SB 25-012
Fiscal Note
Legislative Council Staff
Nonpartisan Services for Colorado’s Legislature
SB 25-012: FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR COUNTY JAILS
Prime Sponsors:
Sen. Amabile; Gonzales
Rep. Armagost
Published for: Senate Judiciary
Drafting number: LLS 25-0301
Fiscal Analyst:
Aaron Carpenter, 303-866-4918
aaron.carpenter@coleg.gov
Version: Initial Fiscal Note
Date: January 15, 2025
Fiscal note status: The fiscal note reflects the introduced bill, which was recommended by the Legislative
Oversight Committee Concerning Colorado Jails Standards.
Summary Information
Overview. The bill renames the Underfunded Courthouse Facility Cash Fund and allows it to be used for
jail facility upgrades.
Types of impacts. The bill is projected to affect the following areas:
Minimal State Workload Local Government
Appropriations. No appropriation is required; however, the General Assembly may choose to appropriate
additional funding to the cash fund.
Table 1
State Fiscal Impacts
Type of Impact
Budget Year
FY 2025-26
Out Year
FY 2026-27
State Revenue $0 $0
State Expenditures $0 $0
Transferred Funds $0 $0
Change in TABOR Refunds $0 $0
Change in State FTE 0.0 FTE 0.0 FTE
Page 2
January 15, 2025 SB 25-012
Summary of Legislation
The bill renames the Underfunded Courthouse Facility Cash Fund to the Underfunded Court and
Jail Facility Cash Fund (cash fund), and the Underfunded Courthouse Facility Cash Fund
Commission to the Underfunded Court and Jail Facility Cash Fund Commission (commission). In
addition to current allowable uses, the bill allows the commission to award grants from the cash
fund to:
commission master planning services, match funds, or leverage grant funding for
construction or remodeling projects of a jail facility; and
cover up to 50 percent of a county’s voter-approved debt service for capital construction of
a court or jail facility.
Finally, the bill restricts the use of grants from the cash fund to new construction or remodeling
of a court or jail facility. Grants cannot be used for the purchase of furniture, fixtures, or
equipment.
Background
The cash fund was created in 2014 to provide grants to counties with limited financial resources
for courthouse facility projects. Grants are awarded through the recommendation of the
seven-member commission based on criteria outlined in statute.
The General Assembly currently transfers $3.0 million from the General Fund to the cash fund,
which is reappropriated to the Judicial Department. The department reports that the
commission has received applications for $3.9 million during the last calendar year, leaving
about $900,000 in applications unfunded due to the current appropriation. The department
projects that the cash fund balance will decrease in future years with a projected ending balance
of $4.2 million in FY 2025-26, $2.5 million in FY 2026-27, and $740,000 in FY 2027-28.
State Expenditures
Application Review
Starting in FY 2025-26, workload in the commission within the Judicial Department will increase
to the extent the commission receives additional applications for jail facility funding. The fiscal
note assumes that the commission will make funding decisions on jail facilities and does not
require input from the State Court Administrator’s office (SCAO). If input from the SCAO is
expected, state expenditures will increase by $50,000 to hire a contractor who is an expert in jail
facilities, as the SCAO does not possess this expertise. This assumes a contract architect at
$250 per hour and each plan requiring 10 hours of analysis.
Page 3
January 15, 2025 SB 25-012
Additional Funding
The bill does not require additional appropriations to the cash fund; therefore, an increased
appropriation is not indicated in the fiscal note. However, without additional appropriations,
current funding to courthouses may be diverted to jail facilities, or the commission may choose
to not fund jail facility projects. If both courthouses and jail facilities are to be fully funded, the
appropriation to the cash fund should increase by an estimated $2.0 million, to $5.0 million
annually. Ultimately, the amount of funding to the cash fund is at the discretion of the General
Assembly, and decisions on grant funding is at the discretion of the commission.
Local Government
To the extent counties choose to apply for jail facility grants, workload to county governments
and sheriffs departments will increase to write and approve applications. Revenue to specific
county governments may increase based on funding decisions made by the commission.
Effective Date
The bill takes effect upon signature of the Governor, or upon becoming law without his
signature.
State and Local Government Contacts
Counties
Judicial
Sheriffs
The revenue and expenditure impacts in this fiscal note represent changes from current law under the bill for each
fiscal year. For additional information about fiscal notes, please visit the General Assembly website.