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SB 25-012

Financial Assistance for County Jails

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Judy Amabile and 2 co-sponsors

Senate Bill 25-012 aimed to fund jail construction and remodeling in Colorado counties but was postponed, halting efforts to improve jail infrastructure statewide.

Senate Committee on Judiciary Postpone Indefinitely
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Bill Summary · SB 25-012

Summary of Senate Bill 25-012: Financial Assistance for County Jails

Bill Number: SB 25-012
Introduced: January 08, 2025
Status: Postponed Indefinitely by the Senate Committee on Judiciary on February 10, 2025
Prime Sponsors: Sen. Amabile, Sen. Gonzales J., Rep. Armagost

Purpose and Intent

Senate Bill 25-012 aimed to provide financial assistance to counties for the construction and remodeling of jail facilities. The bill sought to expand the existing Underfunded Courthouse Facility Cash Fund to include jail facilities, thereby addressing the growing needs for improved infrastructure in both court and jail systems across Colorado.

Key Provisions

  • Renaming of Funds and Commission: The bill proposed renaming the Underfunded Courthouse Facility Cash Fund to the Underfunded Court and Jail Facility Cash Fund and the corresponding commission to the Underfunded Court and Jail Facility Cash Fund Commission.

  • Grant Allocation: The commission would have been authorized to award grants for:

    • Commissioning master planning services.
    • Matching funds or leveraging grant funding for jail construction or remodeling projects.
    • Covering up to 50% of a county’s voter-approved debt service for capital construction of court or jail facilities.

  • Restrictions on Grant Use: Grants could only be used for new construction or remodeling of court and jail facilities, explicitly excluding expenditures for furniture, fixtures, or equipment.

Impact

  • Local Governments: The bill was expected to increase the workload for county governments and sheriff departments as they would need to apply for grants. Successful applications could lead to increased revenue for specific counties based on funding decisions made by the commission.

  • State Workload: The bill was projected to have a minimal impact on state workload, although an increase in applications for jail facility funding could lead to additional responsibilities for the commission within the Judicial Department.

  • Funding Considerations: While the bill did not require additional appropriations, it highlighted the need for increased funding to ensure that both courthouse and jail facilities could be adequately supported. An estimated increase of $2 million to a total of $5 million annually was suggested to fully fund both types of facilities.

Procedural Aspects

  • The bill was introduced and assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee but was postponed indefinitely before any further action could be taken. This means that the proposed changes and funding mechanisms outlined in the bill will not be enacted.

Conclusion

Senate Bill 25-012 represented an effort to enhance the infrastructure of county jails in Colorado by providing financial assistance through an expanded funding mechanism. However, the bill's indefinite postponement means that these proposed improvements will not move forward at this time.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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