On March 20, 2012, Sen. Shawn Mitchell and Rep. Don Beezley introduced SB 12-163 – Concerning Changes to Improve Outcomes for Persons Convicted of Possession of Certain Controlled Substances Crimes and, in Connection Therewith, Establishing a Misdemeanor Penalty for Possession of Controlled Substances, Requiring a Post-Enactment Review of the Implementation of this Act, and Making an Appropriation. This summary is published here courtesy of the Colorado Bar Association’s e-Legislative Report.

The bill reduces the penalty for possession of 4 grams or less of certain drugs from a class 6 felony to a class 1 misdemeanor and reduces the penalty for possession of more than 4 grams of those certain drugs from a class 4 felony to a class 6 felony. The bill appropriates the savings from the reduction in the criminal penalties to substance abuse treatment programs. The department of human services will develop a trauma-informed substance abuse treatment and best practices training program. The bill requires a post-enactment review after two years that addresses the impact of the bill on jails and the amount of funding for jail-based treatment.

The bill is scheduled on the Judiciary Committee calendar for Wednesday, March 28 at 1:30 p.m.

Since this summary, the bill was amended in the Senate Judiciary Committee and referred to the Finance Committee.

Summaries of other featured bills can be found here.