HB 23-1296

House Bill 23-1296 establishes a task force within the Colorado Civil Rights Commission to study and recommend improvements for people with disabilities in areas like laws, outdoor spaces, housing, and government accessibility. The bill sets up four subcommittees focusing on different aspects of disability rights and requires them to submit a final report by January 30, 2025. It also allocates $289,568 from the state budget for this initiative. This bill has been signed into law and is now effective as of May 25, 2023, meaning that the task force can start its work immediately to address issues faced by people with disabilities in Colorado.

Official Summary

The act creates the task force on the rights of Coloradans with disabilities (task force) in the Colorado civil rights commission. The task force shall create a minimum of 4 subcommittees to study and make recommendations on specific issues related to persons with disabilities: The rewrite subcommittee, which must study and make recommendations concerning the various issues related to the rewrite and modernization of the Colorado Revised Statutes concerning civil rights of persons with disabilities; The outdoors subcommittee, which must study and make recommendations related to the basic accessibility of outdoor spaces for persons with disabilities; The housing subcommittee, which must study and make recommendations related to the affordability, accessibility, and attainability of housing for persons with disabilities; and The government subcommittee, which must focus on basic physical and programmatic accessibility within state and local government. Minimum mandatory membership and reporting requirements are outlined for the task force and each subcommittee. The task force shall produce a final report, including recommendations, to submit to the governor and general assembly on or before January 30, 2025. For the 2023-24 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $289,568 from the general fund to the department of regulatory agencies for use by the civil rights division to implement the act. APPROVED by Governor May 25, 2023 EFFECTIVE May 25, 2023 (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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