Bill > HB1103

This bill requires law enforcement agencies, including local police, the Colorado State Patrol, and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, to notify a child advocacy center, which is a facility providing services to child victims, within one week of receiving a report of child sexual abuse or assault. If the crime occurred in a different jurisdiction than where it was reported, the report goes to the child advocacy center in the appropriate jurisdiction. If there are unavoidable delays, law enforcement must explain the reasons. The bill also mandates that law enforcement collaborate with the notified child advocacy center to arrange a forensic interview for the alleged child victim if deemed necessary. Furthermore, it establishes a legal presumption that a child witness under eighteen or a person with an intellectual or developmental disability will experience significant emotional distress or trauma from testifying in court with the defendant present, and the court must document findings regarding the witness's ability to testify under such circumstances. The bill also clarifies that "closed-circuit television" refers to a private, direct audio and video transmission system that can include modern digital or wireless technologies.

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https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB26-1103