SB23-228 Summary

• Creates the Office of Administrative Services for Independent Agencies within the Judicial Department to provide centralized administrative and fiscal support to independent judicial agencies including the Office of the Child Protection Ombudsman, Independent Ethics Commission, Office of Public Guardianship, and Commission on Judicial Discipline.

• Establishes an administrative board governed by directors of included agencies that must hire an office director by October 1, 2023, and hire remaining staff by March 1, 2024.

• Office provides budget, accounting, payroll, human resources, and contracting services to included agencies beginning July 1, 2024, while preserving each agency's organizational independence.

• Judicial Department provides office space in the Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center and free support services through June 30, 2024; beginning January 1, 2025, the office must pay for any judicial department services that require additional direct costs.

• Appropriates $746,909 from general fund for fiscal year 2023-24 (6.0 FTE) for office operations and $100,453 for judicial department legal services; reduces Commission on Judicial Discipline appropriation by $339,073 (4.0 FTE).