Judicial Training bill passes first hurdle

Secretary of State Scott Gessler lauded the passage Tuesday of HB1302 in the House Judiciary Committee. The legislation would set up a judicial training program to provide judges in Colorado with cutting edge skills and expertise in handling commercial cases. Armed with greater expertise, judges can more effectively manage the core issues in litigation, leading to more cost-savings in settlements and efficient trials, ultimately making Colorado a better place to do business. HB1302 passed out of the House Judiciary Committee today on an 8-3 vote.

“As the gateway to business in Colorado, the Secretary of State’s office is working to improve the business environment in our state and make Colorado one of the most business friendly states in the nation,” Gessler said. “Providing judges with the skills and experience they need will reduce the cost of commercial litigation and increase the efficiency of the trial process—which benefits everyone.”

The Colorado Civil Justice League (CCJL) and the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry (CACI) both joined with the bill’s sponsor, Representative Mark Waller, in supporting the legislation.

The Judicial Training bill uses funds from the Secretary of State, paid for by business filing fees, to develop innovative training programs for state judges facing complex commercial litigation cases. The Secretary of State spoke about reinvesting these business fees back into the business community by expediting commercial cases.

The House Judiciary Committee referred the bill to the Appropriations Committee for a hearing later this week.