Legislation to add 15 new judgeships in trial courts across the state is headed to the governor’s desk for signature, as Colorado’s House of Representatives approved the bill on Thursday with no votes in opposition.

Senate Bill 24 is the Judicial Department’s top legislative priority, and was originally intended to add 29 new judgeships over a two-year period. Three of those would have gone to the Court of Appeals, and the remaining positions were earmarked for various trial courts. However, due to budgetary concerns, lawmakers scaled back the bill to add just 15 new seats over the next two years.

“We are grateful to the bill sponsors and the General Assembly for moving this bill through the legislative process, especially in this tight budget year,” said Chief Justice Monica M. Márquez. “We know legislators are making hard decisions on funding requests, and we thank them for supporting our courts’ ability to serve their communities. These new judges are a critical resource that will improve the public’s access to the court system and the timely resolution of disputes.”

Márquez previously told lawmakers the courts were likely understaffed for quite some time, but only after a recent series of workload studies confirmed the shortage did the judicial branch approach the legislature with its request. The studies suggested Colorado needs approximately 43 more district judges, 20 more county judges and six appellate judges — meaning the original request for 29 total judges still fell short of the estimated need.

As passed by the legislature, SB 24 would add a judge to the following courts effective July 1:

• Fourth Judicial District Court (El Paso and Teller counties)

• 17th Judicial District Court (Adams and Broomfield counties)

• 18th Judicial District Court (Arapahoe County)

• 23rd Judicial District Court (Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties)

• La Plata County Court

Ten judgeships will be created on July 1, 2026. The bill also appropriates $621,000 to the public defender’s office to staff the new courtrooms.

The legislature’s rules required SB 24 to pass before the 60th legislative day, which was March 7. In late February, the House and Senate committees on delayed bills approved an extension of that deadline to the 76th legislative day, meaning March 24.

In response to questions from Colorado Politics, the House and Senate Democrats’ spokespersons said the delayed bills committees — consisting of Democratic and Republican leadership from both chambers — did not meet, but instead responded to a letter in the same manner as “many administrative decisions.” The bill sponsors had requested additional time, and Democratic leadership signed on to the extension. The House and Senate minority leaders did not.

“Deadlines for hearing bills in committee are often adjusted based on committee workload at the request of chairs or bill sponsors. Sponsors frequently ask for additional time to conduct stakeholding, which chairs often, but can’t always, try to accommodate,” the Democratic offices said in an email. “These discussions (among leadership) are logistical and administrative by nature: they involve discussion of the deadline and whether or not to waive it.”

At a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing last month, Sen. Jeff Bridges, D-Greenwood Village, slammed the 60-day deadline for judge bills as “stupid” and “irresponsible.” He took issue with the requirement to pass legislation adding new judges before the enactment of the overall budget, but noted at the time that there was little interest in changing the rule.

“I haven’t heard a reason for the rule so I continue to believe we should eliminate it,” he told Colorado Politics after leadership extended the deadline.

Editor’s note: Due to a clerical error, the legislative journal did not accurately reflect which leaders agreed to a deadline extension. Only the Democratic leaders did.