HB 1315 — Accurate Documents for Parole Determinations

NOTE:

This bill has been prepared for the signatures of the appropriate legislative officers and the Governor.

To determine whether the Governor has signed the bill or taken other action on it, please consult the legislative status sheet, the legislative history, or the Session Laws.

CCONCERNING ONCERNING DOCUMENTS RELIED UPON FOR PAROLE DETERMINATIONSDETERMINATIONS. .

Be it enacted by the General Assembly ofofthe the State ofofColorado: Colorado:

In Colorado Revised Statutes,Statutes,add add 17-1-169 as follows:

(1) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS AND DECLARES THATTHAT: :

(a)(a)IN2025,ACOLORADONEWSOUTLETREPORTEDONHIGH-PROFILE I2025,A COLORADONEWSOUTLETREPORTEDONHIGH PROFILE CRIMES AND RAISED QUESTIONS REGARDING THE ACCURACY AND CONSISTENCYOFCERTAINPAROLERISKASSESSMENTSCONSISTENCY ,INCLUDINGWHETHEROFCERTAINPAROLERISKASSESSMENTS, INCLUDING WHETHER CERTAIN PAROLEES MAY HAVE RECEIVED RISK ASSESSMENT ________ Capital letters or&ritalic bold & italic numbers indicate new material added to existing law;

dashes through words or numbers indicate deletionsdeletionsfrom from existing law andandsuch such material is notnotpart part of the act.

(b) REPORTERS AND LEGISLATORS USED PART 3 OF ARTICLE72ARTICLE 72 OF TITLE24,TITLE 24, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE CCOLORADO OLORADO CRIMINAL JUSTICE RECORDSACTRECORDS TOOBTAINRECORDSRELATEDTOTHECORRECTIONALPAROLEACT, TOOBTAIN RECORDS RELATEDTOTHECORRECTIONALPAROLE SUPERVISION TOOL,WHICHTOOL, WHICH IS AN ACTUARIAL RISK ASSESSMENT TOOL USED BYTHEDIVISIONOFADULTPAROLETOINFORMSUPERVISIONPLANNINGANDBYTHE RESOURCEDIVISION ALLOCATIONOFADULT ;PAROLETO INFORM SUPERVISION PLANNING AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION;

(c) EVIDENCEEVIDENCE-BASED -BASED RISK ASSESSMENT TOOLS ARE DESIGNED TO SUPPORT CONSISTENT AND OBJECTIVE PAROLE SUPERVISION DECISIONS BY APPLYING STRUCTURED CRITERIA TO ASSESS RISK AND IDENTIFY CRIMINOGENIC NEEDS CONSISTENT WITH NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PRACTICES;

(d) IT IS ESSENTIAL TO ENSURE ACCURATE AND CONSISTENT INFORMATION IN RISK ASSESSMENTS TO INFORM PAROLE SUPERVISION PLANNINGPLANNING, , IDENTIFY AND APPLY APPROPRIATE PAROLE SUPERVISION STRATEGIES AND RESOURCESRESOURCES, , PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETYSAFETY, , AND SUPPORT SUCCESSFUL REENTRY OUTCOMESOUTCOMES; ;

(e) THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS CONFIRMED TO THE JOINT BUDGETCOMMITTEEANDTHEJOINTJUDICIARYCOMMITTEETHATARANDOMBUDGETCOMMITTEEANDTHEJOINTJUDICIARY COMMITTEETHATA RANDOM SAMPLEAUDITREVEALEDHIGHERRORRATESFORCOMMUNITYSUPERVISION TOOL RISK ASSESSMENTS,UPASSESSMENTS, UP TO NINETY-EIGHT PERCENT IN SOME CASE.INCASES. 2026, THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS REPORTED THAT THEY ARE REEXAMINING OVER ONE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED COMMUNITY SUPERVISION TOOL RISK ASSESSMENTS AND IMPLEMENTING MANDATORY SUPERVISORY REVIEW FOR ALL COMMUNITY SUPERVISION TOOL REASSESSMENTS .

(f)IN ESTABLISHING2026, ATHE SYSTEMDEPARTMENT AND CADENCE OF QUALITYCORRECTIONS CONTROLSREPORTED ANDTHAT QUALITYTHEY ASSURANCEARE PRACTICESREEXAMINING ,PAIREDOVER WITHONE ONGOINGTHOUSAND TRAININGSEVEN ,HUNDRED REVIEWCOMMUNITY ,ANDSUPERVISION SUPPORTTOOL ,RISK AREASSESSMENTS NECESSARYAND TOIMPLEMENTING ENSUREMANDATORY ACCURATESUPERVISORY ANDREVIEW CONSISTENTAPPLICATIONOFRISKASSESSMENTTOOLSACROSSTHEDIVISIONFOR OFALL ADULTCOMMUNITY PAROLESUPERVISION ;TOOL REASSESSMENTS.

(g)(f)ESTABLISHING IJANUARYOFA 2026,THEDEPARTMENTOFCORRECTIONSSTATEDSYSTEM THATAND ITCADENCE WILLOF NOQUALITY LONGERCONTROLS SUPPLYAND REQUESTEDQUALITY RISKASSURANCE ASSESSMENTSPRACTICES, ORPAIRED RISKWITH PAGEONGOING 2-HOUSETRAINING, BILLREVIEW, 26-1315AND ASSESSMENTSUPPORT, SCORESARE ,CITINGNECESSARY AN INABILITY TO DISCLOSEENSURE THESEACCURATE RECORDSAND DUECONSISTENTAPPLICATIONOFRISKASSESSMENTTOOLS TOACROSSTHEDIVISION CONTRACTOF LANGUAGEADULT .PAROLE;

HOWEVER(g)INJANUARYOF2026,THEDEPARTMENTOFCORRECTIONSSTATED ,THAT THROUGHOUTIT 2025,WILL THENO DEPARTMENTLONGER OFSUPPLY CORRECTIONSREQUESTED SUPPLIED RISK ASSESSMENTS ANDOR RISK ASSESSMENTPA SCORESG TOE JOURNALISTS2-HOUSE ANDBILL LEGISLATORS26-1315 INASSESSMENT RESPONSESCORES, TOCITING OPENAN RECORDSINABILITY REQUESTS , AND IT WAS THROUGH THESE OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS THAT THE PATTERN OF INACCURACIES AND INCONSISTENCIES WERE DISCOVERED .IT IS THE GENERAL ASSEMBLS INTENT TO KEEPDISCLOSE THESE RECORDS OPENDUE TO THECONTRACT PUBLICLANGUAGE. TO HOLD GOVERNMENTAL ACTORS ACCOUNTABLE .

(h)HOWEVER, FRTHEPURPOSESOFTRANSPARENCYANDACCOUNTABILITYTHROUGHOUT IT2025, ISTHE NECESSARYDEPARTMENT FOROF THECORRECTIONS GENERALSUPPLIED ASSEMBLYRISK ASSESSMENTS AND RISK ASSESSMENT SCORES TO CREATEJOURNALISTS REPORTINGAND EXPECTATIONSTOENSURETHATREVIEWSOFTHECOMMUNITYSUPERVISIONLEGISLATORS TOOLIN ORRESPONSE SIMILARTO SUCCESSOROPEN RISKRECORDS ASSESSMENTREQUESTS, TOOLSAND AREIT ESTABLISHEDWAS THROUGH THESE OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS THAT THE PATTERN OF INACCURACIES AND ONGOINGINCONSISTENCIES .WERE DISCOVERED.

(2)IT AIS S USED IN THIS SECTI,UNLESS THE CONTEXTGENERAL OTHERWISEASSEMBLY'S REQUIRES,INTENT RISKTO ASSESSMENTKEEP "THESE MEANSRECORDS AOPEN VALIDATEDTO INSTRUMENTTHE THATPUBLIC ASSESSESAPAROLEE SCRIMINOGENICNEEDSANDRISKOFRECIDIVISM ,AND IS USED TO GUIDEHOLD PAROLEGOVERNMENTAL SUPERVISIONACTORS PLANNINGDENTIFYACCOUNTABLE. APPROPRIATE INTERVENTIONS , AND ESTABLISH PAROLE SUPERVISION LEVELS OR CATEGORIES .

(3)(h)FORTHEPURPOSES (a)OFTRANSPARENCY TEAND DEPARTMENTACCOUNTABILITY, SHALLIT ESTABLISHIS ANECESSARY RISKFOR ASSESSMENTTHE QUALITYGENERAL REVIEWASSEMBLY TEAM TO DEVELOPCREATE POLICIESREPORTING ANDEXPECTATIONSTOENSURETHATREVIEWSOFTHECOMMUNITYSUPERVISION IMPLEMENTTOOL PRACTICESOR THATSIMILAR DETERMINESUCCESSOR WHETHER RISK ASSESSMENTSASSESSMENT TOOLS ARE COMPLETEDESTABLISHED ACCURATELYANDCONSISTENTLY ,ANDTOENSUREASUSTAINEDPROCESSOF REVIEW AND TRAINING.ONGOING.

(b)(2) (I)AS OUSED ORIN BEFORETHIS AUGUSTSECTION, 31,UNLESS 2026THETHE RISKCONTEXT ASSESSMENTOTHERWISE QUALITYREQUIRES, REVIEW"RISK TEAMASSESSMENT" SHALLMEANS IMPLEMENTA POLICIESVALIDATED ANDINSTRUMENT PRACTICESTHAT FORASSESSES A CADENCEDPAROLEE'S SYSTEMCRIMINOGENIC NEEDS AND RISK OF REVIEWRECIDIVISM, THATAND ENSURESIS ,USED ATTO AGUIDE MINIMUMPAROLE ,SUPERVISION THEPLANNING, FOLLOWINGIDENTIFY :APPROPRIATE INTERVENTIONS, AND ESTABLISH PAROLE SUPERVISION LEVELS OR CATEGORIES.

(A)(3)(a) SYSTEMATICREVIEWSOFCOMPLETEDCOMMUNITYSUPERVISIONTHE TOOLSORANYSIMILARSUCCESSORASSESSMENTSDEPARTMENT ,INCLUDINGREVIEWSFORSHALL COMPLETEDESTABLISH A RISK ASSESSMENTSASSESSMENT ATQUALITY EACHREVIEW TEAM TO DEVELOP POLICIES AND IMPLEMENT PRACTICES THAT DETERMINE WHETHER RISK ASSESSMENTASSESSMENTS LEVELARE ORCOMPLETED CATEGORYACCURATELYAND ;CONSISTENTLY, ANDTO ENSUREASUSTAINEDPROCESS OF REVIEW AND TRAINING.

(B)(b)(I) DEFINED,PERIODICFIDELITYREVIEWSOFANASSESSORON SWORKOR ;BEFORE AUGUST 31, 2026, THE RISK ASSESSMENT QUALITY REVIEW TEAM SHALL IMPLEMENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR A CADENCED SYSTEM OF REVIEW THAT ENSURES, AT A MINIMUM, THE FOLLOWING:

PAGE(A) 3-HOUSESYSTEMATICREVIEWS BILLOFCOMPLETEDCOMMUNITYSUPERVISION 26-1315TOOLS ANDORANY (C)SIMILARSUCCESSORASSESSMENTS, APPROPRIATEINCLUDINGREVIEWS TRAINING FOR SUSTAINEDCOMPLETED ANDRISK ACCURATEASSESSMENTS COMPLETIONAT OFEACH RISK ASSESSMENTSASSESSMENT .LEVEL OR CATEGORY;

(II)(B) ODEFINED, NPERIODIC ORFIDELITY BEFOREREVIEWS AOFAN UGUSTASSESSOR'S 31,WORK; 2026,THE RISK ASSESSMENT QUALITY REVIEW POLICIES AND PRACTICES ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (3)(b)(IOF THIS SECTION MUST BE IMPLEMENTED .

(4)PA (a)G IJANUARYE OF3-HOUSE 2027,ANDBILL IN26-1315 EACHAND JANUARY(C) THEREAFTERAPPROPRIATE ,TRAINING THEFOR DEPARTMENTSUSTAINED SHALLAND INCLUDEACCURATE ,ASCOMPLETION PART OF ITSRISK PRESENTATIONASSESSMENTS. DURING ITS"SMART A CT" HEARING REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 2-7-203, INFORMATION CONCERNING :

(I)(11) TETOTALNUMBEROFCOMMUNITYSUPERVISIONTOOLSORANYON SIMILARSUCCESSORASSESSMENTSREVIEWEDPURSUANTTOSUBSECTIONOR (3)BEFORE OFAUGUST 31, 2026, THE RISK ASSESSMENT QUALITY REVIEW POLICIES AND PRACTICES ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (3)(b)(IOF THIS SECTIO;SECTION MUST BE IMPLEMENTED.

(II)(4) OF(a) THE TOTAL NUMBER OFCOMMUNITY SUPERVISION TOOLS OR ANY SIMILAR SUCCESSOR ASSESSMENTS REVIEWED PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (3)OFTHISSECTION THETOTALNUMBEROFRISKASSESSMENTS THAT CONTAINED INACCURATE OR INCONSISTENT INFORMATION THAT RESULTED IN ANJANUARY INACCURATE SUPERVISION LEVEL ;AND (III) A COMPREHENSIVE DESCRIPTION OF THE2027, FINDINGS OF THE REVIEWS AND ANYIN MEASURESEACH IMPLEMENTEDJANUARY TOTHEREAFTER, ENSURETHE PROCESSDEPARTMENT IMPROVEMENTSHALL TOINCLUDE, MITIGATEAS THEPART FINDINGS OF THEITS 2025PRESENTATION RANDOMIZEDDURING SURVEYITS AUDIT"SM THATART FOUNDACT" AHEARING NINETYREQUIRED -EIGHTPURSUANT PERCENTTO ERRORSECTION RATE2-7-203, ININFORMATION RISKCONCERNING: ASSESSMENTS .

(b)(I) NTHETOTALNUMBEROFCOMMUNITYSUPERVISIONTOOLSORANY OTWITHSTANDINGSIMILARSUCCESSORASSESSMENTS THEREVIEWED REQUIREMENTPURSUANTTOSUBSECTION(3) INOF SECTION 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I),HE REQUIREMENT TO SUBMIT THE REPORT REQUIRED IN THIS SUBSECTIONSECTION; (4)CONTINUES INDEFINITELY .

(II) OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF COMMUNITY SUPERVISION TOOLS OR ANY SIMILAR SUCCESSOR ASSESSMENTS REVIEWED PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION(3)0FTHISSECTION,THETOTALNUMBEROFRISKASSESSMENTS THAT CONTAINED INACCURATE OR INCONSISTENT INFORMATION THAT RESULTED IN AN INACCURATE SUPERVISION LEVEL;

AND (III) A COMPREHENSIVE DESCRIPTION OF THE FINDINGS OF THE REVIEWS AND ANY MEASURES IMPLEMENTED TO ENSURE PROCESS IMPROVEMENT TO MITIGATE THE FINDINGS OF THE 2025 RANDOMIZED SURVEY AUDIT THAT FOUND A NINETY-EIGHT PERCENT ERROR RATE IN RISK ASSESSMENTS.

(b) NOTWITHSTANDING THE REQUIREMENT IN SECTION 24-1-136 (ll)(a)(I), THE REQUIREMENT TO SUBMIT THE REPORT REQUIRED IN THIS SUBSECTION (4) CONTINUES INDEFINITELY.

InColoradoRevisedStatutes,24-72-302,amend(4);In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-72-amend ( 4);

PAGE 4-HOUSE BILL 26-1315 (4) "Criminal justice records" means all books, papers, cards, photographs, tapes, recordings, or other documentarymaterials,documentary materials, regardless of form or characteristics, that are made, maintained, or kept by any criminal justice agency in the state for use in the exercise of functions required or authorized by law or administrative rule, including, but not limited to, theresultsofthe chemicalbiologicalsubstanceresults ofchemical biological substance testing to determine geneticmarkersconductedpursuanttosections16-11-102.4and16-23-104,geneticmarkersconductedpursuanttosections 16-11-102.4and 16-23-104, C.R.S.

OR RISK ASSESSMENT OUTPUTSOUTPUTS. .

(12) "RISK ASSESSMENT OUTPUTSOUTPUTS" " MEANS THE TOTAL SCORE AND RESULTING PAROLE SUPERVISION LEVEL DETERMINED BY THE UTILIZATION OF A VALIDATED INSTRUMENT THAT ASSESSES A PAROLEEPAROLEE'S S CRIMINOGENIC NEEDSANDRISKOFRECIDIVISMANDISUSEDTOGUIDEPAROLESUPERVISIONNEEDS PLANNINGAND IDENTIFYAPPROPRIATEINTERVENTIONSRISKOF ,ANDESTABLISHPAROLERECIDIVISM AND IS USEDTO GUIDE PAROLE SUPERVISION LEVELSPLANNING, .IDENTIFY APPROPRIATE INTERVENTIONS, AND ESTABLISH PAROLE SUPERVISION LEVELS.

Inspection ofofcriminal criminal justice records.

(6) NNOTWITHSTANDING OTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF THIS PART 3 TO THE CONTRARYCONTRARY, ,ANAGREEMENTTOPROHIBITTHEDISCLOSUREOFINFORMATIONANAGREEMENTTOPROHIBITTHEDISCLOSUREOFINFORMATION IN RISK ASSESSMENT OUTPUTS THAT IS SUBJECT TO DISCLOSURE PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION IS VOID AND UNENFORCEABLEUNENFORCEABLE. .

Act subject to petition - effective date - applicability.applicability.(1) This act takes effect at 12:01 a.m.

(1)on Thisthe actday takesfollowing effectthe atexpiration 12:01of a.m.the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August 12, 2026, ifadjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026);

onexceptthat, theifa dayreferendum followingpetition the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August 12, 2026, if adjournment sine die is onfiled Maypursuant 13,to 2026);exceptthat,ifsection areferendumpetitionisfiledpursuanttosection1(3)1(3) of article V ofofthe the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part ofofthis this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in NovemberNovember2026 2026and, and,insuchcase,willtakeeffectonthein datesuch ofcase, will take effect on the date ofthe official declaration ofofthe the vote thereon by the governor.