Colorado § 13-5.7-104 - Duties of commission - mission - staffing - report.

§ 13-5.7-104. Duties of commission - mission - staffing - report.

(1) The mission of the commission is to expand access, quality, and fairness in the justice system for all Coloradans.

(2) The commission has the following powers and duties:

(a) To identify, examine, and report on the impediments to accessing Colorado's civil justice system and how to mitigate or eliminate such impediments;

(b) To examine specific problems in the civil justice system, qualitatively and quantitatively, and how to solve them, including consideration of the experiences of individuals and organizations who use the system;

(c) To bring leaders from diverse sectors together to implement solutions to address statewide issues that impede access to justice, thereby supporting an ecosystem of access to justice work being done statewide;

(d) To create practical solutions for those who lack the information, tools, and services necessary to resolve their civil legal problems fairly, quickly, and economically;

(e) To act as a leader to inform, engage, and inspire lawyers, advocates, community members, and other stakeholders to improve access to justice;

(f) To use its platform to elevate understanding of and commitment to access to justice in Colorado;

(g) To advocate for needed changes to laws, practices, rules, and policies in Colorado; and

(h) To form advisory committees as necessary to gain input and expertise for the commission in an effort to further the duties and responsibilities set forth in this subsection (2).

(3) (a) Commission advisory committees focus on specific subject matters and may make recommendations to the full commission. The chair of the commission shall appoint members of the commission to serve on the advisory committees and shall appoint a commission member to serve as chair of each advisory committee formed pursuant to this subsection (3).

(b) The chair of an advisory committee may select interested members of the community who are not members of the commission to serve on the advisory committee. Noncommission members of an advisory committee serve without compensation or reimbursement for expenses.

(4) The commission may respond to inquiries from the general assembly, the governor, businesses, or individuals, as resources allow.

(5) (a) The commission may hire staff to facilitate its work, including an executive director and other staff as necessary.

(b) As funds allow, the commission may also contract with independent contractors to provide resources for data collection, research, analysis, publication of the commission's findings and reports, and other necessary services in furtherance of the commission's purpose.

(6) (a) Notwithstanding section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I), the commission shall prepare and submit an annual report on its work, including findings and recommendations approved by at least two-thirds of the voting members of the commission, to the governor and the judiciary committees of the senate and the house of representatives, or their successor committees. The legislative committees of reference shall consider the commission's recommendations for legislation, and the governor shall consider the commission's recommendations for regulatory action. The commission shall present its report to the legislative committees of reference during the committees' hearings held pursuant to the "SMART Act", part 2 of article 7 of title 2.

(b) With regard to any legislative recommendations contained in its report, the commission shall specify the laws that need to be created, amended, or repealed to ensure access to justice for all Coloradans.

Source: L. 2023: Entire article added, (HB 23-1280), ch. 308, p. 1882, § 1, effective August 7.