Source: https://cbaclelegalconnection.com/2014/04/30/
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 14:22:27+00:00

Document:
On April 22, 2014, Sen. Rollie Heath introduced SB 14-209 – Concerning the Requirements for Permissible Investments by Insurers in Loans Secured by Interests in Real Estate. This summary is published here courtesy of the Colorado Bar Association’s e-Legislative Report.
Repealing portions of current law that conflict with these provisions.
The bill is assigned to the Business, Labor, & Technology Committee.
Since this summary, the Business, Labor, & Technology Committee referred the bill, unamended, to the Senate Committee of the Whole.
On April 16, 2014, Sen. Kent Lambert introduced SB 14-203 – Concerning the Office of the Respondent Parents’ Counsel in Cases of Alleged Child Abuse or Neglect. This summary is published here courtesy of the Colorado Bar Association’s e-Legislative Report.
The bill establishes the office of the respondent parents’ counsel in the state judicial department, effective July 1, 2015, to provide high-quality legal representation to parents involved in dependency and neglect proceedings and who lack the financial means to obtain legal representation.
On April 23 the Judiciary Committee amended the bill and sent it to the Appropriations Committee. On April 25, the Appropriations Committee approved the bill and sent it to the full Senate for consideration on 2nd Reading.
On April 16, 2014, Sen. Linda Newell introduced SB 14-201 – Concerning Reestablishing a Child Protection Ombudsman Advisory Work Group to Develop a Plan for Accountable Autonomy for the Child Protection Ombudsman Program. This summary is published here courtesy of the Colorado Bar Association’s e-Legislative Report.
The bill creates a new advisory work group related to the office of the child protection ombudsman (office). The duties of the advisory work group include reconciling the implementation of recommendations from the 2010 advisory work group with the current operations and function of the office and making additional recommendations for autonomy and accountability as appropriate. Appointments to the advisory work group must be made no later than 60 days after May 14, 2014, and the advisory work group must convene on or before August 1, 2014. The advisory work group shall provide a report to the health and human services committee of the senate and the public health care and human services committee of the house of representatives, or any successor committees, the governor, and the executive director on or before December 1, 2014.
The advisory work group is repealed, effective July 1, 2016.
On April 24, the Health & Human Services Committee amended the bill and sent it to Legislative Council; on April 25, Legislative Council Committee amended the bill and sent it to the full Senate for consideration on 2nd Reading.
On March 28, 2014, Rep. Lois Court and Sen. Linda Newell introduced HB 14-1347 – Concerning Statutorily Established Time Periods that are Multiples of Seven Days. This summary is published here courtesy of the Colorado Bar Association’s e-Legislative Report.
The bill changes time periods in certain court proceedings to 7-day periods or periods that are multiples of 7 days to avoid actions being due on weekends. Similar changes to 7-day periods or periods that are multiples of 7 days were made to the Colorado Revised Statutes in 2012, pursuant to Senate Bill 12-175. The CBA LPC has voted to support this legislation.
On April 25, the bill passed 3rd Reading in the Senate and is now on its way to Gov. John Hickenlooper’s desk for signature.
On March 31, 2014, Rep. Dickey Lee Hullinghorst and Sen. Rollie Heath introduced HB 14-1439 – Concerning the Creation of an Exemption from Property Taxes for Qualifying Business Entities Controlled by Nonprofit Organizations that are Formed for the Purpose of Qualifying for Federal Tax Credits. This summary is published here courtesy of the Colorado Bar Association’s e-Legislative Report.
The property is used for charitable, religious, or educational purposes in accordance with existing property tax exemptions.
The general partner or managing member of which is an entity that would qualify for an existing property tax exemption for charitable, religious, or educational purposes.
The bill repeal statutory provisions that had required an entity formed to obtain the federal new markets tax credits or federal rehabilitation tax credits and that claims a property tax exemption to pay annually to the applicable county a payment in lieu of property taxes.
On April 14, the bill passed out of the House on 3rd Reading. The bill is assigned to the Finance Committee in the Senate.
Since this summary, the Senate Finance Committee referred the bill, unamended, to the Senate Committee of the Whole for Second Reading.
On April 1, 2014, Rep. Bob Gardner and Sen. Mike Johnston introduced HB 14-1353 – Concerning Powers of Appointment. This summary is published here courtesy of the Colorado Bar Association’s e-Legislative Report.
The bill enacts the “Uniform Powers of Appointment Act” as recommended by the national conference of commissioners on uniform state laws. It repeals existing law on powers of appointment and makes conforming amendments. The CBA LPC has voted to support this legislation.
On April 21, the bill passed out of the House on 3rd Reading. The bill is assigned to the Judiciary Committee in the Senate.
Since this summary, the Senate Judiciary Committee referred the bill, unamended, for Second Reading. It passed Second Reading unamended in the Senate.
The Colorado Supreme Court issued its opinion in People v. Knedler on Monday, April 28, 2014.
Miranda Advisement—Knowing and Intelligent Waiver.
In this interlocutory appeal, the Supreme Court reversed the trial court’s order suppressing defendant’s statements. The trial court erred by suppressing defendant’s statements based solely on his level of intoxication, because chemical analysis of blood or breath alcohol content alone is not sufficient for a court to conclude that a defendant’s waiver was not knowing and intelligent. The trial court should have considered the totality of the circumstances. The Court reversed the trial court’s order, holding that defendant made a knowing and intelligent waiver of his Fifth Amendment Miranda rights before making the statements.
The Colorado Court of Appeals issued its opinion in People in Interest of Marquardt on Thursday, April 24, 2014.
Larry Marquardt was committed to the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo (CMHIP) after having been found not guilty by reason of insanity in a criminal case. Since arriving at CMHIP, he was voluntarily taking ten milligrams of Saphris, an antipsychotic medication, once a day. The People petitioned the court to slowly increase the dosage to 20 milligrams per day, because he refused to voluntarily do so and his psychiatrist felt 10 milligrams was ineffective.
After a hearing, the court ordered the dosage could be increased over his objection. On appeal, Marquardt argued that the trial court erred in applying the elements established in People v. Medina, 705 P.2d 961 (Colo. 1985),to the facts of this case.
As a matter of first impression, the Court of Appeals had to decide whether Medina was applicable to a nonemergency request to increase antipsychotic medication dosage over a patient’s objection. It concluded it was applicable; however, the trial court applied an incorrect legal standard in its decision.
The trial court was required, pursuant to Medina, to find by clear and convincing evidence a number of factors, one of which was whether, absent the increased dosage, Marquardt would suffer significant and likely long-term deterioration to his mental health. Although the evidence supported the trial court’s finding that Marquardt was unlikely to improve at the current dosage, that was not the correct standard and there was not clear and convincing evidence that, absent the increased dosage, he would suffer a significant and likely long-term deterioration to his mental health. The order was reversed.
The Colorado Court of Appeals issued its opinion in Qwest Corporation v. City of Northglenn on Thursday, April 24, 2014.
Use Taxes—Statute of Limitations—CRS § 39-26-210.
Qwest Corporation has a facility in Thornton, a home-rule municipality. Under Thornton’s tax code, Qwest must pay use taxes on new purchases delivered to the Thornton facility. Northglenn, an adjacent home rule municipality, has a similar tax ordinance.
Qwest’s Thornton facility is across the street from Northglenn. Between 2002 and 2005, an error in Qwest’s computer software recognized the Thornton facility as being in Northglenn. As a result, Qwest mistakenly paid to Northglenn use taxes it owed to Thornton during that time.
In 2008, Thornton conducted an audit of Qwest and discovered the error. After Thornton notified Qwest of the deficiency, Thornton and Qwest entered into numerous agreements extending the three-year limitations period under CRS § 39-26-210 for collecting tax assessments and requesting refunds applicable to Qwest’s tax liability to Thornton. Thornton ultimately issued Qwest a sales and use tax assessment totaling $65,862.19 for the subject period.
In 2010, pursuant to CRS § 29-2-106.1(3), Qwest requested a hearing concerning the deficiency by the Colorado Department of Revenue (Department) and joined Northglenn as a respondent. This was the first time that Qwest notified Northglenn that it had received tax payments in error. The Department concluded that any action against Northglenn for taxes for the 2002 through 2005 period was time barred, and Qwest remained liable to Thornton.
Qwest appealed to the district court and moved for summary judgment. The district court affirmed the Department.
On appeal, Qwest argued that under CRS § 29-2-106.1(5) and (6), it is immune from liability for use taxes owed to Thornton for 2002 to 2005 because it erroneously paid those taxes to Northglenn. It further argued that the statute of limitations did not relieve Northglenn of any obligation to forward the erroneously paid taxes to Thornton. The Court of Appeals disagreed.
Qwest also argued that it should be relieved of its tax liability to Thornton because it paid the amounts due to Northglenn. The Court rejected this argument because Thornton cannot recover the money from Northglenn due to the statute of limitations. The Court therefore affirmed the district court’s decision that Qwest remains liable to Thornton for the use tax deficiency.
On Tuesday, April 29, 2014, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals issued one published opinion and 13 unpublished opinions.
On April 3, 2014, Rep. Daniel Kagan and Sen. Lucia Guzman introduced HB 14-1355 – Concerning Department of Corrections Reentry Initiatives for Successful Reintegration of Adult Offenders into the Community, and, in Connection Therewith, Making an Appropriation. This summary is published here courtesy of the Colorado Bar Association’s e-Legislative Report.
On and after July 1, 2014, the Dept. of Corrections (department) shall develop and implement initiatives specifically designed to decrease recidivism, enhance public safety, and increase each offender’s chances of achieving success upon his or her release to the community.
Make necessary operational enhancements and develop and implement initiatives specifically designed to ensure that the department has the proper equipment, training, and programs to properly supervise offenders in the community to enhance public safety.
On and after January 1, 2015, the department shall develop and implement a grant program to provide funding to eligible community-based organizations that provide reentry services to offenders in the community. On or before January 1, 2015, the executive director shall develop policies for the administration of the grant program.
The grant program is repealed, effective September 1, 2018. Before such repeal, the department of regulatory agencies shall conduct a sunset review of the grant program.
On and after January 1, 2016, during its annual presentation before the joint judiciary committee of the general assembly, or any successor joint committee, the department shall include a status report regarding the progress and outcomes of reentry planning and program initiatives developed and implemented by the department during the preceding year.
Since this summary, the Senate Judiciary Committee referred the bill, unamended, to Appropriations.

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