Bill > HB1013

This bill establishes comprehensive visitation rights for individuals confined in Colorado correctional facilities by defining visitation broadly (including contact visits, non-contact visits, telephone calls, and video visitation) and creating clear guidelines for how the Department of Corrections can manage these visits. The bill prohibits the department from completely depriving confined individuals of visitation rights, though it allows for some limited restrictions, such as temporarily limiting visits for facility safety, complying with court orders, or as a sanction for serious disciplinary violations. Specifically, the department cannot limit contact visits for more than 30 consecutive calendar days and must maintain at least one telephone call every five days. The bill requires the department to make reasonable efforts to support family connections, including increasing visitation hours, improving visitation technology, and tracking visitation restrictions. Additionally, the department must provide a grievance process for confined individuals who believe their visitation rights have been improperly restricted and must report annually on visitation-related grievances and program changes. The legislation aims to balance facility safety and operational needs with maintaining meaningful social connections for incarcerated individuals, emphasizing the importance of family and social relationships during incarceration.

Budget and Finance, Justice, Military Affairs and Security

https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb25-1013