(1) The speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate shall assign each department to a house and senate committee of reference for their respective houses. In making the assignments, the speaker and the president shall ensure that the primary functions and responsibilities of the department are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the committees of reference to which it is assigned.

(2) (a) Each joint committee of reference shall conduct at least one but not more than three hearings during the interim between legislative sessions between November 1 and the commencement of the following regular legislative session, during which hearings the joint committee shall hear a presentation from each department that is assigned to such committee pursuant to subsection (1) of this section regarding:

(I) The department's performance plan developed pursuant to section 2-7-204 (3);

(II) The department's regulatory agenda required pursuant to subsection (4) of this section; and

(III) The department's budget request and associated legislative agenda for the upcoming regular legislative session.

(a.5)

(I) For purposes of the hearings required in paragraph (a) of this subsection (2), appointees to committees of reference shall be designated no later than the December 1 prior to the convening of the general assembly at which such member is to serve, whether such appointee is a member of the then current general assembly or a member-elect of the next general assembly. If, as of December 1 an election determination for a particular race has not been made, all appointees must be designated as soon as practicable after the results of the race have been determined. Such designations shall be made in accordance with the applicable rules of the house of representatives or the senate. Any member or member-elect appointed to a committee of reference for the current general assembly or the next general assembly may attend said hearings. The chairs of the committees of reference appointed for the current general assembly shall serve as chair until the convening of the next general assembly.

(II) Members and members-elect are entitled to the payment of per diem and reimbursement of expenses as specified in section 2-2-307 for attending the hearings required in paragraph (a) of this subsection (2).

(b) Repealed.

(c) Each joint committee of reference shall allow time for public testimony regarding each such department presentation.

(d) The Colorado commission on criminal and juvenile justice shall present a progress report on any recommendations the commission anticipates will be made for the upcoming legislative session and any finalized recommendations for the upcoming legislative session to the joint judiciary committee of reference during the hearings specified in paragraph (a) of this subsection (2).

(3) (a) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2015.)

(b) The chair of the joint budget committee shall assign one member of the joint budget committee to serve as a liaison for each department. The joint budget committee liaison shall inform the joint committee of reference regarding the department's performance management system and performance plan.

(c) The executive director of each department, or the executive director's designee, and any appropriate staff of the department shall work with the joint budget committee liaisons as necessary.

(4) On November 1, 2013, and each November 1 thereafter, each department shall file a departmental regulatory agenda with the staff of the legislative council, who shall distribute the departmental regulatory agenda to the applicable committee of reference prior to the departmental presentations to the committee of reference. On November 1, 2013, and each November 1 thereafter, each department shall also post its departmental regulatory agenda on the department's website and shall submit its departmental regulatory agenda to the secretary of state for publication in the Colorado register.

(5) All local government entities are encouraged to attend the hearings described in subsection (2) of this section to provide testimony or to submit an official position letter to the joint committees of reference regarding any local impact of a department's performance management system and performance plan.