HB 24-1280

House Bill 24-1280, titled "Welcome, Reception, & Integration Grant Program," aims to help new immigrants in Colorado by providing grants to community organizations. These grants will fund services like cultural orientation, job assistance, housing support, language classes, and mental health referrals for migrants who arrived in the United States within the last year. The bill allocates $2.5 million from the state's general fund for this program starting in 2024. Governor Jared Polis signed the bill into law on June 5, 2024, and it will take effect on August 7, 2024.

Official Summary

The act creates the statewide welcome, reception, and integration grant program (grant program) in the department of labor and employment (department) to provide grants to community-based organizations that provide culturally and linguistically appropriate navigation of services and programs to migrants who are within one year of arrival in the United States. A grant may be used for: Conducting an intake and assessment of needs; Providing cultural orientation; case management; employment services or referrals to employment services; housing, housing-related services, or referrals to housing; English as a second language classes or referrals to classes; financial orientation; referrals to mental and physical health services and disability services; interpretation and translation services; transportation services; and immigration legal assistance or referrals to immigration legal services; Distributing emergency and transitional supplies; Assisting migrant parents to enroll their children in public school or summer programs, including early childhood programs; and Other eligible expenses. The act requires the department to issue a request for proposal for a nonprofit organization to administer the grant program. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $2.5 million from the general fund to the department for the grant program. APPROVED by Governor June 5, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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