(1) When the houses are temporarily organized, the presiding officer in each house, with the consent of said house, shall appoint a committee of three members thereof to report upon the credentials of those claiming to be elected members of their respective houses. When the report is made, those reported as elected shall proceed to the permanent organization of their respective houses; except that a committee on credentials may recommend that a person be seated as a member of the general assembly pursuant to subsection (2) of this section pending the outcome of an election contest or special legislative election called pursuant to section 1-11-303, C.R.S. Each house will be the sole judge of the election returns and qualifications of its own members.

(2) (a) In the event that the election of any person as a member of the state senate or the state house of representatives at any general election held in November, 2000, or thereafter is contested pursuant to section 1-11-208, C.R.S., a committee on credentials may recommend to the state senate or the state house of representatives that the person who is certified by the secretary of state as the member elected in such state senate or state house of representatives district be seated or may recommend to the state senate or the state house of representatives that a contestor or contestee in such contest who was a candidate in such election and who is not certified by the secretary of state be seated pending the outcome of the election contest or a special legislative election called pursuant to section 1-11-303, C.R.S., if:

(I) An accurate and verifiable vote count showing the person having the highest number of votes cast in the district for the contested state senate or the state house of representatives seat cannot be obtained from the election returns; and

(II) The inability to obtain an accurate and verifiable vote count may have directly affected the outcome of the election.

(b) Any person that a credentials committee recommends be seated pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (2) shall have all the rights, powers, and duties of a duly elected member of the general assembly pending the outcome of an election contest or a special legislative election called pursuant to section 1-11-303, C.R.S.

(3) A committee on credentials that makes a recommendation pursuant to subsection (2) of this section may, in such committee's report under subsection (1) of this section, make recommendations to the house in which the contest was initiated on matters arising from such contest, including, but not limited to:

(a) That the election contest be resolved by the committee on credentials of such house;

(b) That such house call a special legislative election pursuant to section 1-11-303, C.R.S.;

(c) That the election contest be referred to a committee of reference in such house to make recommendations on the resolution of the contest or for the purpose of determining whether a special legislative election should be called pursuant to section 1-11-303, C.R.S.