HB 20-1019 Summary

• Limits Centennial south campus to housing maximum 650 beds for close custody inmates only, with authority to temporarily house lower custody inmates as mentors or peer-support for up to three months to facilitate prison closure transitions.

• Creates new crime of "unauthorized absence" as a class 6 felony for violent crimes or class 3 misdemeanor for other crimes when individuals leave supervised programs without permission or tamper with electronic monitoring devices.

• Requires Division of Local Government to contract with research entity to study future prison bed needs in Colorado, including economic impacts of potential prison closures, facility utilization analysis, and recommendations for economic diversification in affected communities.

• Expands earned time credits for inmates to include exemplary leadership through mentoring, community service, and distinguished actions benefiting health, safety, and culture; allows earned time up to ten days per month of incarceration.

• Appropriates $981,377,043 to Department of Corrections for fiscal year 2019-2020 and $250,000 to Department of Local Affairs for prison bed needs study.