(1) A person is guilty of a class 2 petty offense and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of one hundred dollars for a violation of any of the following for which there is not an associated statutory penalty listed:
Any provision of articles 10 to 15 or article 32 of this title 33; or
A rule of the commission promulgated pursuant to one or more of the articles specified in subsection (1)(a) of this section.
(2) At the time that any person is charged with violating any petty offense or misdemeanor provisions of articles 10 to 15 or 32 of this title or any rule of the commission, the officer shall issue a summons and complaint to the alleged offender or, in the case of a violation for which a fine of a fixed amount is prescribed, may give the alleged offender an opportunity to voluntarily pay the fine and surcharge in the form of a penalty assessment. Penalty assessments shall not be issued for violations for which minimum and maximum fines have been established. The penalty assessment notice given to the alleged offender shall contain the information required in and be in the form of a summons and complaint and shall specify in dollars the amount of the penalty to be assessed for the alleged offense and the amount of the surcharge to be collected pursuant to section 24-33.5-415.6, C.R.S. If the alleged offender accepts such notice and pays the fine and surcharge entered thereon to the division within twenty days of issuance of the notice, such acceptance and payment shall constitute an acknowledgment of guilt by such person of the violation set forth in the penalty assessment notice. Any person who accepts a penalty assessment notice but who does not furnish satisfactory evidence of identity or who the officer has reasonable and probable grounds to believe will disregard a written promise to pay the specified fine and surcharge may be taken by the officer to the nearest known post-office facility and be required to remit the amount of the specified fine and surcharge to the division immediately by mail in United States currency or other legal tender or by money order or personal check. Refusal or inability to remit the specified fine and surcharge by mail when required shall constitute a refusal to accept a penalty assessment notice. Checks tendered by the violator to and accepted by the division and on which payment is received by the division shall be deemed sufficient receipt. If the fine and surcharge are not so paid, then the officer who issued the penalty assessment notice shall docket the summons and complaint with a court of competent jurisdiction for appearance by the person to answer the charges therein contained at such time and place as is specified in the summons and complaint.
Source: L. 84: Entire article added, p. 914, § 2, effective January 1, 1985. L. 95: Entire section amended, p. 967, § 7, effective July 1. L. 2003: (1) amended, p. 1952, § 42, effective May 22. L. 2009: (2) amended, (SB 09-241), ch. 295, p. 1581, § 10, effective July 1. L. 2012: Entire section amended, (HB 12-1317), ch. 248, p. 1228, § 67, effective June 4. L. 2019: (1) amended, (HB 19-1026), ch. 423, p. 3701, § 35, effective July 1. L. 2020: (1) amended, (HB 201087), ch. 49, p. 171, § 11, effective March 20.
Editor's note: Section 15 of chapter 49 (HB 20-1087), Session Laws of Colorado 2020, provides that the act changing this section applies to offenses committed and other conduct occurring on or after March 20, 2020.
Cross references: For the short title ("Respect the Great Outdoors Act") and the legislative declaration in HB 19-1026, see sections 1 and 2 of chapter 423, Session Laws of Colorado 2019.