Committee advances bill to give certain Department of Revenue employees peace‑officer status

House Finance Committee members advanced House Bill 25‑13‑14 to the Committee of the Whole with an 8‑5 vote, moving the measure that would grant peace‑officer authority to investigators in two Department of Revenue divisions.

The bill’s sponsors and Department of Revenue witnesses said the change would let investigators complete criminal prosecutions they now must hand off to local law enforcement. “All we are doing is giving certain employees in the Department of Revenue peace officer status so they can do their jobs,” Representative Linstead said.

Supporters told the committee the change is intended to reduce duplication and improve enforcement. John Opeka, deputy director of the Colorado Department of Revenue’s Auto Industry Division, said his staff investigates “approximately 800 to 1,000 complaints per year” and sometimes encounters criminal conduct outside the division’s current statutory jurisdiction that requires partnership with other agencies. “This would allow us to follow these cases from start to finish without needing to duplicate efforts,” Opeka said. Michelle Stone Prinzapato, director of the Department’s Firearms Dealer Division, said the firearms division was created by prior legislation and that the intent was for its staff to be POST‑certified police officers; the division has already engaged with dealers and adopted regulations.

Committee members raised fiscal and scope questions. Representative Brooks noted related legislation that added FTEs and cited approximate costs associated with those positions; he said he would vote no on this measure because of fiscal concerns tied to the earlier bill. Sponsors and Department witnesses responded that the fiscal note for this specific bill shows no new cost and that the Department intends to use existing training and salary structures. Representatives asked how ‘‘while engaged in the performance of their duties’’ would be interpreted; Michelle Stone Prinzapato said the designation applies when investigators are performing inspections or other official duties, and not when off duty.

A member of the public warned against broadening authority. Keith Emerson told the committee that allowing Department of Revenue investigators to enforce “all the laws of the state of Colorado” risks expanding enforcement beyond the workers’ usual subject‑matter expertise.

The committee recorded a favorable recommendation to the Committee of the Whole, 8 to 5. The motion was moved and seconded on the floor of the committee; no amendments to the bill were adopted during the committee’s amendment phase.

The bill now goes to the Committee of the Whole for further consideration.