CO SB126

Courts must order defendants charged with or convicted of second or third-degree assault to submit to medical tests for communicable diseases if their blood, bodily fluids, or other substances contacted assault victims, peace officers, firefighters, or emergency medical personnel.

Defendants must report test results to the court within ten days, and the court must disclose results to any victim, peace officer, firefighter, or emergency medical care/service provider who came into contact with the substance and requests disclosure.

Test results and all related records are closed and confidential, with prohibited public disclosure by anyone receiving the results.

Courts may order convicted defendants to pay all or part of the medical testing and treatment costs for victims and first responders, and may impose probation for payment purposes without exceeding the maximum sentence for the offense.

Voluntary submission to testing by a defendant is admissible as a mitigating factor during sentencing if the person is convicted.

Effective date is July 1, 2015, for offenses committed on or after that date.