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First Regular Session | 75th General Assembly
Colorado General Assembly

PUBLIC
BILL SUMMARY For HB25-1147

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY
Date Feb 26, 2025       Location HCR 0107

HB25-1147 - Amended, referred to the Committee of the Whole
03:56:22 PM  
Representative Mabrey made announcements. The committee recessed.
04:07:12 PM  
The committee returned to order. Representatives Mabrey and Velasco, prime sponsors, presented House Bill 25-1147, concerning measures to ensure that municipal court defendants are subject to similar conditions as state court defendants. The bill sponsors explained the bill and its merits.
04:26:46 PM  
Mr. Jonathan Jourdane, representing Office of the Alternate Defense Counsel, testified in support of the bill. Rebecca Wallace, representing Colorado Freedom Fund, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Sean Maye, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Dr. Alexandra Natapoff, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Discussion ensued regarding equal protection and due process issues. Discussion followed regarding how cases end up in courts of local jurisdiction, and the relationship between police and courts of local jurisdiction. Discussion turned to deterrence of criminal behavior, and the impact of sentencing discretion for local courts.
04:56:53 PM  
Ms. Heather Graham, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Pete Schulte, representing City of Aurora, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Chris Noeller, representing City of Pueblo, testified in opposition to the bill. Kala Beauvais, representing the 10th Judicial District, testified in opposition to HB 25-1147.

Discussion ensued regarding actions taken by local governments on property crimes, and equity in criminal sentencing across jurisdictions. Discussion followed regarding the deterrent effect of criminal laws, and potential unintended consequences of the bill. Discussion turned to how criminal cases are assigned to courts of local jurisdiction.
05:25:31 PM  
Mr. Sean Smith, representing La Plata County Sheriff, testified in support of the bill. Matt Salka, representing Colorado Counties, Inc., testified in support of the bill. Marsha Porter-Norton, representing La Plata County, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Amy Trenary, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Discussion ensued regarding the merits of parity in sentencing between jurisdictions. Committee members asked questions about housing municipal offenders. Discussion followed regarding indigency and criminal offenses.
05:53:05 PM  
Bruce Eisenhauer, representing Department of Local Affairs, testified in opposition to the bill. Chief Bryce Current, representing Colorado Association Chiefs of Police, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Carla Sikes, representing City of Pueblo, testified in opposition to the bill. Victor Zerbi, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Shannon Chambers-Nelson, representing Greenwood Village, testified in opposition to the bill.

Discussion ensued regarding sentencing for property crimes at the local level. Committee members asked questions regarding failure-to-appear rates and sentencing.
06:23:53 PM  
Ms. Alison Coombs, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Jack Johnson, representing Disability Law Colorado, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Bonnie Hoffman, representing National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, testified in support of the bill. Sara Hildebrand, representing Aurora Public Defender Commission, testified in support of the bill.

Committee members asked questions regarding certain services for those taken into custody at the local level, and competency evaluation issues. Discussion ensued regarding the impact of HB 25-1147 on law enforcement activities, and the effect of mandatory minimum sentences. Witnesses responded to questions about length of time individuals are incarcerated in municipalities.
06:43:52 PM  
Jeremy Schupbach, representing Colorado Municipal League, testified to amend the bill. Ms. Katie Kurtz, representing City of Arvada, testified to amend the bill. Mr. Mark Gonzales, representing Colorado Municipal Judges Association, testified to amend the bill. Ms. Brandi Adakai, representing RMSER - Rocky Mountain SER, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Jill Hueser, representing City of Fort Collins Municipal Court, testified in opposition to the bill. Nancy McNally, representing City of Westminster, testified in opposition to the bill.

Committee members asked questions about costs, services available to municipal court defendants, and the impact of HB 25-1147 on public safety. Discussion continued about retail theft and failure-to-appear rates.
07:19:07 PM  
Kristi Englekirk, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Aubrey Wilde, representing Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Matt Kellond, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Ashley Telleen, representing The Office Of Alternate Defense Counsel, testified in support of the bill.

Discussion followed about the impact of certain convictions on immigration status.
07:36:41 PM  
Ms. Corin Flannigan, representing Colorado Municipal Judges Association, testified to amend the bill.
07:36:47 PM  
Colette Tvedt, representing Office of the Municipal Public Defender-Denver, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Rachel Mercer, representing Denver Office of the Municipal Public Defender, testified in support of the bill. Jessica Jones, representing Office of Municipal Public Defender Commission, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Lindsey Webb, representing Denver Office of the Municipal Public Defender (Commission Member), testified in support of the bill.

Committee members raised questions about earlier testimony. Discussion ensued regarding a pending court case that impacts HB 25-1147, and certain recommendations made by the Colorado Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice.
07:54:52 PM  

Dr. Michael Neil, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Anne Moorhead, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Mary Broderick, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Elizabeth Cadiz, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Yona Porat, representing Yona Porat Law, LLC, testified in support of the bill.

Committee members asked questions about equal protection.
08:11:37 PM  
Kevin Young, representing First United Methodist Church of Montrose, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Alison Gordon, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Trudy Gygi, representing Together Colorado, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Ana-Lilith Miller, representing Housekeys Action Network Denver (H.A.N.D.), testified in support of the bill.
08:22:29 PM  
Mx. Dana Steiner, representing Colorado Freedom Fund, testified in support of the bill. Conor Kane, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Anaya Robinson, representing ACLU of Colorado, testified in support of the bill. Tristan Gorman, representing Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Morgan de Haro-Brown, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Keri Williams, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Jennifer Jones, representing Solutions, testified in support of the bill.

Written comments are in Attachment B.
08:44:18 PM  
Representative Mabrey explained the effect of Amendment L.001 (Attachment C).

08:44:54 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment C).
Moved Mabrey
Seconded Bacon
Armagost
Bacon
Brooks
Caldwell
Clifford
Espenoza
Garcia
Keltie
Zokaie
Carter
Mabrey
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
08:45:16 PM  
Representative Mabrey explained the effect of amendment L.002 (Attachment D).

08:45:54 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.002 (Attachment D)
Moved Mabrey
Seconded Bacon
Armagost
Bacon
Brooks
Caldwell
Clifford
Espenoza
Garcia
Keltie
Zokaie
Carter
Mabrey
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
08:47:13 PM  
Representative Mabrey explained the effect of amendment L.003 (Attachment E).

08:47:56 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.003 (Attachment E)
Moved Mabrey
Seconded Clifford
Armagost
Bacon
Brooks
Caldwell
Clifford
Espenoza
Garcia
Keltie
Zokaie
Carter
Mabrey
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
08:48:37 PM  
Representative Mabrey explained the effect of amendment L.005 (Attachment F).

08:49:08 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.005 (Attachment F)
Moved Mabrey
Seconded Bacon
Armagost
Bacon
Brooks
Caldwell
Clifford
Espenoza
Garcia
Keltie
Zokaie
Carter
Mabrey
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
08:49:36 PM  
Representative Mabrey explained the effect of amendment L.006 (Attachment G).

08:50:24 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.006 (Attachment G)
Moved Mabrey
Seconded Bacon
Armagost
Bacon
Brooks
Caldwell
Clifford
Espenoza
Garcia
Keltie
Zokaie
Carter
Mabrey
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
08:50:43 PM  
Representative Mabrey explained the effect of amendment L.007 (Attachment H).

08:51:16 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.007 (Attachment H)
Moved Mabrey
Seconded Bacon
Armagost
Bacon
Brooks
Caldwell
Clifford
Espenoza
Garcia
Keltie
Zokaie
Carter
Mabrey
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
08:51:18 PM  
Representatives Velasco and Mabrey provided closing remarks in support of HB 25-1147. Various committee members provided their positions on the bill.

09:15:50 PM
 Motion Refer House Bill 25-1147, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole.
Moved Mabrey
Seconded Espenoza
Armagost No
Bacon Yes
Brooks No
Caldwell No
Clifford No
Espenoza Yes
Garcia Yes
Keltie No
Zokaie Yes
Carter Yes
Mabrey Yes
Final YES: 6   NO: 5   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS