SB 17-011

Senate Bill 17-011, which has been signed into law, establishes a special group made up of eight members from different state agencies. This group will study how technology can help people with disabilities get around more easily in both cities and rural areas of Colorado, focusing on El Paso and Teller counties. The group may also test new transportation solutions to see if they work well for people who need extra help getting around. They are required to write a report by the end of 2017 about their findings and recommendations for improving transportation access. After that, the group will no longer exist as of July 1, 2018. This bill affects people with disabilities in Colorado by potentially improving how they can get around using advanced technologies and services. The signed status means that it has been approved by both houses of the legislature and the governor, so its provisions are now law and must be followed.

Official Summary

The bill creates a technical demonstration forum consisting of eight members to study and document how advanced technologies can improve transportation access for people with disabilities. The forum consists of the following agency officers or their designees: The executive director of the department of labor and employment, who serves as chair of the forum; The executive director of the department of health care policy and financing, who serves as vice-chair of the forum; The director of the public utilities commission; The chief information officer of the office of information technology; The executive director of the department of human services; The director of the division of veterans affairs; The superintendent of the Colorado school for the deaf and the blind; and The executive director of the department of transportation. To demonstrate the transportation access needs of people with disabilities in both urban and rural areas of the state, the forum is directed to study the transportation access needs of people with disabilities in El Paso and Teller counties and explore technological and transportation business solutions that could increase transportation access for people with disabilities in those areas. The forum may recommend that the executive director of the department of labor and employment enter into a contract with a technology developer or transportation business to conduct one or more pilot projects in El Paso County, Teller County, or both counties to demonstrate the efficacy of a certain technology or transportation business product to improve transportation access for people with disabilities. On or before December 31, 2017, the forum is required to publish a report of its research and findings, including the results of any pilot projects and any legislative recommendations developed, and to furnish copies of the report to the governor, members of the general assembly's majority and minority leadership, and the members of the joint budget committee. The forum and its responsibilities are repealed, effective July 1, 2018. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

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