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Adams County urges amendments to bill creating criminal civil‑confinement pathway, flags ABLE-account, liability concerns
Summary
County staff warned a bill creating a court‑directed civil‑confinement pathway for criminal defendants with mental‑health or neurocognitive disorders would shift heavy workload and liability to county attorneys without funding; commissioners signaled support for seeking amendments. Separately, staff flagged HB 261347’s ABLE‑account rules for foster‑care youth as legally and operationally difficult and recommended close negotiation.
Peggy and county attorneys told the Board of County Commissioners on Friday that a proposed state bill creating a court-driven civil‑confinement pathway for criminal defendants with mental‑health or neurocognitive disorders would substantially increase county workloads and legal exposure.
"As written, it's going to require immense county resources in the county attorney's office," said the county attorney (functional_label). She said the measure transfers initiation and ongoing management of commitments from clinical providers and hospitals to courts and county attorneys, increasing hearings, medical‑decision litigation and staff time with no accompanying funding.
Commissio…
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