SB 17-281: Colorado Citizen Protection Against Sanctuary Policies Act

• Declares it state policy that Colorado jurisdictions must comply with federal immigration law, specifically 8 U.S.C. § 1373, which prohibits restricting communication with federal immigration agencies about immigration status.

• Requires each jurisdiction to submit annual compliance reports to the Department of Public Safety by July 1; if a jurisdiction fails to report, the department must notify the state controller, triggering automatic withholding of state funds starting in fiscal year 2018-19.

• A jurisdiction is deemed to have created a sanctuary policy if it prohibits or restricts sharing immigration status information with federal agencies, maintains or exchanges such information, or encourages harboring of illegal aliens.

• Waives governmental immunity for jurisdictions and employees regarding personal injuries caused to crime victims if a convicted illegal alien established residency in a sanctuary jurisdiction, allowing compensatory damages under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act.

• Takes effect January 1, 2018, and requires the Department of Public Safety to republish federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement data on alien apprehensions and releases pertaining to Colorado on its website.