HB 24-1360

House Bill 24-1360, titled "Colorado Disability Opportunity Office," establishes a new office within the Department of Labor and Employment to address disability issues in Colorado. This office will serve as a resource for various organizations and the public, coordinate with stakeholders to develop recommendations on grants and policies, and work towards economic stability and social integration for individuals with disabilities. The bill also transfers responsibilities from the Colorado Disability Funding Committee to this new office and allocates funding to support its initiatives. Signed into law by the governor in June 2024, the act will take effect on July 1, 2024, meaning that the CDOO will begin its operations shortly after this date.

Official Summary

The act creates the Colorado disability opportunity office (CDOO) within the department of labor and employment (department). The executive director of the department is required to appoint the director of the CDOO. The CDOO is required to: Serve as a resource for state agencies, private and nonprofit organizations, and the public concerning disability issues in Colorado; Convene and coordinate a disability technical advisory committee; Ensure that goals of full societal integration for individuals with disabilities are met by meeting with stakeholders from entities around the state related to disabilities and with state agencies to develop recommendations on the administration of grants, restructuring of disability-related entities, and collaboration on overlapping aging and disability issues and other cross-agency efforts; and Submit the recommendations to the governor and state agencies. The CDOO is also required to: Implement a statewide strategy to facilitate economic stability for individuals with disabilities; promote successful economic, social, and community integration; and identify and address issues related to integration; Work toward enhanced inclusion and equitable opportunities for individuals with disabilities, as well as address concerns raised by disability populations; Coordinate with other entities to identify and eliminate barriers to prosperity for individuals with disabilities; As funding allows, undertake other projects, including analyzing economic and demographic trends, gathering insight and formulating and presenting recommendations to the governor and state agencies related to issues of concern and importance to individuals with disabilities in Colorado; and Promote the implementation of disability support through community-based initiatives and nonprofit organizations, which promotion includes economic opportunities, increased access to resources, and state education and outreach. The act also transfers the Colorado disability funding committee (committee) from the department of personnel to the CDOO. The transfer includes a transfer of the committee's responsibilities, including: The program to assist persons to obtain disability benefits; The program to investigate, fund, and pilot projects or programs to benefit individuals with disabilities; and The buying and selling of select registration numbers for license plates to raise funds for the disability support fund. The act appropriates $5,538,925 from the disability support fund to the department for use by the executive director's office, which may use the appropriation for the CDOO. The act adjusts appropriations from the disability support fund and the disabled parking education and enforcement fund to the department of personnel. APPROVED by Governor June 3, 2024 EFFECTIVE July 1, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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