Senate Bill 13-246 Summary

• Creates a Discovery Task Force chaired by the Attorney General with representatives from state courts, public defense, district attorneys, law enforcement, and judiciary to study criminal discovery costs and electronic evidence processes.

• Task force must meet at least twice monthly between June 30, 2013 and November 15, 2013 to assess district attorney offices' ability to obtain law enforcement evidence in electronic format and identify barriers to implementation.

• Task force shall study feasibility of statewide criminal case management systems, standardized law enforcement reporting forms, and recommend definitions for "actual costs" of discovery and alternative funding mechanisms to prevent defendants from paying discovery expenses.

• Requires preliminary report to Joint Budget Committee by November 1, 2013 and final report with legislative and technology recommendations to budget and judiciary committees by January 31, 2014.

• Task force authority automatically repeals July 1, 2014.