AB 1330 - Concerning the second-parent adoption of a child of a sole legal parent. By Rep. Madden and Sen. Veiga. Allows a child to be adopted by a specified second adult parent upon the written and verified consent of a single parent if the child has no other legal parent. Allows the use of the same home study report in cases where the sole legal parent adopted the child within 6 months prior to the second adoption and the second adult parent was involved in that home study report. The bill was assigned to the House Human Services Committee; that committee amended the bill and sent the bill to the floor of the House for 2nd reading debate.
The 2008 Fiscal Year allocation of judges are all going to be district judges and the districts (and their counties) that are scheduled for new judges are: 1st (Jefferson & Gilpin), 8th - 2 judges (Larimer & Jackson), 11th (Fremont, Park, Chaffee, & Custer), 12th (Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral, Rio Grande, & Saguache), 14th (Routt, Moffat, & Grand), 17th – 2 judges (Adams & Broomfield), 18th 2 – judges (Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert, & Lincoln), 19th (Weld), 21st (Mesa), and the 22nd (Montezuma & Dolores).
March At the Capitol Bill to add more judges clears another hurdle. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved HB 1054 – Concerning an increase in the number of judges in certain courts on Wednesday. The Judicial Branch explained the need for the judges that are anticipated in the bill; one of the most telling stories is the fact that one judicial district had not received a district court judgeship since 1965. The next step for the bill is the Appropriations Committee. In committee, the bill was supported by the Colorado Defense Lawyers Association, the Civil Justice League and the Colorado Bar Association. Colorado Counties Inc. expressed concern over the timing of certain judgeships; the counties want to be assured that they will have adequate time to provide for the physical space for the new judges and their staffs.
Senate Bill 56 - Paternity DNA Testing Child Support
On Monday, January 29, the Senate Judiciary Committee gave initial approval of this bill that would allow a court to modify or set aside an order that determines parentage based on DNA test results. Additionally, the bill would require a court to terminate child support obligations where DNA test results establish that the obligor is not the biological parent. The judiciary committee passed the bill and moved it to the Appropriations Committee for consideration of the fiscal impact. The CBA has not taken a position on this bill.
Protective Order reform moves to full Senate for debate. The bill, SB 136 - Concerning the jurisdiction of courts to enter orders for the protection of persons, is being promoted by the Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV). The version that passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 7-0 vote is headed to the Senate floor for debate on 2nd reading. The focus of the bill switched from "clarification" that county and municipal courts have jurisdiction to issue additional orders in civil protection order cases for the protection of persons concerning rent and mortgage payments, telephone and utility services, child care costs, temporary possession of personal property, and insurance to temporary injunctive relief a court may grant to maintain that status quo where a prior existing duty or legal obligation exists to make payments to the necessities listed above.