Signed by Governor Jared Polis

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with senate amendments and pass a bill that amends the state department of corrections private prison populations.

Highlights:

• Prohibits more than 650 beds at the Centennial south campus of the Centennial correctional facility from being operated by the department for the purpose of housing inmates who are close custody inmates (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes the department, at the discretion of the executive director, to house inmates of a lower than close custody level for no longer than 3 months from the effective date of this section in order to facilitate the movement of inmates displaced as a result of prison closure or if the lower than close custody inmate is voluntarily serving as a mentor peer-support, or in another leadership role as part of departmental programming with the purpose of progressing close custody inmates to lower security levels (Sec. 1).

• Requires the division of local government in the department of local affairs to contract with a nationally recognized research and consulting entity to study future prison bed needs in Colorado (Sec. 4).

• Requires the division in conjunction with the county commissioners, prior to completing the study, to provide notice and conduct public hearings in the counties in which private prisons are located to allow direct public testimony and input (Sec. 4).

• Authorizes earned time to be deducted from an inmate’s sentence if the inmate has shown exemplary leadership through mentoring, community service, and distinguished actions benefiting the health, safety, environment, and culture for staff and other inmates (Sec. 6).

• Appropriates $250,000 to the department of local affairs for use by the division of the local government, field services for the 2020-21 fiscal year (Sec. 14).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that amends the state department of corrections private prison populations

Highlights:

• Prohibits more than 650 beds at the Centennial south campus of the Centennial correctional facility from being operated by the department for the purpose of housing inmates who are close custody inmates (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes the department, at the discretion of the executive director, to house inmates of a lower than close custody level for no longer than 3 months from the effective date of this section in order to facilitate the movement of inmates displaced as a result of prison closure or if the lower than close custody inmate is voluntarily serving as a mentor peer-support, or in another leadership role as part of departmental programming with the purpose of progressing close custody inmates to lower security levels (Sec. 1).

• Requires the division of local government in the department of local affairs to contract with a nationally recognized research and consulting entity to study future prison bed needs in Colorado (Sec. 4).

• Requires the division in conjunction with the county commissioners, prior to completing the study, to provide notice and conduct public hearings in the counties in which private prisons are located to allow direct public testimony and input (Sec. 4).

• Authorizes earned time to be deducted from an inmate’s sentence if the inmate has shown exemplary leadership through mentoring, community service, and distinguished actions benefiting the health, safety, environment, and culture for staff and other inmates (Sec. 6).

• Appropriates $250,000 to the department of local affairs for use by the division of the local government, field services for the 2020-21 fiscal year (Sec. 14).

Full Bill Text