Mandates

In response, Commission actions included:

• Received the Gov. Polis 2022 Biennial topics letter on September 15, 2022.
• Priorities for initial and/or ongoing study by the Sentencing Reform Task Force and its Working Groups included auto theft, felony sentencing, and probation/ alternative sentences. Planned for study beginning in 2023 was reentry services improvement. Topics that were under consideration or that were under study by other groups at the time of sunset include victim services improvement, best practices in public safety, and Youthful Offender System practices.
• Actions addressed among the priorities include a recommendations on motor vehicle theft and reclassification of selected felonies. See Sentencing Reform Task Force and FY2023 CCJJ Recommendations for more information on the efforts completed that were derived from the 2022 Biennial Topics Letter.  
• Due to the Commission sunset, work on this request was concluded.

In response, Commission actions included:

• Prioritized the topics related to sentencing.
• Seated co-chairs and members of the Sentencing Reform Task Force (SRTF) to explore these sentencing topics beginning on  Sept. 9, 2020. The SRTF seated Working Groups that began to study assigned topics in Oct./Nov. 2020.
• Question & Answer and Listening Sessions are routinely offered by the SRTF for Commission members, stakeholders, and the public. Recent topics addressed include misdemeanor sentences, parole, felony sentencing, and motor vehicle theft.
• Recommendations were prepared and approved in FY 2021 and FY 2022 (see SRTF Recommendations).
• Informational presentation on the misdemeanor sentencing recommendation (related to SB21-271) was offered by the Commission/SRTF to the House Judiciary Committee, 4/20/2021 (Listen; 36:04 mins.). 
• Bill passed in 2021 by the General Assembly. Senate Bill 2021-271 on misdemeanor sentencing and offenses was signed by the Governor on 7/6/21.
• Bills passed in 2022 by the General Assembly. House Bill 2022-1257 and, not initiated but related to CCJJ work, House Bill 2022-1229 were signed by the Governor on 4/7/22.
• The study of sentencing-related topics and the preparation of recommendations continued through March 2023 prior to the suspension of all work.
• Due to the Commission sunset, work on this request was concluded.  

See the Sentencing Reform Task Force page for more information on the Task Force and its Working Groups.  

The Commission requested the first such letter from the Governor in May 2020. Pursuant to H.B. 23-1287 in the even-numbered years that followed, the Commission requested the mandated letter on or before May 1.

• 2020 Biennial Letter (Gov. Jared S. Polis)
  The Commission response to the 2020 Biennial Letter is provided above in "Under Review/Study."
   
• 2022 Biennial Letter (Gov. Jared S. Polis)
  The Commission response to the 2022 Biennial Letter is provided above in "Under Review/Study."

Tasks:

• The Commission staff completed a review of Commission documents and all are updated and in statutory compliance with statutory provisions (November 2018). Ongoing reviews will ensure statutory compliance.
• Staff of the Attorney General's Office provided the initial training session to meet the requirements in HB18-1198 at the October 12, 2018 Commission meeting.
• Subsequently, annual training occurred to maintain compliance with this statutory mandate.

In response, Commission actions included:

• Seated Chair and Vice Chair and appointed members of the Community Corrections Task Force (CCTF) to explore the mandated topic beginning in July 2022.
• Study of delineated topic occurred through June 5, 2023.
• Due to the Commission sunset, work on this mandate was concluded.  
• Final Report submitted to the General Assembly.

See the Community Corrections Task Force page for more information on the Task Force.  

In response, Commission actions included:

• Received Senate Bill 2023-088 upon signing by Gov. Polis on June 6, 2023.
• Summary of work "to date" is limited by the suspension of efforts by the Sentencing Reform Task Force (SRTF) & CCJJ. The plan of work derived from the 2020 and 2022 Gov. Polis Biennial Topics Letters included some efforts related to clarity and certainty of sentencing.
• Actions by the SRTF/CCJJ between 2021 and 2023 included major revisions to misdemeanor and felony crime sentences and provisions addressing aspects of motor vehicle theft, habitual sentences, and extraordinary risk sentence enhancements (see FY2023 CCJJ Recommendations for more information).  
• Planned for the remainder of 2023 and into 2024, efforts were scheduled to address the central aspects of clarity and certainty in sentencing, specifically, sentence ranges and parole eligibility. With the sunset of the Commission, these efforts on clarity and certainty in sentencing were not initiated.
• Submission of a report to the General Assembly was completed. The report included the limited information available at the time of the Commission sunset. The report was submitted November 2023.

See Sentencing Reform Task Force for more information on the efforts completed that by the Task Force. 

The Commission's work on this mandate is ongoing:

• The Commission seated the Drug Offense Task Force and the Opioid Investigations Subcommittee and both committees starting meeting in September 2019.
• The committees met monthly to address the mandates and provide status updates to the Commission.
• Preliminary findings and recommendations were expected by April 2020 and these will be presented to the Commission for review.
• Due to COVID-19 disruptions, the work of these two committees was delayed, and the General Assembly was notified.
• The final report was completed September 23, 2020 and submitted by the Commission to committees of the General Assembly on September 30, 2020.

The Commission's work on this mandate is complete.

• The Commission assigned the Age of Delinquency Task Force to address this mandate.
• The Co-Chairs of the Task Force were Commission members, Jessica Jones and Joe Thome.
• Members of the task force, who were subject matter experts, had worked on related issues since February 2018 and continued to meet monthly to address the mandate.
• The Task Force presented two final recommendations to the Commission in July 2020 where they were reviewed and approved.
• The final report was completed August 17, 2020 and was submitted by the Commission to the Judiciary  Committees of the General Assembly on August 21, 2020.

The Commission's work on this mandate is complete:

• The Commission created the Abuse of Youth in Custody Subcommittee to address this mandate.
• The Subcommittee Chair was Joe Thome, Div. of Criminal Justice.
• Subject matter experts developed a work plan and conducted meetings between September 2018 and March 2019.
• The Subcommittee presented a preliminary report for review at the May 10, 2019 Commission meeting. At the June 14, 2019 Commission meeting, the Commission finalized its review and approved the report and accompanying Recommendation FY19-AYIC #01.
• The final report was submitted by the Commission to committees of the General Assembly by July 1, 2019.

The Office of Behavioral Health provided updates regarding:

• the 2017 report at the November 9, 2017 Commission meeting, and
• the 2018 report at the June 14, 2019 Commission meeting.

The Commission's work on this mandate may be found at:

• See the report link at right.
• Commission Reports page (or link directly to the Crimes Against EMS Report).
• The work on this mandate primarily occurred in an ad hoc First-Responder Study Group and the Legislative Subcommittee.

The Commission's work on this request may be found at:

• Commission Reports page (or link directly to the Cyberbullying Report).
• The work on this mandate primarily occurred in the Cyberbullying Subcommittee.
• House Bill 2015-1072, which addressed this issue, was signed into law April 24, 2015.

The Commission's work on this mandate may be found at:

• Commission Reports page (or link directly to the Amendment 64 Report).
• The work on this mandate primarily occurred in the Drug Policy Task Force.

The Commission's work on this mandate may be found at:

• Commission Reports page (or, link directly to the Human Trafficking Report)
• This work was completed by an ad hoc Human Trafficking Study Group

The Commission's work on this request may be found at:

• Commission Reports page (or link directly to the Jessica's Law Report)
• This work was completed by an ad hoc Jessica's Law Study Group

The Commission's work on this mandate may be found at:

• The document links at right. 
  (Factsheet and Resources last updated, 05/2022)
• Also, see the Commission Reports page.

The Commission's work on this mandate may be found at:

• Legislation and Recommendations
• The work on this mandate primarily occurred in the Comprehensive Sentencing Task Force and the Sentencing Task Force.
• The Commission will continue to reference and review these reforms areas in light of any current sentencing reform considerations.

The Commission's work on this request may be found at:

• Legislation and Recommendations
  (See also, the Comprehensive Sentencing Task Force and the Sentencing Task Force).
• The Commission will continue to reference and review these reforms areas in light of any current sentencing reform considerations.