-1ac08f6893c7192027ee8d2f51bd0a31&start=2450&end=8329","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2705114-1ac08f6893c7192027ee8d2f51bd0a31/thumbnail_2450000.jpg","/articles/6120943/Colorado/Committee-moves-to-bar-municipal-criminal-ordinances-for-failure-to-appear","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6120943-6e263d20b207fe699b479ef34721431d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448405&Signature=gja3DJT5nuQIxSCsze4UZXaafm~39zgW~ni92FDZ66lSV3D0S19ZFsyKV4YU3kRhiLlUIO-7Puig5gUreJ43esm1OMa82sjUWO-Zn~B7-Jt~jnBeEtn~9GBjIsRI9lK5mrKsfHeuQqUFyY6uefcvnnard-zjWWIoX6H9oQLC6lxWvvxW17e42P7jE5fgMeY2X6mZ0Mp3KPGyDgdfdiQO3wtU9j8NXc5F8t8znKEhWnOQ-5TJ4okd-mEYtBSGX0nK5cbBkEznBXvPKWM7clUmtzQslR29MGtUFI7kGwcZMtyZqcK-~Q2zFfk~szL0wrVIcKK9Nh5Zfb3FZdfP278tyQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Judiciary Committee voted to send Senate Bill 62 to the Committee of the Whole after a multi-hour hearing that pitted municipal officials and prosecutors against civil-rights and defense advocates.

Supporters said the bill would stop some cities from criminalizing poverty by making a missed court date its own criminal offense. \"This bill would bring the muni courts in alignment with state courts on this issue,\" Vice Chair Carter said, adding it \"disallows failure to appear and contempt of court premised on that failure to appear from forming the basis of a criminal charge.\"

The nut graf: proponents, including the ACLU of Colorado, the Colorado Freedom Fund and the Office of the Alternate Defense Counsel, said municipal ordinances in a handful of jurisdictions resulted in lengthy jail exposure for people who missed appearances often for reasons tied to poverty, disability or housing instability. Opponents — city attorneys and municipal court judges — said repeated, willful failures to appear disrupt case resolution, harm victims and that removing the local tool would hinder municipal court administration.

In committee testimony, Carla Sykes, city attorney for Pueblo, described local practice and statistics: \"Pueblo municipal court handles approximately 21,000 charges annually. About 14,000 of those charges are for which warrants may be issued. The current overall failure to appear rate is 40%.\" Sykes said Pueblo used contempt and related ordinances to deter repeated nonappearance but that the process described in media reports had been changed after court challenges.

Advocates called the municipal practice punitive and constitutionally fraught. Anaya Robinson of the ACLU of Colorado said, \"Prosecuting failure to appear as a crime is extremely challenging constitutionally,\" and that the Pueblo practice led to successful habeas litigation. Dana Steiner of the Colorado Freedom Fund pointed to alternatives: text reminders, virtual appearances and warrant-forgiveness days. \"Text reminders for state appearances have 36% fewer FTAs,\" Steiner said.

Municipal leaders, including Jeremy Schubach of the Colorado Municipal League and Aurora City Attorney Pete Schulte, urged caution. Schulte said Aurora uses an ordinance-based failure-to-appear charge only for trial dates to prevent gamesmanship that wastes jurors, victims and police: \"We are not filing these additional charges absent the day of trial.\" Judge Day, testifying for Aurora municipal court, said the substantive failure-to-appear charge allows the city to provide the full procedural protections attached to a separate offense and argued the charge is an important tool to keep dockets moving.

Witnesses recounted cases advocates said showed the human cost. An ACLU paralegal recounted one person who served roughly 600 days in county jail, much of it attributable to contempt convictions tied to missed municipal court dates; another witness described a pregnant woman jailed after contempt sentences were imposed for probation noncompliance.

Committee members questioned how the state statute cited by some witnesses — the statute addressing violation of bond conditions — relates to municipal petty offenses. Judge Day noted the state statute (18-8-212) targets some misdemeanors and felonies and contains a specific mens rea requirement that does not map directly onto many municipal petty offenses.

At the bill's close, supporters and opponents reiterated two themes: the need to prevent the criminalization of poverty, and the need to preserve municipal courts' ability to resolve cases and protect victims. The bill's language explicitly preserves a municipal judge's inherent contempt power and authority to issue bench warrants and consider a person's prior failures to appear when setting bond.

Votes and next steps: Vice Chair Carter moved Senate Bill 62 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation; the motion was seconded by Rep. Amal Bacon and the measure was approved and sent on.

Ending: The committee hearing produced extensive record testimony from municipal officials, judges, defense advocates and civil-rights organizations. Supporters argued the bill removes a constitutionally risky practice used in a few jurisdictions; opponents urged caution and underscored operational burdens on courts and victims when defendants repeatedly fail to appear.","The House Judiciary Committee voted to send Senate Bill 62 to the Committee of the Whole after a lengthy hearing. The bill would forbid municipalities from making failure-to-appear or related contempt conduct a standalone criminal offense, while preserving judges' inherent contempt and bench-warrant powers.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee postpones House Bill 12‑27 at sponsor's request

Committee advances House Bill 11‑36 after adopting law‑enforcement amendments

Committee approves measure to establish judicial performance commission for new district

Committee moves to bar municipal criminal ordinances for failure to appear