J_LS_2025A 01/22/2025 07:55:59 AM Committee Summary

PUBLIC
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING
JOINT COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL SERVICES

Date

01/22/2025

Attendance
Camacho	*
Carson	X
Frizell	X
Gonzales J.	X
Joseph	X
Luck	X
Mabrey	X
Roberts	X
Soper	X
Weissman	X

Time

07:55:59 AM to 08:52:36 AM

Place

HCR 0112

This Meeting was called to order by

Weissman

This Report was prepared by

Jack Neirynck

Hearing Items	Action Taken
hElection of a committee Chair and Vice-chair	Chair and Vice-chair elected
hReview and readopt rules of the Committee on Legal Services	Rules readopted
hAppointment of two non-legislative attorney members to the Statutory Revision Committee	Two members reappointed
hApproval and sponsorship of committee bills	Three bills approved for drafting and introduction
hUpdate on litigation	Committee Discussion Only
hReview of new rules	Rules not extended
hSchedule of meetings during the session	Committee Discussion Only
hOther business	Committee Discussion Only

Election of a committee Chair and Vice-chair - Chair and Vice-chair elected

Attachment Tag

File Name

Attachment

cols-agenda-20250122final2.pdf

07:56:43 AM

Senator Weissman
requested that the roll call be updated to show that Representative Camacho
is present.

07:56:50 AM

Ed DeCecco, Director,
Office of Legislative Legal Services (OLLS), discussed the requirement
to elect a Chair and Vice-chair and rules for the positions.

08:01:12 AM	Motion	I nominate Senator Weissman to be Chair of the Committee on Legal Services for the First Regular session of the Seventy-fifth General Assembly.
	Moved	Gonzales J.
	Seconded

	Camacho	Yes
	Carson	Yes
	Frizell	Yes
	Gonzales J.	Yes
	Joseph	Yes
	Luck	Yes
	Mabrey	Yes
	Roberts	Yes
	Soper	Yes
	Weissman	Yes
		YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

08:02:30 AM	Motion	I nominate Representative Soper to be Vice-chair of the Committee on Legal Services for the First Regular Session of the Seventy-fifth General Assembly.
	Moved	Weissman
	Seconded

	Camacho	Yes
	Carson	Yes
	Frizell	Yes
	Gonzales J.	Yes
	Joseph	Yes
	Luck	Yes
	Mabrey	Yes
	Roberts	Yes
	Soper	Yes
	Weissman	Yes
		YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

Review and readopt rules of the Committee on Legal Services - Rules readopted

08:02:51 AM

Ed DeCecco, Director,
OLLS, discussed the need to review and readopt the Rules of the Committee
on Legal Services and provided a brief overview.

08:07:37 AM

Mr. DeCecco informed the members about roles the Committee usually fulfills.

08:10:45 AM	Motion	I move that the current Rules of the Committee on Legal Services be readopted as the rules of the Committee of the seventy-fifth General Assembly.
	Moved	Soper
	Seconded

	Camacho	Yes
	Carson	Yes
	Frizell	Yes
	Gonzales J.	Yes
	Joseph	Yes
	Luck	Yes
	Mabrey	Yes
	Roberts	Yes
	Soper	Yes
	Weissman	Yes
		YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

Appointment of two non-legislative attorney members to the Statutory Revision Committee - Two members reappointed

08:11:00 AM

Kristen Forrestal, Managing Senior Attorney, OLLS, explained that the committee is responsible for appointing attorneys to the Statutory Revision Committee, described the Committee, and introduced the two attorneys who applied to be appointed.

08:13:41 AM	Motion	I move that Deborah Nelson and Thomas Morris be reappointed as the non-legislative members of the Statutory Revision Committee.
	Moved	Soper
	Seconded

	Camacho
	Carson
	Frizell
	Gonzales J.
	Joseph
	Luck
	Mabrey
	Roberts
	Soper
	Weissman
		YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

Approval and sponsorship of committee bills - Three bills approved for drafting and introduction

08:13:56 AM

Jacob Baus, Senior
Attorney, OLLS, requested authorization of the committee to draft the Rule
Review Bill and explained the function the bill.

08:17:02 AM	Motion	I move that the Committee authorize the Office of Legislative Legal Services to draft and deliver for introduction the Rule Review bill.
	Moved	Soper
	Seconded

	Camacho
	Carson
	Frizell
	Gonzales J.
	Joseph
	Luck
	Mabrey
	Roberts
	Soper
	Weissman
		YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

08:17:03 AM

Chair Weissman noted
that the bill will start in the Senate and named sponsors for the Rule
Review bill. Prime Sponsors are Senators Weissman and Frizell and Representatives
Soper and Mabrey. Cosponsors are Representatives Camacho and Joseph and
Senator Gonzales.

08:18:09 AM

Yelana Love, Revisor
of Statutes, OLLS, requested the Committee's authorization to draft the
bill to enact the Colorado Revised Statutes and explained the function
of the bill.

08:20:26 AM	Motion	I move that the Committee authorize the OLLS to draft and deliver for introduction the bill to enact.
	Moved	Soper
	Seconded

	Camacho
	Carson
	Frizell
	Gonzales J.
	Joseph
	Luck
	Mabrey
	Roberts
	Soper
	Weissman
		YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

08:20:26 AM

Chair Weissman named
sponsors for bill to enact the C.R.S. Prime sponsors will be Senators Gonzales
and Frizell and Representatives Joseph and Soper. Co-sponsors will be Senator
Weissman, Representative Camacho, and Senator Carson.

08:21:32 AM

Ms. Love requested
the committee's authorization to draft the Revisor's Bill.

08:23:14 AM	Motion	I move that the Committee authorize the Office of Legislative Legal Services to draft and deliver for introduction the Revisor's Bill.
	Moved	Soper
	Seconded

	Camacho
	Carson
	Frizell
	Gonzales J.
	Joseph
	Luck
	Mabrey
	Roberts
	Soper
	Weissman
		YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

08:23:15 AM

Chair Weissman named
sponsors for the Revisor's Bill. Prime sponsors will be Representatives
Luck and Camacho and Senators Carson and Weissman. Co-sponsors are Sentors
Frizell, Gonzales, and Roberts and Representatives Joseph and Soper. Chair
Weissman also noted that all three bills will start in the Senate.

Update on litigation - Committee Discussion Only


	08:24:46 AM	Jeremiah Barry, Deputy Director, OLLS, updated the committee on ongoing litigation.
	08:25:41 AM	Vice-chair Soper asked a question of Mr. Barry.
	08:27:20 AM	Mr. Barry answered Vice-chair Soper's question.
	08:27:37 AM	Chair Weissman commented on the topic of litigation.
	08:28:17 AM	Senator Carson inquired about the hourly rates of retaining counsel.
	08:28:54 AM	Mr. Barry answered Senator Carson's question.
	08:29:10 AM	Chair Weissman and Director DeCecco expounded upon Mr. Barry's answer.

Review of new rules - Rules not extended

08:30:04 AM

Jacob Baus, Senior Attorney, OLLS, presented the rule issue for the rules of the State Board of Education, Department of Education concerning the administration of the Public School Finance Act of 1994.

08:37:10 AM

Chair Weissman noted that the rules were uncontested by the department and asked Mr. Baus to provide an overview of the rule review process.

08:38:01 AM

Mr. Baus provided an overview of the rule review process.

08:40:22 AM

Chair Weissman invited any witnesses to speak to the rule review issue.

08:42:18 AM	Motion	I move to extend Rule 3.04 of the State Board of Education, Rule 5.04 of the State Board of Education, and Rule 5.12(6) of the State Board of Education and urge a No vote.
	Moved	Soper
	Seconded

	Camacho	No
	Carson	No
	Frizell	No
	Gonzales J.	No
	Joseph	No
	Luck	No
	Mabrey	No
	Roberts	No
	Soper	No
	Weissman	No
		YES: 0 NO: 10 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL

Schedule of meetings during the session - Committee Discussion Only


	08:42:30 AM	Ed DeCecco, Director, OLLS, discussed scheduling upcoming meetings during the session with the committee and explained the purposes of upcoming meetings.
	08:44:08 AM	Mr. DeCecco asked the Committee members about the possibility of scheduling an alternative meeting after the proposed meeting on February 7 in case the OLLS does not have the requisite information for the Committee to approve the OLLS budget.
	08:46:47 AM	Chair Weissman determined possible dates that would work for Committee members to meet.
	08:48:39 AM	Senator Gonzales stated that substitute members could be appointed if members are unable to make it to Committee meetings.
	08:50:11 AM	Vice-chair Soper asked about the location of the planned meetings.
	08:50:23 AM	Director DeCecco answered Vice-chair Soper's question.
	08:50:54 AM	Representative Luck inquired if the meetings will start at 7:45 a.m. each day.
	08:51:25 AM	Chair Weissman answered Representative Luck's question.
	08:51:43 AM	Director DeCecco pointed out that there may be secondary items brought before the Committee at subsequent meetings.

Other business - Committee Discussion Only

08:52:36 AM

The committee adjourned.