(1) At the first appearance of a defendant in court or upon arraignment, whichever is first in time, the court shall ascertain whether the defendant is serving in the United States armed forces or is a veteran of such forces. The court shall inform any such defendant that the defendant may be entitled to receive mental health treatment, substance use disorder treatment, or other services as a veteran. If the jurisdiction does not have a veterans treatment court, the court shall inform the defendant of the possibility of petitioning to transfer probation supervision after a plea or sentence in a case to a jurisdiction with a veterans treatment court pursuant to section 18-1.3-202.5.(2) The court shall not accept a plea of guilty or nolo contendere without first determining whether the defendant is serving in the United States armed forces or is a veteran of such forces and, if so, informing the defendant as described in subsection (1) of this section.(3) This section applies to, but is not limited to, prosecutions for violations of municipal charters and prosecutions for violations of municipal ordinances, except for traffic infractions for which the penalty is only a fine and t is not limited to, prosecutions for violations of municipal charters and prosecutions for violations of municipal ordinances, except for traffic infractions for which the penalty is only a fine and arrest is prohibited.Amended by 2021 Ch. 214, § 1, eff. 9/7/2021.Added by 2018 Ch. 135, § 1, eff. 8/8/2018.L. 2018: Entire section added, (HB 18-1078), ch. 889, p. 889, § 1, effective August 8. L. 2021: (1) amended, (HB 21-1016), ch. 1135, p. 1135, § 1, effective September 7. 2021 Ch. 214, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).
Colorado Legal Code