(1) (a) The attorney general of the state shall be the legal counsel and advisor of each department, division, board, bureau, and agency of the state government other than the legislative branch. The attorney general shall attend in person at the seat of government during the session of the general assembly and term of the supreme court and shall appear for the state and prosecute and defend all actions and proceedings, civil and criminal, in which the state is a party or is interested when required to do so by the governor, and he or she shall prosecute and defend for the state all causes in the appellate courts in which the state is a party or interested.

(b) It is the duty of the attorney general, at the request of the governor, the secretary of state, the state treasurer, the executive director of the department of revenue, or the commissioner of education, to prosecute and defend all suits relating to matters connected with their departments. When requested, the attorney general shall give his or her opinion in writing upon all questions of law submitted to the attorney general by the general assembly or by either the house of representatives or the senate or by the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, executive director of the department of revenue, state treasurer, state auditor, or commissioner of education.

(c) When required, the attorney general shall prepare drafts for contracts, forms, and other writings which may be required for the use of the state. The attorney general shall keep in proper books a record of all official opinions and a register of all actions prosecuted or defended by him or her and of all proceedings had in relation thereto and the status of pending matters in his or her office, which books or registers shall be delivered to his or her successor. Publication of opinions or other material circulated in quantity outside the executive branch shall be issued in accordance with the provisions of section 24-1-136.

(d) Any moneys received by the attorney general belonging to the state or received in his or her official capacity must be paid as soon as practicable to the department of the treasury and, generally, the attorney general shall have such legal duties in regard to the activities of the state and its various departments, boards, bureaus, and agencies as are imposed by law.

(e) Whenever the attorney general is unable or has failed or refused to provide legal services to an agency of state government, as determined by the governor if the agency is in the executive branch or by the chief justice if the agency is in the judicial branch, such agency may employ counsel of its own choosing to provide such legal services. Any expense incurred by reason of the employment of counsel pursuant to this paragraph (e) shall be a lawful charge against appropriations for this purpose made by the general assembly to the department of law.

(f) The attorney general shall have concurrent original jurisdiction with the relevant district attorney over part 3 of article 25 of title 12, C.R.S.

(2) Repealed.

(3) The attorney general may appoint such deputies and assistants as are necessary for the efficient operation of his or her office within the limitations of appropriations made therefor by the general assembly.

(4) Upon the request of any employee in the state personnel system, it is the duty of the attorney general to represent such employee in any civil action or administrative proceeding instituted against such employee, either in his or her official or individual capacity if the action or proceeding arises out of performance of the employee's official duties as determined by the attorney general and if the action or proceeding has not been brought by the state personnel director or the appointing authority of the employee seeking dismissal or other disciplinary action; except that the attorney general shall not represent any such employee in an action brought under section 24-50.5-105.

(4.5) The attorney general, pursuant to section 24-30-1507, shall have the duty to represent expert witnesses and consultants described in section 24-30-1510 (3)(h).

(4.7) The attorney general shall be the legal representative of the Colorado coroners standards and training board and perform the duties specified in section 30-10-601.6 (7), C.R.S., relating to the Colorado coroners standards and training board.

(5) The general assembly hereby recognizes and reaffirms that the attorney general has all powers conferred by statute, and by common law in accordance with section 2-4-211, C.R.S., regarding all trusts established for charitable, educational, religious, or benevolent purposes.

(6) The attorney general shall have such other powers, duties, and functions as are prescribed for heads of principal departments in the "Administrative Organization Act of 1968", article 1 of this title.