HB 26-1147

House Bill 26-1147 aims to improve oversight and transparency for host homes that provide care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The bill requires the state health department to create a database containing information about these host homes and their service providers, which will be accessible to the public under certain privacy conditions. It also mandates regular reporting by service agencies starting in 2026 and sets standards to ensure that local regulations treat host homes like other residential properties. Since it has been signed into law, this bill is now active and its provisions are being implemented or prepared for implementation.

Official Summary

The act requires the department of health care policy and financing (state department) to establish a statewide database to provide accurate information about certain individual residential services and supports settings and their associated service provider agencies. The database will be used by the state department, the department of public health and environment, and service provider agencies. Information from the database may only be shared with the public upon determination by the state department and consistent with state and federal privacy and confidentiality laws.     The act requires service provider agencies to submit the required information to the state department beginning July 1, 2026, and quarterly thereafter, and requires the state department to update the database within one month after receiving the required information from the service provider agencies.     The act clarifies that individual residential services and supports settings must be treated as residential properties in the application of local regulations, including zoning, land use development, fire and life safety, sanitation, and building codes. The act prohibits local governing authorities from imposing additional regulations on individual residential services and supports settings that do not apply to other residential properties.     The act appropriates $20,000 to the state department from the general fund to implement the act.     It is anticipated that the state department will receive $60,000 in federal funds for the executive director's office to implement the act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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