2022 Colorado Code
Title 2 - Legislative
Article 7 - Legislative Oversight of Principal Departments
Part 2 - State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (Smart) Government Act
§ 2-7-203. Departmental Presentations to Legislative Committees of Reference - Departmental Regulatory Agendas - Legislative Declaration - Repeal

1. The speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate shall assign each department to a house and senate committee of reference for their respective houses. In making the assignments, the speaker and the president shall ensure that the primary functions and responsibilities of the department are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the committees of reference to which it is assigned.
2. 1. Each joint committee of reference shall conduct at least one but not more than three hearings in the first two weeks of the regular legislative session, during which hearings the joint committee shall hear a presentation from each department that is assigned to such committee pursuant to subsection (1) of this section regarding:
      1. The department's performance plan developed pursuant to section 2-7-204 (3);
      2. The department's regulatory agenda required pursuant to subsection (4) of this section; and
      3. The department's budget request and associated legislative agenda for the current regular legislative session.

   2. and (b) Repealed.

      (c) Each joint committee of reference shall allow time for public testimony regarding each such department presentation.

      (d) The Colorado commission on criminal and juvenile justice shall present a progress report on any recommendations the commission anticipates will be made for the current legislative session and any finalized recommendations for the current legislative session to the joint judiciary committee of reference during the hearings specified in subsection (2)(a) of this section.

3. 1. (Deleted by amendment, L. 2015.)
   2. The chair of the joint budget committee shall assign one member of the joint budget committee to serve as a liaison for each department. The joint budget committee liaison shall inform the joint committee of reference regarding the department's performance management system and performance plan.
   3. The executive director of each department, or the executive director's designee, and any appropriate staff of the department shall work with the joint budget committee liaisons as necessary.

4. On November 1, 2013, and each November 1 thereafter, each department shall file a departmental regulatory agenda with the staff of the legislative council, who shall distribute the departmental regulatory agenda to the applicable committee of reference prior to the departmental presentations to the committee of reference. On November 1, 2013, and each November 1 thereafter, each department shall also post its departmental regulatory agenda on the department's website and shall submit its departmental regulatory agenda to the secretary of state for publication in the Colorado register.
5. All local government entities are encouraged to attend the hearings described in subsection (2) of this section to provide testimony or to submit an official position letter to the joint committees of reference regarding any local impact of a department's performance management system and performance plan.
6. 1. The general assembly hereby finds and declares that on March 10, 2020, the governor declared a state of disaster emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The state of disaster emergency has been extended and will remain in effect when the first regular session of the seventy-third general assembly convenes. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose risks to the health and safety of the members of the general assembly and the public.
   2. Notwithstanding any requirements of subsection (2)(a) of this section to the contrary, due to the ongoing state of disaster emergency, in the first regular session of the seventy-third general assembly the joint committee of reference hearings required by subsection (2)(a) of this section may be conducted at any time after the general assembly convenes, including while the general assembly is temporarily adjourned. Members of the general assembly, representatives of departments, and the public may participate electronically in accordance with policies established by the executive committee of the legislative council pursuant to section 2-3-303 (2)(h) or the joint rules of the senate and the house of representatives.
   3. This subsection (6) is repealed, effective September 1, 2021.

Source: L. 2010: Entire part R&RE, (HB 10-1119), ch. 340, p. 1567, § 3, effective August 11. L. 2012: (2)(a)(IV) added, (HB 12-1008), ch. 182, p. 693, § 4, effective May 17. L. 2013: Entire part R&RE, (HB 13-1299), ch. 382, p. 2236, § 1, effective June 5. L. 2015: IP(2)(a) and (3) amended, (2)(a.5) added, and (2)(b) repealed, (HB 15-1308), ch. 180, p. 588, § 1, effective August 5. L. 2019: IP(2)(a), (2)(a)(III), and (2)(d) amended and (2)(a.5) repealed, (SB 19-252), ch. 254, p. 2451, § 1, effective August 2. L. 2021: (6) added, (HB 21-1003), ch. 2, p. 5, § 2, effective January 20.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 2-7-203 as it existed prior to 2013.