Judiciary committee backs modest earned‑time increases and a DOC working group to study capacity

Senate Bill 159, as amended, won committee approval April 13 after lawmakers, corrections officials and advocacy groups negotiated a package of modest changes to Colorado’s earned‑time rules and a commitment to a cross‑stakeholder working group.

The amendments adjust the current earned‑time ceilings: certain lower‑level felony classifications would be eligible for a slightly higher monthly credit (the amendment raises the top tier’s potential monthly credit), while a set of serious violent, sex, kidnapping and other crimes remain excluded from the higher tier. Sponsors framed the changes as targeted incentives tied to program completion and good conduct, not blanket early releases.

The bill also establishes a time‑bound working group charged with producing interim recommendations on DOC capacity, release bottlenecks and programming alignment. The panel includes DOC staff, formerly incarcerated people, victims, county partners and legislative appointees and will produce an interim report by the end of the year and a final report by mid‑2028.

Supporters argued the package creates incentives for rehabilitation, helps clear parole backlogs and gives DOC tools to better manage capacity without expanding prisons. Opponents — including district attorneys and chiefs of police — warned the changes could shorten time served for some offenders and urged careful exclusions for violent offenses. The committee voted to advance the amended bill 4–3.