Department of Corrections Search Court Records Before Offender Release

The bill requires the department of corrections (department) to search all information available to the department to determine whether an offender held at a correctional facility is subject to an outstanding warrant or if the offender has a pending case in a Colorado court. The department is required to conduct the search when the offender is admitted to the department, when the department conducts the initial comprehensive evaluation of the offender's sentence, 6 months after the offender's admission to the department, once 3 to 6 months prior to the offender's community correction eligibility date, and upon request of a public defender liaison to the department.

If the department determines that an offender is subject to a warrant, the department shall notify the offender, a public defender liaison to the department, and the court that issued the warrant. The general assembly encourages a court to ensure the offender appears before the court, is assigned counsel if the defendant is eligible for court-appointed counsel, allows the offender to resolve the warrant in a timely manner, and facilitates virtual appearance for the offender.

The bill does not prohibit the department from searching for outstanding warrants at any other time. The bill requires the office of state public defender to designate an email address for the public defender liaisons to the department of corrections to receive notifications from the department.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)