HR 18-1007 Summary

• House resolution requests Colorado Department of Corrections review and revise policies for transgender inmate safety consistent with Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) guidelines, American Correctional Association standards, and best practices from facilities like Delaware Department of Corrections and Denver County Jail

• Current Department of Corrections policy AR 700-4 is identified as inadequate; transgender inmates continue to face physical violence and sexual assault, including a case involving inmate Lindsay Saunders-Velez who was placed in a male disciplinary pod with inmates who threatened to assault her

• Bureau of Justice statistics from 2012 estimate approximately 3,200 transgender inmates in U.S. state and federal prisons, with 40% reporting sexual abuse by other inmates or staff compared to 10% of general prison population

• Requests quarterly review of revised policy implementation and its effects on transgender inmates after policy takes effect

• Revised policy must be presented at next scheduled "State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act" hearing with Joint Judiciary Committee; copies sent to Governor and judiciary committee chairs