HB 23-1117

HB 23-1117, which has been approved and will take effect on August 7, 2023, removes a requirement that legal immigrants or documented individuals living in Colorado must avoid signing affidavits of support when they are receiving public services or medical assistance. This means that people who need help from the government can now sponsor others for residency without worrying about losing their benefits. The bill also instructs county departments to update all materials and communications to reflect this change, ensuring that applicants and beneficiaries have accurate information. This affects anyone in Colorado who is a legal immigrant, documented individual, or seeking to sponsor someone else while receiving public assistance.

Official Summary

The act eliminates the requirement for a person who is lawfully residing in the state, a legal immigrant who is a resident of the state, or a documented individual to refrain from executing an affidavit of support for the purpose of sponsoring a documented individual while the person is receiving public services or medical assistance. County departments responsible for administering benefits programs under the department of health care policy and financing and the department of human services shall identify and review all current county guidance materials that reference a prohibition on sponsorship as a condition of eligibility for benefits and shall remove all such references from verbal and digital communications and from all physical materials currently provided to applicants or beneficiaries. APPROVED by Governor April 11, 2023 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2023 NOTE: This act was passed without a safety clause and takes effect 90 days after sine die. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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