CO HB1353

Creates the Defense Counsel on First Appearance Grant Program within the Division of Local Government to reimburse local governments for costs of providing defense counsel to defendants at their first municipal court appearances, as required by Section 13-10-114.5.

Division shall solicit applications from local governments, establish grant award criteria through rulemaking, and select recipients to receive partial or full reimbursement for eligible defense counsel costs.

General Assembly may annually appropriate money from the general fund to support grants and reasonable administrative expenses, with unexpended funds remaining available for the next fiscal year without further appropriation.

Division must include annual program effectiveness updates in its report to Senate and House committees under the SMART Government Act, with reporting continuing indefinitely.

Appropriates $1,853,037 for fiscal year 2018-19: $1,846,959 for the grant program (including 0.5 FTE), $4,480 for information technology services, and $1,598 for legal services; program scheduled for repeal on September 1, 2023, subject to sunset review.