SB 18-135: Updates to Colorado Code of Military Justice

• Adds new definitions including "cadet," "candidate," "classified information," "warrant officer," "noncommissioned officer," "junior enlisted," "unit training assembly," "state active duty," and "safeguard" to clarify military personnel classifications and terminology.

• Expands nonjudicial punishment authority for commanding officers, particularly field-grade officers (O-4 and above), allowing increased penalties for enlisted members including larger fines based on unit training assembly or annual training pay.

• Modifies court-martial jurisdictions by excluding commissioned officers, warrant officers, cadets, and candidates from summary courts-martial and adjusting maximum punishment amounts tied to unit training assembly or annual training pay rather than fixed dollar amounts.

• Adds new statute establishing that convictions by general court-martial with sentences over one year or for offenses carrying maximum three-year confinement are felonies, while special court-martial convictions are misdemeanors and summary court-martial convictions are not criminal convictions.

• Creates new appeals process allowing the state to appeal certain military judge orders in cases involving punitive discharge, including orders excluding evidence, directing classified information disclosure, and imposing sanctions related to classified information handling.