reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
CO Code § 13-91-102 (2021)
2021 Colorado Code|Title 13 - Courts and Court Procedure|Article 91 - Office of the Child's Representative|§ 13-91-102. Legislative Declaration

     The general assembly hereby finds that the legal representation of and non-legal advocacy on behalf of children is a critical element in giving children a voice in the Colorado court system. The general assembly further finds that the representation of children is unique in that children often have no resources with which to retain the services of an attorney or advocate, they are unable to efficiently provide or communicate to such an attorney or advocate the information needed to effectively serve the best interests or desires of that child, and they lack the ability and understanding to effectively evaluate and, if necessary, complain about the quality of representation they receive. Accordingly, the general assembly finds that the representation of children necessitates significant expertise as well as a substantial investment in time and fiscal resources. The general assembly finds that, to date, the state has been sporadic, at best, in the provision of qualified services and financial resources to this disadvantaged and voiceless population.    Accordingly, the general assembly hereby determines and declares that it is in the best interests of the children of the state of Colorado, in order to reduce needless expenditures, establish enhanced funding resources, and improve the quality of representation and advocacy provided to children in the Colorado court system, that an office of the child's representative be established in the state judicial department.       It is the intent of the general assembly that an office of the child's representative shall be established pursuant to this article and operational over the course of a two-year period. It is further the intent of the general assembly that a board and a director of the office shall be appointed as specified in section 13-91-104 and that the operational structure of the office shall be established during fiscal year 2000-01. The costs associated with the establishment of the office, including the associated FTE, shall be paid for by a transfer from the state judicial, trial courts, mandated costs line item. In addition, it is the intent of the general assembly that, for fiscal year 2001-02 and fiscal years thereafter, an appropriation shall be made to the office of the child's representative in the state judicial department for the purpose of payment of all financial obligations previously covered by the judicial department, trial courts, mandated costs line item relating to the provision of those legal services to children that are addressed in this article.     History. Source: L. 2000: Entire article added, p. 1766, § 1, effective July 1.
CO Code § 13-91-103 (2021)
2021 Colorado Code|Title 13 - Courts and Court Procedure|Article 91 - Office of the Child's Representative|§ 13-91-103. Definitions

 As used in this article 91, unless the context otherwise requires:    “Child” means a person under eighteen years of age.    “Contract entity” means a nonprofit entity with which the state judicial department may contract for the coordination and support of CASA activities in the state of Colorado. (2.5) “Counsel for youth” means an attorney who is licensed to practice law in Colorado and appointed by the court to represent a child or youth in a proceeding pursuant to article 3 or 7 of title 19, or assigned by the office of the child's representative pursuant to article 7 of title 19.    “Court-appointed special advocate” or “CASA volunteer” means a trained volunteer appointed by the court pursuant to the provisions of part 2 of article 1 of title 19, C.R.S., section 14-10-116, C.R.S., or title 15, C.R.S., in a judicial district to aid the court by providing independent and objective information, as directed by the court, regarding children involved in actions brought pursuant to section 14-10-116, C.R.S., or title 15 or 19, C.R.S.    “Guardian ad litem” or “GAL” means a person appointed by a court to act in the best interests of a child involved in a proceeding under title 19, C.R.S., or the “School Attendance Law of 1963”, set forth in article 33 of title 22, C.R.S., and who, if appointed to represent a child in a dependency or neglect proceeding pursuant to article 3 of title 19, C.R.S., shall be an attorney-at-law licensed to practice in Colorado.    “Local CASA program” means a CASA program established pursuant to part 2 of article 1 of title 19, C.R.S.    “Representative of a child” means an attorney appointed by a court pursuant to section 14-10-116, C.R.S., to represent the best interests of a minor or dependent child.    “Youth” means an individual who is less than twenty-one years of age or such greater age of foster care eligibility as required by federal law.     History. Source: L. 2000: Entire article added, p. 1767, § 1, effective July 1. L. 2003: (3) amended, p. 753, § 1, effective March 25. L. 2021: IP amended and (2.5) and (7) added,(HB 21-1094), ch. 340, p. 2220, § 8, effective June 25.
CO Code § 13-91-106 (2021)
2021 Colorado Code|Title 13 - Courts and Court Procedure|Article 91 - Office of the Child's Representative|§ 13-91-106. Guardian Ad Litem Fund - Court-Appointed Special Advocate (Casa) Fund - Created

  There is created in the state treasury the guardian ad litem fund, referred to in this subsection (1) as the “fund”. The fund consists of general fund money as may be appropriated by the general assembly and any money received pursuant to section 13-91-105 (1)(a)(IX). The money in the fund is subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly to the state judicial department for allocation to the office of the child's representative for the purposes of funding the work of the office of the child's representative relating to the provision of guardian ad litem or counsel for youth services and for the provision of guardian ad litem or counsel for youth services in Colorado. All interest derived from the deposit and investment of money in the fund must be credited to the fund. Any money not appropriated remains in the fund and must not be transferred or revert to the general fund of the state at the end of any fiscal year.    Repealed.     History. Source: L. 2000: Entire article added, p. 1772, § 1, effective July 1. L. 2003: (2) amended, p. 754, § 4, effective March 25. L. 2009: (1) amended,(SB 09-208), ch. 149, p. 620, § 11, effective April 20. L. 2015: (1) amended,(SB 15-264), ch. 259, p. 950, § 33, effective August 5. L. 2019: (2) amended,(HB 19-1282), ch. 312, p. 2815, § 3, effective May 28. L. 2021: (1) amended,(HB 21-1094), ch. 340, p. 2222, § 10, effective June 15.    Editor's note:    For the amendments in HB 19-1282 in effect from May 28, 2019, to July 31, 2019, see chapter 312, Session Laws of Colorado 2019. (L. 2019, p. 2815.)    Subsection (2)(c) provided for the repeal of subsection (2), effective July 31, 2019. (SeeL. 2019, p. 2815.)
CO Code § 13-92-101 (2021)
2021 Colorado Code|Title 13 - Courts and Court Procedure|Article 92 - Office of the Respondent Parents' Counsel|§ 13-92-101. Legislative Declaration

  The general assembly finds and declares that:   Respondent parents' counsel plays a critical role in helping achieve the best outcomes for children involved in dependency and neglect proceedings by providing effective legal representation for parents in dependency and neglect proceedings, protecting due process and statutory rights, presenting balanced information to judges, and promoting the preservation of family relationships when appropriate;    There is a need to establish additional and equitable funding to compensate respondent parents' counsel; and    A clear set of practice standards for respondent parents' counsel needs to be established and made available to all parties involved in dependency and neglect proceedings.       Therefore, the general assembly declares that it is in the best interests of the children and parents of the state of Colorado to have an independent office to oversee the respondent parents' counsel to improve the quality of legal representation for parents involved in dependency and neglect proceedings and who often do not have the financial means to afford legal representation.    It is the intent of the general assembly to establish a respondent parents' counsel governing commission by July 1, 2015, and the office of the respondent parents' counsel in the state judicial department, beginning January 1, 2016. It is the further intent of the general assembly that all existing and new state paid respondent parent counsel appointments be transferred on July 1, 2016, to the operational structure recommended in the final report to the office of the state court administrator by the respondent parents' counsel work group, due on or before September 30, 2014, and set forth in section 13-92-103 (1)(b).      To implement the recommendations from the respondent parents' counsel work group, as referenced in subsection (3) of this section, the state judicial department shall include an appropriate fiscal request to the joint budget committee on or before November 1, 2014.    The costs associated with the establishment of the office, including any associated FTE, shall be paid for by a transfer from the state judicial department mandated costs line item. It is the further intent of the general assembly that, for fiscal year 2015-16 and fiscal years thereafter, an appropriation shall be made to the office of the respondent parents' counsel for the purpose of payment of all financial obligations previously covered by the state judicial department mandated costs line item relating to the provision of services provided by the respondent parents' counsel as set forth in this article.         History. Source: L. 2014: Entire article added,(SB 14-203), ch. 281, p. 1139, § 1, effective August 6. L. 2015: (3) amended,(HB 15-1149), ch. 116, p. 350, § 1, effective April 24.
CO Code § 13-92-102 (2021)
2021 Colorado Code|Title 13 - Courts and Court Procedure|Article 92 - Office of the Respondent Parents' Counsel|§ 13-92-102. Definitions

 As used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires:    “Child” means a person under eighteen years of age. (1.5) “Commission” means the respondent parents' counsel governing commission established in section 13-92-103 .    “Department” means the judicial department. (2.5) “Director” means the director of the office of the respondent parents' counsel.    “Office” means the office of the respondent parents' counsel established in section 13-92-103.    “Parent” means a natural parent of a child, as may be established pursuant to article 4 of title 19, C.R.S., a parent by adoption, or a legal guardian.     History. Source: L. 2014: Entire article added,(SB 14-203), ch. 281, p. 1140, § 1, effective August 6. L. 2015: (1.5) and (2.5) added,(HB 15-1149), ch. 116, p. 350, § 2, effective April 24.
CO Code § 13-92-104 (2021)
2021 Colorado Code|Title 13 - Courts and Court Procedure|Article 92 - Office of the Respondent Parents' Counsel|§ 13-92-104. Duties of the Office of the Respondent Parents' Counsel

  The office has the following duties, at a minimum:   Enhancing the provision of respondent parent counsel services in Colorado by:   Ensuring the provision and availability of high-quality legal representation for parents involved in dependency and neglect proceedings brought pursuant to article 3 of title 19, C.R.S., and as provided for in section 19-3-202, C.R.S.; and    Making recommendations for minimum practice standards to which attorneys serving as respondent parent counsel shall be held;       Establishing fair and realistic state rates by which to compensate respondent parent counsel. The state rates must take into consideration any caseload limitations placed upon respondent parent counsel and must be sufficient to attract and retain high-quality, experienced attorneys to serve as respondent parent counsel.    Enforcing, as appropriate, the provisions of this section;    Working cooperatively with the judicial districts to establish pilot programs, as appropriate, designed to enhance the quality of respondent parent counsel at the local level; and    Annually reviewing and evaluating the office's performance to determine whether the office is effectively and efficiently meeting the goals of improving child and family well-being and the duties set forth in this section. The report must be submitted on or before January 1, 2017, and annually thereafter, to the state court administrator's office.        History. Source: L. 2014: Entire article added,(SB 14-203), ch. 281, p. 1141, § 1, effective August 6. L. 2017: (1)(e) amended,(SB 17-241), ch. 171, p. 624, § 4, effective January 2, 2020.
CO Code § 13-94-101 (2021)
2021 Colorado Code|Title 13 - Courts and Court Procedure|Article 94 - Office of Public Guardianship|§ 13-94-101. Short Title

 The short title of this article 94 is the “Office of Public Guardianship Act”.   History. Source: L. 2017: Entire article added,(HB 17-1087), ch. 319, p. 1714, § 1, effective June 5.
CO Code § 13-94-102 (2021)
2021 Colorado Code|Title 13 - Courts and Court Procedure|Article 94 - Office of Public Guardianship|§ 13-94-102. Legislative Declaration

  The general assembly finds and declares that:   Due to incapacity, some adults in Colorado are unable to meet essential requirements for their health or personal care;    Private guardianship is not an option for such an adult when:   No responsible family members or friends are available and appropriate to serve as a guardian; and    He or she lacks adequate resources to compensate a private guardian and pay the costs associated with an appointment proceeding;       Volunteer and public service programs are currently inadequate to provide legal guardianship services to indigent and incapacitated adults in Colorado;    Colorado courts struggle to address the needs of indigent and incapacitated adults who lack the resources to provide for their own guardianship needs; and    Without a system providing legal guardianship services to indigent and incapacitated adults, the courts are left with few options for addressing these adults' needs.       In establishing the office of public guardianship, the general assembly intends:   That the office will:   Provide guardianship services to indigent and incapacitated adults who:   Have no responsible family members or friends who are available and appropriate to serve as a guardian;    Lack adequate resources to compensate a private guardian and pay the costs associated with an appointment proceeding; and    Are not subject to a petition for appointment of guardian filed by a county adult protective services unit or otherwise authorized by section 26-3.1-104; and       Gather data to help the general assembly determine the need for, and the feasibility of, a statewide office of public guardianship; and       That the office is a pilot program, to be evaluated and then continued, discontinued, or expanded at the discretion of the general assembly in 2023.       In creating the office of public guardianship, it is also the intention of the general assembly to:   Treat liberty and autonomy as paramount values for all state residents;    Authorize public guardianship only to the extent necessary to provide for health or safety when the legal conditions for appointment of a guardian are met;    Permit incapacitated adults to participate as fully as possible in all decisions that affect them;    Assist incapacitated adults to regain or develop their capacities to the maximum extent possible;    Promote the availability of guardianship services for adults who need them and for whom adequate services may otherwise be unavailable;    Maintain and not alter or expand judicial authority to determine that any adult is incapacitated; and    Maintain and not alter or expand any authority vested in the state department of human services and county departments of human or social services.        History. Source: L. 2017: Entire article added,(HB 17-1087), ch. 319, p. 1714, § 1, effective June 5. L. 2021: (2)(b) amended,(SB 21-267), ch. 276, p. 1598, § 1, effective June 21.
CO Code § 13-94-103 (2021)
2021 Colorado Code|Title 13 - Courts and Court Procedure|Article 94 - Office of Public Guardianship|§ 13-94-103. Definitions

  Except as otherwise indicated in this section, the definitions set forth in section 15-14-102 apply to this article 94.    As used in this article 94, unless the context otherwise requires:   “Commission” means the public guardianship commission created pursuant to section 13-94-104.    “Direct care provider” means a health-care facility, as defined in section 15-14-505 (5), or a health-care provider, as defined in section 15-14-505 (6).    “Director” means the director of the office appointed by the commission pursuant to section 13-94-104.    “Guardian” or “guardian-designee” means an individual employed by the office to provide guardianship services on behalf of the office to one or more adults.    “Office” means the office of public guardianship created in section 13-94-104.    “Public guardianship services” means the services provided by a guardian appointed under this article 94 who is compensated by the office.        History. Source: L. 2017: Entire article added,(HB 17-1087), ch. 319, p. 1716, § 1, effective June 5.
CO Code § 13-94-104 (2021)
2021 Colorado Code|Title 13 - Courts and Court Procedure|Article 94 - Office of Public Guardianship|§ 13-94-104. Public Guardianship Commission Created - Office of Public Guardianship Created - Appointment of Director - Memorandum of Understanding

  The public guardianship commission is hereby created within the judicial department. The commission includes five members, to be appointed as follows:   On or before November 1, 2017, the Colorado supreme court shall appoint three members, no more than one of whom is from the same political party. Two of the supreme court's appointees must be attorneys admitted to practice law in this state, and one must be a resident of Colorado not admitted to practice law in this state.    On or before November 1, 2017, the governor shall appoint two members. One of the governor's appointees must be an attorney admitted to practice law in this state, and one must be a resident of Colorado not admitted to practice law in this state.    In making appointments to the commission, the supreme court and the governor shall consider place of residence, sex, race, and ethnic background; and    No member of the commission may be a judge, prosecutor, public defender, or employee of a law enforcement agency during his or her service on the commission.       Each member of the commission serves at the pleasure of his or her appointing authority, except that each member's term of service concludes with the repeal of this article 94 pursuant to section 13-94-111.    The commission shall appoint a director to establish, develop, and administer the office of public guardianship, which office is hereby created within the judicial department. The director serves at the pleasure of the commission.    The office and the judicial department shall operate pursuant to a memorandum of understanding between the two entities. The memorandum of understanding must contain, at a minimum:   A requirement that the office has its own personnel rules;    A requirement that the director has independent hiring and termination authority over office employees;    A requirement that the office must follow judicial fiscal rules; and    Any other provisions regarding administrative support that will help maintain the independence of the office.        History. Source: L. 2017: Entire article added,(HB 17-1087), ch. 319, p. 1716, § 1, effective June 5. L. 2019: (3) amended,(HB 19-1045), ch. 366, p. 3362, § 1, effective July 1.
CO Code § 13-94-106 (2021)
2021 Colorado Code|Title 13 - Courts and Court Procedure|Article 94 - Office of Public Guardianship|§ 13-94-106. Waiver of Court Costs and Filing Fees

 The court shall waive court costs and filing fees in any proceeding in which an indigent and incapacitated adult is receiving public guardianship services from the office.   History. Source: L. 2017: Entire article added,(HB 17-1087), ch. 319, p. 1719, § 1, effective June 5.
CO Code § 13-94-107 (2021)
2021 Colorado Code|Title 13 - Courts and Court Procedure|Article 94 - Office of Public Guardianship|§ 13-94-107. Director Shall Develop Rules

  The director shall develop rules to implement this article 94. The rules, at a minimum, must include policies concerning:   Conflicts of interest for guardians and guardian-designees employed pursuant to this article 94; and    The solicitation and acceptance of gifts, grants, and donations pursuant to section 13-94-108 (3).        History. Source: L. 2017: Entire article added,(HB 17-1087), ch. 319, p. 1719, § 1, effective June 5.
CO Code § 13-94-108 (2021)
2021 Colorado Code|Title 13 - Courts and Court Procedure|Article 94 - Office of Public Guardianship|§ 13-94-108. Office of Public Guardianship Cash Fund - Created

  The office of public guardianship cash fund, referred to in this section as the “fund”, is created in the state treasury. The fund consists of any money that the office receives from gifts, grants, or donations, as well as any other money appropriated to the fund by the general assembly.    The money in the fund is annually appropriated to the judicial department to pay the expenses of the office. All interest and income derived from the investment and deposit of money in the fund is credited to the fund. Any unexpended and unencumbered money remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year must remain in the fund and not be credited or transferred to the general fund or any other fund; except that any money remaining in the fund on June 30, 2024, shall be transferred to the general fund.    The office may seek and accept gifts, grants, or donations from private or public sources for the purposes of this article 94; except that the office may not accept a gift, grant, or donation that is subject to conditions that are inconsistent with this article 94 or any other law of the state. The office shall transmit all private and public money received through gifts, grants, or donations to the state treasurer, who shall credit the same to the fund.     History. Source: L. 2017: Entire article added,(HB 17-1087), ch. 319, p. 1720, § 1, effective June 5. L. 2021: (2) amended,(SB 21-267), ch. 276, p. 1598, § 2, effective June 21.
CO Code § 13-94-109 (2021)
2021 Colorado Code|Title 13 - Courts and Court Procedure|Article 94 - Office of Public Guardianship|§ 13-94-109. No Entitlement Created

 Public guardianship services are dependent upon the availability of funding, and nothing in this article 94 creates an entitlement.   History. Source: L. 2017: Entire article added,(HB 17-1087), ch. 319, p. 1720, § 1, effective June 5.
CO Code § 13-94-110 (2021)
2021 Colorado Code|Title 13 - Courts and Court Procedure|Article 94 - Office of Public Guardianship|§ 13-94-110. Immunity

 As an agency of the judicial department, the office is a public entity, as defined in section 24-10-103 (5) , for the purposes of the “Colorado Governmental Immunity Act”, article 10 of title 24.   History. Source: L. 2017: Entire article added,(HB 17-1087), ch. 319, p. 1720, § 1, effective June 5.