(1) The general assembly hereby finds and determines that, since 1974, there have been proposals for an automated criminal justice information system that shares and tracks data concerning offenders among the various criminal justice agencies. Because each of the criminal justice agencies in the state has developed independent information systems to address each agency's own management and planning needs, the status of criminal justice information in the state has been fragmented.

(2) The general assembly hereby declares that this article is enacted for the purpose of developing, operating, supporting, maintaining, and enhancing, in a cost-effective manner, a seamless, integrated criminal justice information system that maximizes standardization of data and communications technology among law enforcement agencies, district attorneys, the courts, and state-funded corrections for adult and youth offenders and other agencies as approved by the general assembly or by the executive board pursuant to this article. Such a system will improve:

(a) Public safety by making more timely, accurate, and complete information concerning offenders available statewide to all criminal justice agencies and to individual decision-makers in the criminal justice system, including but not limited to police officers, prosecutors, judges, probation officers, and corrections officers;

(b) Decision-making by increasing the availability of statistical measures for evaluating public policy;

(c) Productivity of existing staff by continually working toward eliminating redundant data collection and input efforts among the agencies and by reducing or eliminating paper-based processing;

(d) Access to timely, accurate, and complete information by both staff from all criminal justice agencies and the public when permitted by article 72 of title 24, C.R.S.

(3) Because information about offenders collected by local law enforcement agencies may be the most current, the general assembly directs criminal justice agencies, where practical, to cooperate with and to encourage local law enforcement agencies to participate in the Colorado integrated criminal justice information system program developed under this article.

(4) The general assembly hereby finds that the Colorado integrated criminal justice information system program has been successfully implemented and that the sharing of criminal justice information is being enhanced as a result. The general assembly further finds that there is a need to provide ongoing maintenance, support, and leadership for the continued operation and enhancement of the Colorado integrated criminal justice information system program.

(5) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that the operation of the integrated criminal justice information system established by this article is critical to the accurate, complete, and timely performance of criminal background checks and to the effective communications between and among law enforcement, the state judicial department, and executive agencies and political subdivisions of the state. The general assembly further finds and declares that it is in the best interests of the citizens of the state and for the enhancement of public safety that the collaborative effort surrounding the integrated criminal justice information system be maintained, supported, and enhanced.