Colorado 2025 Bills

Public Employees' Workplace Protections

The act clarifies existing definitions in the "Protections for Public Workers Act", including the definitions of "employee organization" and "public employee", and applies the clarified definitions in describing public employees' right to engage in"protected, concerted activity for the purpose of mutual aid or protection". The act also modifies the scope and applicability of a public employer's authority to limit the protected rights of its employees to the extent necessary to avoid material disruption of a public employee's duties, the employer's operations, or the delivery of public services. The act specifies that disagreement with the content of an employee's expressive activity or a strike by employees is not material disruption. APPROVED by Governor June 7, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-05-03 · Senate

Electroconvulsive Treatment for Minors

Current law prohibits electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) from being performed on a minor under 16 years of age. The act authorizes ECT to be performed on a minor who is under 16 years of age only if: 2 individuals licensed to practice medicine in Colorado and specializing in psychiatry approve the ECT; Other less-invasive treatments have failed; ECT is medically necessary to treat life-threatening malignant catatonia; ECT is performed by at least one physician, or the physician's designee, who is trained and credentialed in ECT; and The minor's parent or guardian consents to ETC. APPROVED by Governor June 3, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 3, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-05-02 · House

Alcohol Beverage Liquor Advisory Group Recommendations

In current law, both a lodging facility and an entertainment facility are licensed as a lodging and entertainment facility licensee. The acts converts the licenses of lodging facilities to lodging facility licenses and the licenses of entertainment facilities to entertainment facility licenses. Additionally, the act creates a new catering license and an alcohol beverage shipper license. The act allows a brewery, a limited winery, and a distillery to manufacture alcohol beverages at up to 2 noncontiguous locations and sets an annual fee for such operations. Current law limits the amount of alcohol beverages certain retailers can purchase from retail liquor stores, liquor-licensed drugstores, and fermented malt beverage and wine retailers to $2,000 each year. The act increases the cap to $7,000 and requires the state licensing authority to annually adjust the cap consistent with inflation. For events where customers may consume alcohol beverages on the premises of an off-premises retailer, the act: Allows an off-premises retailer to conduct tastings; Allows tastings for all authorized retailers to begin at 10 a.m. instead of 11 a.m.; Allows retail liquor stores to hold educational classes; and Allows a distiller that operates a sales room to purchase and use common alcohol modifiers to mix with its spirituous liquors to produce cocktails. Under current law, liquor licenses are valid for a one-year period. The act allows certain qualifying licensees to apply for a 2-year license. The act also requires the state licensing authority to study the feasibility of adopting an online application and renewal system. The act removes the requirement that a local licensing authority schedule a public hearing on an application for a new retail liquor license. The act changes the requirement for a festival permittee to notify the state and local licensing authorities of the location and dates the licensee plans to hold multiple festivals from 30 business days to 30 calendar days before each festival. Regarding wholesalers, the act allows wholesalers of vinous or spirituous liquors to obtain an importer's license and allows all wholesalers to hold trade show events. The act allows a retail liquor store going out of business to sell its inventory to another retail liquor store. The act specifies that a liquor-licensed drugstore's use of an electronic funds transfer is not an extension of credit. The act allows an arts licensee to place limited advertising of the availability of alcohol beverages for sale on the licensed premises while an artistic or cultural production or performance is taking place. The act allows alcohol beverage sales on Christmas. APPROVED by Governor May 18, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-05-01 · Senate

Eliminate Premium Tax to Health Insurance Affordability Fund

House Bill 24-1470, which has been approved and signed into law by the governor, stops the state from using a portion of health insurance premium taxes to fund programs that make health insurance more affordable. This change affects how these tax dollars are used starting in July 2023. Now that it is effective, no new money will be directed to the health insurance affordability fund from this source moving forward.

Last action: 2024-05-01 · House

Oil & Gas Production Fees

The act requires the clean transit enterprise (enterprise) to impose a production fee for clean transit (production fee for clean transit) to be paid quarterly by every producer of oil and gas in the state (producer). The production fee for clean transit applies to all oil and gas produced by the producer in the state on and after July 1, 2025. No later than one week after October 1, 2025, and no later than one week after the first day of each calendar quarter thereafter, the energy and carbon management commission (commission) must calculate the average Henry Hub natural gas spot price reported by the United States energy information administration (average gas spot price) and average west Texas intermediate spot price reported by the United States energy information administration (average oil spot price) for the previous quarter and publish the average gas spot price and average oil spot price on the commission's website. No later than one month after the commission publishes the average gas spot price and average oil spot price on the commission's website, the enterprise must set the production fee amounts for the previous calendar quarter, which are determined by the enterprise based on the average gas spot price and average oil spot price calculated by the commission; notify the executive director of the department of revenue (executive director) of the production fee amounts set; and publish the production fee amounts on the enterprise's website. Prior to adopting the production fee amounts, the enterprise must consult with the commission on the production fee amounts. On or before the last day of the second month following the previous calendar quarter, every producer must file a return with and pay the production fee for clean transit for the previous calendar quarter to the executive director in accordance with applicable department of revenue procedures. The state treasurer must first credit the costs to the department of revenue for administering the production fees for clean transit, which money is credited to the oil and gas production fees collection fund created in the act, and then credit the remaining production fees for clean transit in the following manner: 70% to the local transit operations cash fund to be used for expanding local transit service and prioritizing transit improvements in certain communities; 10% to the local transit grant program cash fund to be used for providing competitive grants to certain eligible entities for expenses associated with providing public transportation; and 20% to the rail funding program cash fund to be used for passenger rail projects and service. No later than March 1, 2030, and every fifth March 1 thereafter, the enterprise must complete an analysis of the production fee amounts and post the analysis on the enterprise's website. The act also requires the regional transportation district to prioritize completion of the northwest rail line to Longmont and the north lines of the transportation expansion plan adopted by the regional transportation district board (plan). On or before July 1, 2025, the regional transportation district is also required to submit a report to the governor and the general assembly that demonstrates how the regional transportation district will fulfill certain commitments made in the plan. The act also requires the division of parks and wildlife (division) to impose a production fee for wildlife and land remediation (production fee for wildlife and land remediation) to be paid quarterly by every producer. The production fee for wildlife and land remediation applies to all oil and gas produced by the producer in the state on and after July 1, 2025. No later than one month after the commission publishes the average gas spot price and average oil spot price on the commission's website, the division must set the production fee amounts for the previous calendar quarter, which are determined by the division based on the average gas spot price and average oil spot price calculated by the commission; notify the executive director of the production fee amounts set; and publish the production fee amounts on the division's website. Prior to adopting the production fee amounts, the division must consult with the commission on the production fee amounts. On or before the last day of the second month following the previous calendar quarter, every producer must file a return with and pay the production fee for wildlife and land remediation for the previous calendar quarter to the executive director in accordance with applicable department of revenue administrative procedures. The state treasurer must credit the production fees for wildlife and land remediation in the following manner: First, the costs to the department of revenue for administering the production fees for wildlife and land remediation are credited to the oil and gas production fees collection fund for use by department of revenue; and Second, the remaining amount of production fees for wildlife and land remediation are credited to the climate resilient wildlife and land cash fund to be used for certain wildlife and land remediation purposes. No later than March 1, 2030, and every fifth March 1 thereafter, the division must complete an analysis of the production fee amounts and post the analysis on the division's website. Along with publishing the average gas spot price and average oil spot price on the commission's website, the commission is required to routinely provide written guidance to the enterprise and the division on factors relevant to the production fee amounts for the production fee for clean transit and the production fee for wildlife and land remediation. The act also establishes: Certain department of revenue administrative procedures, including certain registration and return filing requirements, for the collection of the production fees for clean transit and the production fees for wildlife and land remediation; A petty offense and civil penalty for a producer's failure to register with the department of revenue; and The accrual of interest and penalties for a producer's failure to pay or correctly account for any production fees for wildlife and land remediation or production fees for clean transit or to keep complete and accurate records. If a constitutional amendment is adopted at the 2024 statewide general election that requires voter approval of fees assessed for the purpose of funding mass transportation, the act creates certain definitions that apply to the constitutional amendment. If a constitutional amendment is adopted at the 2024 statewide general election that defines a "fee" for the purposes of state constitutional law, the act clarifies what fees and fee increases the constitutional amendment applies to and creates certain definitions that apply to the constitutional amendment (fee definition provision). Provisions of the act are contingent upon Senate Bill 24-184 being enacted and becoming law. APPROVED by Governor May 16, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 16, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-30 · Senate

Ozone Mitigation Measures

Section 2 of the act requires the division of administration (division) in the department of public health and environment (department) to propose rules to the air quality control commission (commission) to reduce certain emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) generated by upstream oil and gas operations in certain areas of the state by 50% by 2030 relative to 2017 NOx emission levels. Section 3 requires the division to prepare an annual air quality enforcement benchmark report to summarize the division's statewide enforcement actions, including civil penalties assessed. Section 3 also provides that a compliance order issued by the division may include, in addition to civil penalties, a requirement to perform one or more projects to reduce the potential for a recurrence of a violation. Under current law, the division or commission, in an enforcement action, cannot obtain a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction if there is probable cause that the temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction would cause serious harm to the person affected by the temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction or to another person or if the source to which the enforcement action pertains has obtained a renewable operating permit and continues operations in compliance with that permit. Section 4 repeals those limitations on temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions. Section 4 also authorizes a district attorney or the attorney general to seek injunctive relief to reduce the potential for a recurrence of a violation. Sections 5 and 6 clarify that the division has authority to impose civil penalties for violations of requirements related to toxic air contaminants, fenceline and community-based monitoring, and, if enacted in House Bill 24-1338, petroleum refinery emissions monitoring. Section 7 authorizes the division, in considering permit applications for new sources of NOx emissions in disproportionately impacted communities in an ozone nonattainment area, to consider more stringent methods of regulating the sources. Section 9 authorizes the director of the energy and carbon management commission (ECMC) to hire at least 2 community liaisons to serve as dedicated resources for disproportionately impacted communities, and section 13 authorizes funding of the community liaison positions from the energy and carbon management cash fund. Under current law, an oil and gas operator (operator) is required to obtain a permit from the ECMC to commence oil and gas drilling operations. Section 10 requires the operator to also obtain from the ECMC a license to conduct oil and gas operations. Section 10 also requires operators to take actions in accordance with ECMC rules to reduce certain emissions of NOx generated from oil and gas production and preproduction operations. The ECMC is also required, in consultation with the department, to adopt rules to require enhanced systems and practices to avoid, minimize, and mitigate emissions of ozone precursors from oil and gas operations at newly permitted oil and gas locations in certain parts of the state. Section 11 limits a court's authority to postpone the effective date of an ECMC order suspending or revoking an operator's license to conduct oil and gas operations or a certificate of clearance, requiring the court to first consider various factors, including whether the moving party would face real, immediate, and irreparable injury if the effective date is not postponed and the effect that such postponement would have on the public interest. Section 12 expands the ECMC's enforcement authority to include revoking an operator's license to conduct oil and gas operations and expands the types of violations that are subject to suspension of all of the operator's permits and certificates of clearance and the operator's license to conduct oil and gas operations to include violations resulting in a penalty of $1,000,000 or more; violations that cause a major adverse impact, as defined by the ECMC by rule; and violations that cause death or serious bodily injury. Section 14 expands the scope of the orphaned wells mitigation enterprise to help finance the plugging, reclamation, and remediation of marginal wells that are at the highest risk of becoming orphaned. Section 15 appropriates $753,157 in state fiscal year 2024-25 from the general fund to the department for expenses related to regulating stationary sources and for legal services. APPROVED by Governor May 16, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 16, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-30 · Senate

Automated External Defibrillators in Public School

Current law authorizes a public school or public place to refuse a donated automated external defibrillator (AED) if the public school or public place does not want to accept responsibility for AED training, installation, or maintenance unless the donating party agrees to be responsible for the AED training, installation, and maintenance. The act removes this authorization for a public school but allows a public school to decide who will be trained, the frequency of training, and when the AED training will take place. APPROVED by Governor June 7, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-30 · Senate

TABOR Refund Mechanisms

If the state exceeds its constitutional fiscal year spending limit, it is required by the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR) to refund the excess state revenues (TABOR refunds). The act concerns the 4 TABOR refund mechanisms: a reimbursement to counties for lost property tax revenue, an income tax rate reduction, a sales and use tax rate reduction, and a sales tax refund. The first mechanism through which excess state revenues are refunded is a reimbursement paid to counties for allocation to local governments to offset the reduction in property taxes resulting from property tax exemptions for qualifying seniors, veterans with disabilities, and spouses of veterans who died in the line of duty or as a result of a service-related injury or disease (homestead exemptions). Additionally, for property tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2024, the reimbursement to local governments to offset the reduction in property taxes resulting from the newly reduced valuation for assessment of qualified-senior primary residences created in Senate Bill 24-111, concerning a reduction in the valuation for assessment of qualified-senior primary residence real property, joins the homestead exemptions reimbursement as the first TABOR refund mechanism. The temporary income tax rate reduction is active for income tax years 2024 through 2034. To refund excess state revenues from fiscal year 2023-24, the income tax rate for income tax year 2024 is temporarily reduced from 4.40% to 4.25%. After that year, if the amount of excess state revenues exceeds the projected total amount of TABOR refunds issued as reimbursement to counties for the homestead exemptions and the qualified-senior primary residence valuation reductions, then the state individual income tax rate is temporarily reduced by the following percentages according to the total amount of excess state revenues remaining after the homestead exemptions reimbursement and the qualified-senior primary residence reimbursement are paid (remaining excess state revenues): If the remaining excess state revenues are above $300 million but less than or equal to $500 million, the income tax rate is temporarily reduced by 0.04%; If the remaining excess state revenues are above $500 million but less than or equal to $600 million, the income tax rate is temporarily reduced by 0.07%; If the remaining excess state revenues are above $600 million but less than or equal to $700 million, the income tax rate is temporarily reduced by 0.09%; If the remaining excess state revenues are above $700 million but less than or equal to $800 million, the income tax rate is temporarily reduced by 0.11%; If the remaining excess state revenues are above $800 million but less than or equal to $1 billion, the income tax rate is temporarily reduced by 0.12%; If the remaining excess state revenues are above $1 billion but less than or equal to $1.5 billion, the income tax rate is temporarily reduced by 0.13%; and If the remaining excess state revenues are above $1.5 billion, the income tax rate is temporarily reduced by 0.15%. The sales and use tax rate reduction refund mechanism is active for fiscal years 2024-25 to 2033-34. Under this mechanism, if the amount of remaining excess state revenues is greater than $1.5 billion, as annually adjusted by a percentage equal to the percentage of allowable increase in state fiscal year spending, and exceeds the projected total amount of TABOR refunds issued as reimbursement to counties for the homestead exemptions and the qualified-senior primary residence valuation reductions, plus refunds issued through the temporary income tax rate reduction, then the state sales and use tax rates are temporarily reduced by 0.13%. Under the sales tax refund mechanism, all qualified individuals receive an identical refund amount unless the amount of excess state revenues to be refunded would make that identical refund exceed a certain threshold, in which case the excess state revenues are instead refunded through a 6-tier refund mechanism based on the qualified individual's adjusted gross income. The identical refund amount above which the 6-tier mechanism is triggered is tied to annual federal internal revenue service calculations of sales tax paid in the state by family size and income level; except that, if, by September 1 of any year, the executive director of the department of revenue has not received advice from the internal revenue service that such an identical refund is regarded as a refund of sales tax and not as an accession to wealth, the identical refund threshold remains the existing rate of $15. An individual may claim the sales tax refund by filing an income tax return or a specified assistance grant application by October 15 of the calendar year following the taxable year for which the refund is being claimed. Whether the TABOR refund mechanisms are triggered and, if so, how many of the mechanisms are triggered depends on the amount of excess state revenues remaining after reimbursement to counties for the homestead exemptions and the qualified-senior primary residence valuation reductions as follows: If remaining excess state revenues are less than or equal to $300 million, TABOR refunds are distributed only through the tiered or flat sales tax refund mechanism; If remaining excess state revenues are greater than $300 million but less than or equal to $1.5 billion, TABOR refunds are distributed first through the income tax rate reduction and then through the tiered or flat sales tax refund mechanism; and If remaining excess state revenues are greater than $1.5 billion, TABOR refunds are distributed first through the income tax rate reduction, next through the sales and use tax rate reduction, and finally through the tiered or flat sales tax refund mechanism. If there are not sufficient excess state revenues to pay the full amount of an income tax rate reduction refund mechanism or the sales and use tax rate reduction refund mechanism, then the affected refund mechanism is not triggered. The act also repeals statutory sections related to TABOR refund mechanisms that are no longer applicable, including the 4-tier sales tax refund mechanism to refund excess revenues from fiscal year 1997-98. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, $59,443 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of revenue for personal services and tax administration IT system support. APPROVED by Governor May 14, 2024 PORTIONS EFFECTIVE May 14, 2024 PORTIONS EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-30 · Senate

Collections for Another Government

Section 20 of article X of the state constitution (TABOR) defines "fiscal year spending" as not including "collections for another government". Although TABOR does not define "collections for another government", the TABOR implementing statutes do. The definition of "collections for another government" in the implementing statutes specifically limits such collections to revenue collected by the state for the benefit of another government that is collected pursuant to the authority of the other government. The act clarifies the definition of "collections for another government" set forth in the TABOR implementing statutes for purposes of the TABOR limitation on state fiscal year spending. For state fiscal years commencing on or after July 1, 2023, "collections for another government" means any revenue that is collected by the state for the benefit and use of a government other than the state, passed through to that government for the benefit of and use by that government, and collected pursuant to: The authority of the government for whose benefit the state collects the revenue; The authority of the state and apportioned to another government in connection with that government forgoing the imposition of certain taxes and collecting the corresponding tax revenue; or A constitutional requirement that the state collect the revenue for the benefit of another government. APPROVED by Governor June 3, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 3, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-30 · House

Artificial Intelligence & Biometric Technologies

The act alters the name, membership, and issues of study of the task force for the consideration of facial recognition services to establish the artificial intelligence impact task force (task force). The membership of the task force includes 26 members who, on or before August 1, 2024, will be appointed by the governor, the president of the senate, the minority leader of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the minority leader of the house of representatives. Members include individuals that represent various organizations, communities, governmental entities, academia, and businesses related to the artificial intelligence and biometric technology industry. There are 4 legislative members of the task force. The issues of study for the task force are updated to include a broad approach to artificial intelligence technology, automated decision systems, and biometric technology. The task force shall consider issues related to: The definition of key terms, such as "artificial intelligence system" and "automated decision system" and types of artificial intelligence systems or automated decision systems that any state legislation or policy should cover; Establishing notice and disclosure requirements for companies that use artificial intelligence systems and automated decision systems; Creating a code of conduct or best practices for evaluating the ethical and equitable impact of using artificial intelligence systems and automated decision systems; Developing recommendations for how to protect disproportionately impacted communities and workers from algorithmic discrimination, including clear quantitative metrics by which to measure, assess, monitor, and prevent algorithmic discrimination; Developing recommendations for how the state can effectively govern artificial intelligence systems and automated decision systems; and Developing recommendations related to the use of facial recognition services and biometric technology. On or before February 1, 2025, the task force must submit a report to the joint technology committee and the governor's office that summarizes the findings and policy recommendations related to the task force's issues of study. The task force must meet at least 5 times between September 1, 2024, and February 1, 2025, and may meet as necessary after the task force submits the report. The task force is repealed September 1, 2027, and the task force is scheduled for sunset review prior to repeal. APPROVED by Governor June 6, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 6, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-29 · House

Modifications to College Kickstarter Account Program

The act modifies the college kickstarter account program (program). The act expands who may open an account and be an account sponsor on or after January 1, 2025, to include, in addition to a parent or parents of an eligible child, any other individual who provides the birth certificate number or order of adoption for an eligible child in accordance with the requirements of the program to open an account. Further, the act clarifies that on or after January 1, 2025, the amount of kickstarter funding that can be claimed is the base amount as adjusted for inflation in the year claimed plus, if the kickstarter funding is claimed in a year after the child's birth year, interest that has accrued on the base amount from the birth year to the claim year. The act also expands the membership of the program advisory board, requires the advisory board to meet at least on a quarterly basis each year, and modifies reporting requirements for the program. The act expands the period during which an account sponsor may claim kickstarter funding from 5 to 8 years from the date of the eligible child's birth or adoption and clarifies that an account is an "individual college savings account", which is any collegeinvest account. APPROVED by Governor May 31, 2024 PORTIONS EFFECTIVE May 31, 2024 PORTIONS EFFECTIVE January 1, 2025(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-26 · Senate

Mitigate Future State Technology Debt

On or before December 31, 2024, the governor's office of information technology (office) is required to promulgate rules to establish a technology life-cycle plan. The rules may consider information security risk, infrastructure risk, operating cost misalignment, productivity cost misalignment, or talent depreciation in connection with an information technology system or asset. For every initial appropriation for an information technology capital project in the capital construction section of the annual general appropriation act for the 2025-26 state fiscal year and each state fiscal year thereafter other than appropriations from specified excluded sources, the general assembly is required to set aside additional funding for information technology annual depreciation-lease equivalent payments. On or before November 1, 2025, and on or before November 1 of each year thereafter, the office is required to submit a report to the joint budget committee and the joint technology committee that provides an estimate of the state's technical debt environment. For each cash fund from which money is appropriated for an information technology capital project, the principal department responsible for the accounting related to the cash fund is required to identify in the cash fund balance report an information technology capital reserve, which consists of an amount equal to the depreciation of the depreciable components of the information technology capital project, based on the depreciation period. APPROVED by Governor June 7, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-26 · Senate

Trauma-informed School Safety Drills

The bill requires a school to provide written notification at least 5 days in advance of the scheduled date of a school safety drill to the parent, legal guardian, or legal custodian of a student detailing when the school safety drill will take place. On or before July 1, 2025, the bill requires the office of school safety (office) to convene a work group to develop best practices for the use of trauma-informed practices to conduct school safety drills. No later than August 1, 2026, the bill requires the work group to develop recommendations to support schools in training school personnel on the use of trauma-informed practices in conducting school safety drills, how to best conduct school safety drills in a trauma-informed manner, and how to best respond to school safety incidents. Beginning August 1, 2027, the bill requires a school to conduct school safety drills in compliance with the work group's recommendations. On or before December 31, 2027, the bill requires the work group to submit a report to the office summarizing the work group's recommendations and information from the schools on the implementation of the trauma-informed best practices. The bill requires educator preparation programs and alternate teacher programs to include a training requirement on trauma-informed practices for a teacher candidate to learn how to conduct school safety drills and, beginning in the 2026-27 school year, requires educator preparation programs and alternate teacher programs to implement the work group's recommendations on best practices to incorporate trauma-informed practices into the conduct of school safety drills. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Last action: 2024-04-26 · Senate

Modifications to the State Personnel Total Compensation

House Bill 24-1467, which has been approved and is now in effect, changes how state employees are paid. Instead of giving raises based on performance (merit pay), it sets up a system where all employees get regular salary increases at set intervals. This new rule doesn’t apply to employees working for the office of the state auditor. Additionally, the bill removes the requirement that certain workers in the Department of Labor and Employment must be paid monthly, allowing more flexibility in their payment schedules.

Last action: 2024-04-26 · House

Colorado Roadside & Outdoor Recreation Industry Enterprise

Joint budget committee. Under current law, the department of transportation (department) administers business and tourist-oriented directional sign programs (sign programs). As part of the sign programs, the department may: Erect, administer, and maintain signs within highway rights-of-way and issue permits for business signs to be installed on those signs; and Issue permits and adopt rules for the erection, administration, and maintenance of tourist-oriented directional signs. The bill creates the Colorado roadside improvement and outdoor recreational industry promotional enterprise (enterprise) and allows the department to contract with the enterprise to implement all or part of the sign programs. In addition to implementing the sign programs, the enterprise assists in maintaining rest areas and administers the outdoor recreational industry promotional grant program. To finance these purposes, the enterprise may impose a fee on persons who participate in the sign programs. The fee must be collected at rates that are reasonably calculated based on the fair market value of the costs of implementing, modernizing, improving, and maintaining the sign programs and inflation. In maintaining rest areas, the enterprise may work with the department, other state agencies, local governments, or private entities as necessary to assist in modernizing rest areas and in the maintenance of roadside in Colorado and reducing the number of people experiencing homelessness within state public rights-of-way. In administering the outdoor recreational industry promotional grant program, the enterprise shall collaborate with the Colorado outdoor recreation industry office to administer the grant program and award grants for promoting the outdoor recreational industry. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Last action: 2024-04-25 · Senate

Licensing for Clinics That Provide Fertility Services

Current law requires a gamete agency, gamete bank, or fertility clinic (clinic) to obtain a license from the department of public health and environment (department) on or after January 1, 2025, before the clinic may match or provide gametes or embryos to recipients in Colorado. The act extends this deadline to July 1, 2025. The act requires that a clinic located outside of Colorado shall not match intended recipients located in Colorado with donors, or provide gametes to a recipient parent or parents located in Colorado or to the recipient parent's medical provider located in Colorado, from a donor who does not agree to the disclosure of the donor's identity. The act adds a requirement that applicants for an original and renewal license must submit documentation to demonstrate compliance with licensing requirements. Subject to available appropriations, the department may, as it deems necessary, perform on-site inspections or complaint investigations of clinics located outside of Colorado. The act extends the deadline for rule-making regarding clinics from July 1, 2024, to January 1, 2025. The act requires that, beginning in fiscal year 2025-26, the general assembly annually appropriate $125,000 to the gamete agency, gamete bank, or fertility clinic fund. APPROVED by Governor May 22, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 22, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-25 · Senate

Funding for Rural Health Care

The act authorizes the department of higher education to enter into a limited purpose fee-for-service contract with the board of regents of the university of Colorado for allocation to programs or institutions of higher education to expand an existing rural track program. If an allocation is made to a program or institution to expand an existing rural track program, the department of higher education shall utilize a formula developed and revised annually by the rural program office, in collaboration with the institutions, that is based on data that documents the program's or institution's fulfillment of certain requirements. The act requires the rural program office to submit a report to the general assembly each year that includes the allocation formula developed by the rural program office. The act creates the rural hospital cash fund and on July 1, 2024, requires the state treasurer to transfer $1,742,029 from the general fund to the rural hospital cash fund for the purpose of distributing money in equal amounts to rural hospitals. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $866,667 from the general fund to the department of higher education for the college opportunity fund program to be used for limited purpose fee-for-service contracts with institutions of higher education. APPROVED by Governor June 6, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 6, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-25 · Senate

State Funding to Relocate Two State Entities

The act facilitates the department of revenue's (department) relocation from the state-owned building at 1881 Pierce Street, in Denver (Pierce Street building), to a vacant facility at the Auraria higher education center. In addition, the act facilitates the potential relocation of the state historical society's (also known as history Colorado) north storage facility, which houses the state's historic collection, to the Pierce Street building if the state historical society determines that the Pierce Street building suits its needs. Specifically, the act: Requires the general assembly to reduce the general fund appropriation to the department in the executive director's office for the purpose of leased space by $400,000 for the 2025-26 state fiscal year and each state fiscal year thereafter through the 2028-29 state fiscal year and requires the general assembly to make a corresponding increase in the general fund appropriation to the department in the executive director's office for the purpose of operating expenses for the same fiscal years; Increases the July 1, 2024, transfer from the general fund to the capital construction fund by $1,933,931; Authorizes history Colorado to use up to $1,600,000 from money in the state museum cash fund in the 2024-25 state fiscal year to provide a zero interest loan to the department to facilitate the department's relocation to the Auraria higher education center; Requires the department to repay any loan made by the state historical society in an amount equal to at least $400,000 per year until the loan is repaid in full and to complete the loan repayments by June 30, 2029; and Beginning July 1, 2027, and continuing through June 30, 2029, allows the state historical society to reduce the required minimum cash fund balance in the state museum cash fund by the amount of the loan the state historical society has made to the department as authorized in the act. In addition, the act appropriates the following for the 2024-25 state fiscal year and specifies that for each appropriation, any money not expended prior to July1, 2025, is further appropriated to the same entity for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 state fiscal years for the same purpose: $2,250,000 from the state museum cash fund to the department of higher education for use by history Colorado for capital construction related to the potential relocation of the history Colorado storage facility to and renovation of the Pierce Street building; $1,600,000 from reappropriated funds received from history Colorado pursuant to the act to the department for capital construction related to consolidation into a vacant facility on the Auraria higher education campus; and $1,933,931 from the capital construction fund to the department for capital construction related to consolidation into a vacant facility on the Auraria higher education campus. APPROVED by Governor May 31, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 31, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-25 · Senate

Overweight & Oversize Motor Vehicle Permits

The act requires an applicant for an overweight motor vehicle permit to provide third-party documentation establishing the gross weight of the load if the permit application is for a vehicle and load combination that weighs at least 200,000 pounds and less than 500,000 pounds. The carrier is required to carry the documentation in the vehicle during the permitted move and produce the documentation for any state agency or law enforcement personnel. In addition to any other penalty, a driver who violates this provision is subject to a penalty of one dollar per pound in excess of the gross weight authorized by the permit. The act authorizes the department of transportation to issue a single-use overweight or oversize state permit or local permit on an expedited basis to help in an emergency. If the permit is a local permit, the applicant and the executive director of the department of transportation, or the executive director's designee, are required to make a reasonable attempt to contact and obtain the approval of the local authorities. If the department of transportation is unable to contact or obtain the approval of the local authority within a reasonable amount of time, the department of transportation may issue the local permit. If the permitted vehicle needs a law enforcement escort, the department of transportation must obtain the approval of the state patrol. The local permit fees must be collected and remitted to the local authorities. APPROVED by Governor May 31, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-25 · Senate

Standards for Decisions Regarding Library Resources

The board of trustees of a public library (board) is required to establish written policies for the acquisition, retention, display, and use of library resources and for the use of a public library facility. If a public library reconsiders library resources, the board is also required to establish a written policy for the reconsideration of a library resource. The board is required to comply with specified standards in establishing a policy for the acquisition, retention, display, use, and reconsideration of library resources and for the use of public library facilities. A public library may remove a library resource from its permanent collection only if the library resource has been reviewed in accordance with an established policy for the reconsideration of library resources that complies with the standards established in the act. These requirements do not apply to routine collection maintenance and deaccession in accordance with a public library's established collection development and maintenance policy. The board is required to make its policy for the reconsideration of library materials available to the public. Once a final determination has been made for a library resource that is the subject of a request for reconsideration, the board is required to make the determination available to the public. A request for reconsideration of a library resource is not a library user record and instead is an open record under the "Colorado Open Records Act". A librarian, media specialist, other employee, contractor, or volunteer (employee) at a public library is not subject to termination, demotion, discipline, or retaliation for refusing to remove a library resource before it has been reviewed in accordance with the public library's policy for the reconsideration of library resources or for making displays, acquisitions, or programming decisions that the employee believes, in good faith, are in accordance with the standards established in the act. APPROVED by Governor May 31, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 31, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-24 · Senate

Modernize Energy Distribution Systems

The act requires the office of future of work to create a grant program, in coordination with the Colorado energy office, for lineworker apprenticeship programs (grant program). In connection with the grant program, the office of future of work must create a competitive application process and select apprenticeship programs that meet certain training and matching requirements. On July 1, 2024, the state treasurer must transfer $800,000 from the general fund to the Colorado lineworker apprenticeship grant program cash fund, which is created in the act, for the purposes of the grant program. The act also requires an investor-owned electric utility that serves 500,000 customers or more in the state (qualifying retail utility) to upgrade the qualifying retail utility's distribution systems as necessary to support the: Achievement of the state's beneficial and transportation electrification and decarbonization goals; and Implementation of federal, state, regional, and local air quality and decarbonization targets, standards, plans, and regulations (decarbonization targets and standards). In connection with these goals and decarbonization targets and standards, a qualifying retail utility is required to: Commence a data collection process to inform future energization timelines; Adopt certain cost caps; Propose to the public utilities commission (commission) the use of an optional flexible interconnection or energization tariff or phased interconnection or energization agreement by a customer as an alternative to system upgrades that would otherwise be required for interconnection or energization; and Establish a procedure for customers with a hybrid facility to complete the interconnection and energization process through a single application. A qualifying retail utility is required to identify interconnection and load hosting capacity for distributed energy resources for disproportionately impacted communities within its service territory. Prior to the establishment of a grid modernization adjustment clause, a qualifying retail utility shall recover forecasted investments placed into service and costs incurred for certain capital investment and operations and maintenance expenses (distribution activities) for a period of time ending on December 31, 2025. Recovery of the costs associated with the distribution activities must occur through the transmission cost adjustment clause or another existing adjustment clause, subject to certain conditions. Current law requires certain utilities to file a distribution system plan (plan) with the commission. The act also requires the plans of a qualifying retail utility to create sufficient hosting capacity across the qualifying retail utility's electrical distribution system to support the implementation of the decarbonization targets and standards and certain other laws, rules, plans, and policies. In developing a plan, a qualifying retail utility must consult with and provide opportunities to engage disproportionately impacted communities. As part of a plan proceeding, a qualifying retail utility is required to present at least 2 future planning scenarios with corresponding investments to show future different states of the distribution system. In evaluating a qualifying retail utility's plans, the commission must evaluate whether the plan satisfies certain criteria. In addition, the plan must include a performance-based framework, which must consist of certain specified components. A qualifying retail utility must include in the qualifying retail utility's plan an analysis of current and future qualified staffing levels necessary to comply with state laws regarding distribution system planning (adequate staffing levels). The commission must review whether each qualifying retail utility's plan has adequate staffing levels before the qualifying retail utility's plan may proceed. A qualifying retail utility must ensure that, in any projects undertaken to implement a plan, all labor is performed by the employees of the qualifying retail utility or by a contractor that meets certain labor requirements. The commission must open a rule-making, for a qualifying retail utility, to consider and establish rules regarding energization timelines; interconnection; interconnection, energization, and electrification of end uses; and maximum individual customer cost caps or fees. Subject to commission review and approval, a qualifying retail utility is required to recover certain projected costs related to distribution activities as part of the qualifying retail utility's plans. If the commission finds that the distribution activities benefit or advance the decarbonization targets and standards or state energy policy goals, recovery of the costs must occur through the grid modernization adjustment clause. For distribution system activities that do not benefit or advance the decarbonization targets and standards or state energy policy goals, recovery of the costs may occur through the grid modernization adjustment clause if the qualifying retail utility meets the criteria established in the performance-based framework in the qualifying retail utility's approved plan. A qualifying retail utility is required to make an annual grid modernization adjustment clause advice letter filing with the commission no later than November 1 of each year with an effective date of January 1 of the subsequent year. No later than February 1, 2025, a qualifying retail utility is required to create and file with the commission an application to implement a virtual power plant program, including a tariff for performance-based compensation for a qualified virtual power plant. The virtual power plant program and tariff must include and implement certain requirements. A qualifying retail utility may apply to recover certain business costs to facilitate a virtual power plant program through the grid modernization adjustment clause. By January 1, 2025, a qualifying retail utility is required to file a plan with the commission to implement programs for the undergrounding of utility distribution infrastructure (undergrounding) in nonfranchised areas of the qualifying retail utility in the state using 1% of the area's gross electric revenues from the prior year. A qualifying retail utility must also consider the public benefit of undergrounding and other community benefit investments in its plans. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, $420,500 is appropriated from the public utilities commission fixed utility fund to the department of regulatory agencies for use by the commission as follows: $382,670 for personal services; and $37,830 for operating expenses. APPROVED by Governor May 22, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 22, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-24 · Senate

Refinance Federal Coronavirus Recovery Funds

The state received money from the federal coronavirus state fiscal recovery fund pursuant to the "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021" (ARPA money). ARPA money was deposited into the "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021" cash fund and then transferred to various cash funds (recipient funds) and appropriated for various programs. The act requires the state treasurer to transfer specified amounts of ARPA money from specified recipient funds at the close of the 2023-24 state fiscal year to the "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021" cash fund. The act requires the state treasurer to transfer money from the general fund to a new ARPA refinance state money cash fund. Money in the new ARPA refinance state money cash fund is transferred to the specified recipient funds. The act requires the general assembly to appropriate ARPA money from the "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021" cash fund to state departments for personal services in fiscal year 2023-24. For fiscal year 2024-25, the general assembly shall appropriate the balance of the cash fund for personal services or for other purposes permitted under the "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021", and that money must be expended on or before January 31, 2025. On December 1, 2024, any unspent and unobligated ARPA money in a recipient fund, other than money designated for personal services or operating costs that will be spent by January 31, 2025, reverts to the "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021" cash fund. The reverted money is continuously appropriated to any department designated by the governor for any purpose that was funded with general fund money in the general appropriations act for fiscal year 2024-25. After December 31, 2024, any ARPA money in a recipient fund that was obligated as of December 31, 2024, but not expended on an eligible activity at the conclusion of the appropriation reverts to the "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021" cash fund and is continuously appropriated to any department designated by the governor for any purpose for which a general fund appropriation was made in the general appropriation act for the state fiscal year in which the reversion occurred. The amount of general fund money appropriated in a line item in a general appropriations act is reduced by the amount of ARPA money appropriated pursuant to the act's provisions that is spent for the line item. The act repeals the requirement for a subrecipient to obligate ARPA money by November 30, 2024. The act authorizes the state controller to take certain measures to implement the act and ensure that ARPA money is expended within the time allowed by federal law. The governor and the state controller shall jointly submit a report to the joint budget committee, the speaker of the house of representatives, the minority leader of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, and the minority leader of the senate about the transfers in the act and about spending ARPA money. The act makes changes to various programs related to refinancing ARPA money, including clarifying spending and obligation deadlines for program money that is not ARPA money and exempting the use of state money from requirements for capital construction projects that use federal money. For the 2023-24 state fiscal year, the act makes the following appropriations from the "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021" cash fund for personal services: $495 million to the department of corrections, $214 million to the department of human services, and $309 million to the judicial department. The total general fund appropriation made in the annual general appropriation act for the 2023-24 state fiscal year to each department is reduced by the same amount. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the act makes the following appropriations from the "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021" cash fund for personal services: $324 million to the department of corrections, $63,182,048 to the department of human services, and $200 million to the judicial department. The total general fund appropriation made in the annual general appropriation act for the 2024-25 state fiscal year to each department is reduced by the same amount. The act changes the source of funds for existing appropriations involving refinanced ARPA money. APPROVED by Governor June 5, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 5, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-24 · House

Office of Administrative Services for Independent Agencies

The act repeals and reenacts the statutory article creating the office of administrative services for independent agencies (office) to restructure the office and make administrative changes to ensure enhanced office efficiency and success. The act requires the office to enter into a memorandum or understanding with the judicial department establishing requirements related to establishing fiscal rules and ongoing access to, or use of, judicial department systems, contracts, or resources for the included agencies. The act requires the memorandum of understanding to include information regarding any additional costs that may be incurred by the judicial department in providing services to the included agencies and requires the office to pay for any additional costs. The act requires the office to submit a single, consolidated budget request on behalf of the included agencies that includes any necessary budget request amendments provided by the included agencies. The act requires the office to be governed by an advisory board that is responsible for hiring and removing the office director and securing a biannual review of the functions and performance of the office and the office director. For fiscal years 2024-25 and 2025-26, the act requires the office director to establish a workload capacity and staff resource plan for the office and prepare necessary budget requests to fund the workload capacity and staff resource plan. The act requires the office director to work in partnership with the judicial department to guide and support the transition of services provided to the included agencies by the judicial department until the transition to the office is completed. On or before June 30, 2025, the act requires the office director to enter into memorandums of understanding with each included agency to establish a timeline for the provision of services and expectations for discrete support services. The act requires the office director to notify the revisor of statutes in the office of legislative legal services in writing once the transition of services is complete. APPROVED by Governor May 31, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 31, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-24 · Senate

Program Changes Refinance Coronavirus Recovery Funds

The act makes changes to programs funded with money the state received from the federal coronavirus state fiscal recovery fund (ARPA money). Specifically, the act: Transfers $1.1 million of ARPA money from the family and medical leave insurance fund (FAMLI fund) to the "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021" cash fund, transfers $400,000 from the general fund to the FAMLI fund as an advance payment of premiums for state employee coverage that the state is required to pay under the family and medical leave insurance program, and clarifies the recipient funds for transfers from the FAMLI fund required by current law; Extends the deadline to spend ARPA money from the judicial department information technology cash fund from the end of the 2024-25 state fiscal year to December 31, 2026; Extends the deadline for the judicial department to spend ARPA money for pretrial diversion programs from the end of the 2023-24 state fiscal year to December 31, 2026; Makes changes to the program known as "Finish What You Started" to provide funds in the 2024-25 and 2025-26 state fiscal years to continue to support ongoing program participants, and requires the department to use up to $4.5 million of money appropriated for need-based grants for the program; Transfers $70,581.99 of ARPA money from the affordable housing and home ownership cash fund to the "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021" cash fund; Reduces the required appropriation to the department of public health and environment from the economic recovery and relief cash fund for recruitment and re-engagement of workers in the health-care profession from $10 million to $6.12 million; Extends the deadline for the department of public health and environment to spend ARPA money for the practice-based health education grant program from the end of the 2024-25 state fiscal year to December 31, 2026; Changes the date that money from the rural provider access and affordability fund, which is used for the rural provider access and affordability stimulus grant program, reverts to the general fund from July 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024; Transfers $495,000 of ARPA money from the state domestic violence and sexual assault services fund to the behavioral and mental health cash fund; and Extends the repeal date of the statute requiring the behavioral health administration to take certain actions related to the behavioral health-care provider workforce from September 1, 2024, to July 1, 2027, and continues required reports through the new repeal date. The act makes changes to appropriations programs funded with ARPA money, including adjusting appropriated amounts and granting roll-forward spending authority. APPROVED by Governor May 24, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 24, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-24 · House

Modify Effective Date of House Bill 24-1421

Senate Bill 24-215 modifies the start date for a previous budget bill (House Bill 24-1421) that allocates funding for criminal justice grants. Originally, this funding was supposed to take effect before the end of the fiscal year in 2023-2024, but SB 24-215 changes it so that the new budget takes effect on July 1, 2024, at the beginning of the next fiscal year. This change ensures there's no gap in funding for these grants and helps with smoother financial management. The bill has been signed by the governor and is now effective as of May 10, 2024.

Last action: 2024-04-24 · Senate

Designation of Highway Zones

Under current law, if maintenance, repair, or construction activities are occurring or will occur within 4 hours on a portion of a state highway, the Colorado department of transportation (department) is permitted, but not required, to designate the portion of the highway as a highway maintenance, repair, or construction zone. The act: Removes the 4-hour time period relating to maintenance, repair, or construction activities that will occur on a portion of a state highway but maintains the 4-hour time period relating to maintenance, repair, or construction zones that are not on a state highway; and Requires the department to designate a portion of a state highway on which construction activities are occurring as a highway construction zone. APPROVED by Governor June 3, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-23 · House

Restrictions on Tap Fees

The act requires that the board of a special district, within 30 days of receiving a written request from any county, city and county, or municipality within the boundaries of which the special district operates or partly operates, provide the rate schedule for the special district's tap fees, system development fees, or other fees and charges that contemplate future water or sanitation system usage, and, upon request of the local government, provide any professional analyses and a detailed written justification of the costs and methodologies used to calculate those fees. APPROVED by Governor June 5, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-23 · House

Implement State Climate Goals

Section 1 of the act creates the office of sustainability (office) in the department of personnel (department). The office is required to work with state agencies to implement environmentally sustainable practices. Section 1 also creates the state agency sustainability revolving fund (revolving fund) and directs the state treasurer to transfer $400,000 from the general fund to the revolving fund each year. The office may use the money in the revolving fund for the purposes of operating the office and replacing the state's gas- and diesel-powered equipment located in ozone nonattainment areas as designated by the U.S. environmental protection agency. Section 1 also requires the office to review and coordinate state agencies' applications for elective pay funding available under the federal "Inflation Reduction Act of 2022" (IRA). State agencies are required to submit elective pay applications directly to the office of the state controller. The inflation reduction act elective pay cash fund (cash fund) is created, and all money received by the state or state agencies pursuant to the elective pay provisions of the IRA must be deposited into the cash fund to be used for the purposes of the office. Subject to specified exceptions, section 3 requires, on and after January 1, 2025, recipients of state financial assistance for new building construction projects that include energy-consuming products covered by the Energy Star program (covered energy-consuming products) to use covered energy-consuming products certified by the Energy Star program (requirements). A state agency that provides or administers state financial assistance for a new building construction project (state agency) shall include certain requirements in the state agency's criteria for receiving state financial assistance and request an attestation signed by the recipient of the state financial assistance that declares that the requirements have been or will be followed or that the recipient is requesting a waiver from the requirements. A state agency may issue a waiver from the requirements based on certain evidence and an attestation from a licensed professional engineer or design professional. If the attorney general, by a preponderance of the evidence, believes that a recipient of state financial assistance has violated the requirements, the attorney general may bring a civil action to seek a civil penalty of up to the total amount of state financial assistance received by the violator. Section 4 amends the state efficiency standard for residential windows, residential doors, and residential skylights sold in Colorado on and after January 1, 2026 (standard). If the executive director of the department of public health and environment determines that the standard cannot reasonably be met by manufacturers, the executive director shall set an alternative standard which may be applied instead of the standard. Such an alternative standard, if set, must be displayed on the public website of the department of public health and environment no later than June 1, 2025. Section 6 clarifies law relating to the geothermal energy grant program within the CEO (grant program) by specifying that: The grant program applies to both heating-only and combined heating and cooling systems; At least 25% of the grant money must be awarded to projects in low-income, disproportionately impacted, or just transition communities; and The CEO may utilize grant program money to facilitate the growth of the geothermal sector and awareness of relevant state programs in Colorado. Section 7 allows money in the decarbonization tax credits administration cash fund to be used to repay administrative costs associated with administering the decarbonization tax credits, and specifies that all such administrative costs must be repaid on or before June 29, 2024. The amount of money that must remain in the fund after other unexpended and unencumbered money has been transferred to the general fund on June 30 of each year is increased from $100,000 to $300,000. Section 8 extends the deadline for the energy code board to develop a model low energy and carbon code from June 1, 2025, to September 1, 2025, and specifies that the model low energy and carbon code can include both appendices and resources to the international energy conservation code. Section 9 decreases the amount of money in the energy fund that the CEO is authorized to use to issue grants to local governments to support their adoption and enforcement of the 2021 international energy conservation code, an electric ready and solar ready code, and a low energy and carbon code from $2,000,000 to $1,875,000 and increases the amount of money that the treasurer is required to transfer into the energy fund for CEO to use to administer the energy code board from $150,000 to $275,000. Section 10 authorizes grantees to use money received through the CEO's high-efficiency electric heating and appliances grant program for equipment used to dry clothes and for other purposes as determined by the CEO. Section 13 requires the CEO, on or before August 1, 2024, to commence a study to explore how to accelerate adoption of heat pump technology in Colorado through a technical standard for applicable air conditioners. The CEO is required to provide to the general assembly a progress report, interim results and legislative recommendations, and, on or before June 1, 2025, a final study and final legislative recommendations. Section 14 repeals the requirement that a person using any portion of a transfer facility for the provision of retail or commercial goods or services or for the provision of residential uses pay rent at fair market value for such use. Section 15 clarifies that, for purposes of the industrial clean energy tax credit, an industrial study includes a pre-front-end or front-end engineering design study that meets or exceeds the standards established by the CEO or any other industrial studies as outlined in program standards and an owner includes a project developer. Section 15 also increases the amount of the credit that can be claimed from $5,000,000 to $8,000,000 and specifies that an owner that claims the industrial clean energy tax credit cannot, for the same greenhouse gas emission reduction improvements, claim the enterprise zone investment tax credit or receive grant money under the industrial and manufacturing operations clean air grant program. Section 16 clarifies several definitions related to the tax credit for expenditures made in connection with a geothermal energy project and adds several definitions. Section 16 also adds tribal governments as eligible taxpayers that may claim the tax credit. Section 17 adds tribal governments as qualified entities that may claim the geothermal electricity generation production tax credit, and requires the CEO to annually review and evaluate the effectiveness of the tax credit. Section 18 clarifies and adds several definitions related to the heat pump technology and thermal energy network tax credit, adds new standards for taxpayers to be eligible to claim the credit, and requires the CEO to substantiate that eligible taxpayers are meeting those standards periodically rather than annually. Section 20 repeals a provision that required the state treasurer to credit an amount of severance taxes to certain cash funds to repay costs associated with administering the decarbonization tax credits. Section 21 requires the CEO to prioritize high-efficiency homes and buildings when providing loans and grants from the sustainable rebuilding program to homeowners and business owners that are seeking to rebuild. Money from the sustainable rebuilding program may also be used to provide loans and grants through the disaster resilience rebuilding program which is administered by the department of local affairs. Section 22 extends the date by which the public utilities commission must determine mass-based greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for clean heat plans for 2035 from December 1, 2024, to December 1, 2025. Section 23 requires investor-owned utilities, on or before August 1, 2027, to submit to the public utilities commission a proposal for a voluntary rate or rates for energy supplied to residential customers who utilize a heat pump as their primary heating source, which, if cost-justified, are designed to lower the energy bills of those customers. Section 24 specifies that an appropriation made to the department of higher education and related to the biochar in oil and gas well plugging working advisory group for state fiscal year 2023-24 is further appropriated to the department for state fiscal year 2024-25 to the extent that it is not expended prior to July 1, 2024. To implement the act: Section 25 reduces state fiscal year 2024-25 appropriations from various cash funds to the department of revenue by an aggregate amount of $1,770,160 and offsets the decrease by increasing state fiscal year 2024-25 appropriations to the department of revenue from the decarbonization tax credits administration cash fund by $1,770,160; and Section 26 appropriates $1,058,596, of which $958,596 is from the decarbonization tax credits administration cash fund and $100,000 is from the general fund, to the office of the governor for use by the CEO. APPROVED by Governor May 17, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 17, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-22 · Senate

Exempt Certain Structures from County Regulation

Under current law, a board of county commissioners is authorized to license an owner or owner's agent who rents or advertises the owner's lodging unit for a short-term stay and to fix the fees, terms, and manner for issuing and revoking such licenses. The bill creates an exception to provides that this authority for the owner or owner's agent of, and with respect to, shall not prohibit or effectively prohibit the short-term rental of any structure located on a parcel in an unincorporated area of a county that does not receive water, heat, electricity, or sanitary sewer services from a public entity and so long as the structure is used primarily for recreational purposes. (Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.) (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Last action: 2024-04-22 · Senate

Local Govs Renewable Energy Projects

The act requires the director of the energy and carbon management commission in the department of natural resources, at the request of a local government or tribal government, to provide technical support concerning: The development of local codes governing wind, solar, energy storage, and energy transmission projects (renewable energy projects); or The review of renewable energy projects for which a local government or a tribal government receives an application for land use approval after June 30, 2024. At the request of an owner or operator of a renewable energy facility (facility owner), a local government, or a tribal government, the division of parks and wildlife (division) must provide a set of best management practices to avoid, minimize, and mitigate wildlife impacts of renewable energy projects. The facility owner, local government, or tribal government may incorporate the best management practices into project plans, and the best management practices may be considered as conditions of approval by a local government or tribal government with land use authority over a renewable energy project. The division must also identify high-priority habitats based on the best available science, update the list of high-priority habitats at least annually, and make the list publicly available. A facility owner, local government, or tribal government may consider the high-priority habitats in planning, siting, permitting, and developing renewable energy projects. The act requires the Colorado energy office (office), in cooperation with the department of local affairs and the department of natural resources, to develop a repository of codes and ordinances that support renewable energy projects and commercial energy transmission facilities for the purpose of providing conceptual frameworks that local governments and tribal governments may consider and adapt to suit local circumstances and address local energy resources. On or before September 30, 2025, the office must submit to the general assembly a report that: Evaluates local government processes for the siting of commercially viable renewable energy projects and commercial energy transmission facilities; and Evaluates the impact of renewable energy projects and commercial energy transmission facilities on wildlife resources; the use of wildlife mitigation, decommissioning, and community benefit agreements; and the range of fees imposed by local governments. In preparing the report, the office must provide opportunities for stakeholders and the public to provide input before the final report is completed. For renewable energy projects for which a local government receives an application for land use approval after June 30, 2024, the act prohibits a local government from granting a development permit for the construction of a facility in any area that is included within the land relinquished and conveyed by the confederated bands of the Ute nation to the United States in the Brunot Agreement of September 13, 1873, unless the local government first consults with the tribal governments of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe concerning the potential impacts to hunting, fishing, and gathering rights related to the construction of the facility. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $307,991 to the department of natural resources from the wildlife cash fund. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $95,490 to the department of natural resources from the energy and carbon management cash fund for use by the energy and carbon management commission. APPROVED by Governor May 21, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 21, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-22 · Senate

Protecting the Freedom to Marry

The Colorado constitution states that a marriage is valid only if it is between one man and one woman. That provision has been unenforceable since the United States supreme court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015). The concurrent resolution repeals the provision.(Note: This summary applies to this concurrent resolution as adopted.)

Last action: 2024-04-19 · Senate

Adjustments to the Necessary Document Program

The bill adjusts aspects of the necessary document program (program) administered by the office of health equity in the department of public health and environment, which program assists certain populations of Colorado residents with paying the fees to acquire necessary documents. The bill clarifies that an individual who is eligible under the program may obtain necessary documents without charge at certain division of motor vehicles locations, vital statistics offices, or other governmental offices that offer vital statistics documents and establishes that an individual may self-attest to the individual's eligibility under the program. The bill does not change the identity verification requirements that may be required to obtain a necessary document. The bill also specifies that an individual who is eligible for the program is not subject to the fees charged by the department of revenue for driver's licenses or identification cards. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Last action: 2024-04-19 · Senate

Exemption for College Program Completion Earned Time

Under existing law, the department of corrections may, for an inmate who was sentenced for a nonviolent felony offense, deduct earned time from the inmate's sentence for each accredited degree or other credential awarded by an institution of higher education to the inmate while the inmate is incarcerated or on parole (degree or credential earned time). The act exempts degree or credential earned time from the statutory limit on earned time. APPROVED by Governor June 5, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-19 · House

Third-Party Audit Department of Corrections

House Bill 24-1462 requires the state auditor to hire an independent third party by October 1, 2024, to review how the Department of Corrections manages its budget. This includes looking at costs related to staff, contracts, operations, and fees. The third-party audit will provide updates in March 2025 and a final report by June 30, 2025, which will be shared with relevant committees and the department itself. The bill has been signed into law and is now effective, meaning the Department of Corrections must start preparing for this external review soon.

Last action: 2024-04-19 · House

Modifications to Laws Regarding Elections

The act modifies the "Uniform Election Code of 1992", (code) the law regarding initiatives and referendums, the "Fair Campaign Practices Act", the public official disclosure requirements of the "Colorado Sunshine Act of 1972", and other laws regarding elections. The act modifies the code as follows: Regarding elections generally, specifies that the county clerk and recorder, as the chief election official for the county, sets the operational hours of the clerk and recorder's office and specifies that the governing board of a county or city and county is not authorized to supervise the conduct of regular and special elections or to consult with election officials in regard to conducting elections and rendering decisions and interpretations under the code; Regarding the qualification and registration of electors, beginning January 1, 2025, changes the age at which an individual may preregister to vote from 16 to 15 years old; Regarding political party organization, specifies that when a state senatorial district or state representative district is comprised of one or more whole counties or of a part of one county and all or a part of one or more other counties, a state senatorial central committee or a state representative central committee consists of the elected precinct committee persons, as well as the chairpersons, vice-chairpersons, and secretary of the several party county central committees, who reside within the state senatorial district or the state representative district; Regarding access to the ballot by candidates, specifies that the law prohibiting a candidate who was defeated in a primary election from participating in a general election does not apply to a candidate for president of the United States; allows the governor to designate a location other than the office of the governor for the presidential electors to convene if the governor determines that it is not feasible to meet in the office of the governor; makes the deadlines for a candidate to file a petition in a congressional vacancy election consistent with other deadlines; makes the general timeline for circulating petitions to get on the ballot applicable to presidential electors for unaffiliated presidential candidates; beginning January 1, 2025, aligns the minor political party candidate petition calendar with the major political party candidate petition calendar; clarifies that an unaffiliated candidate for president of the United States is exempt from the requirement that a candidate be registered as unaffiliated with a political party in the statewide voter registration system prior to the general election; beginning January 1, 2025, requires a candidate or candidate committee, recall committee, or representative of a minority party petition to submit a paid circulator report, if applicable, to the secretary of state (secretary); and modifies the timing for a candidate to cure a nominating petition signature deficiency; Regarding notice and preparation of elections, requires the secretary to administer a pilot program that allows the county clerk and recorder or designated election official (clerk) of a county with at least 10,000 but fewer than 37,500 active electors and with at least 3 cities or towns where the second and third largest cities or towns that are located entirely within the county both have less than 3% of the active electors in the county, to request a waiver of the requirement to designate 3 voter service and polling centers (VSPC) on election day and instead designate at least 2 VSPCs on election day; repeals an obsolete provision specifying data to be used to determine the number of students enrolled at an institution of higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic; specifies that for a general election, a county shall establish a drop box on each campus of an institution of higher education located within the county that has 1,000, rather than 2,000, or more enrolled students; clarifies that each clerk is required to ensure that primary election ballots are printed in accordance with existing law; repeals obsolete language regarding voting equipment; updates several provisions regarding the use of voting systems to align with current practice; requires the secretary to approve or deny an application from a political subdivision to purchase a new electromechanical voting system within 30 days of receiving the application; modifies the standards for accessible voting systems to align with federal standards; and repeals obsolete language regarding direct recording electronic voting systems; Regarding election judges, changes the deadline by which the county chairperson of each major political party in a county is required to certify to the clerk the names and addresses of registered electors recommended to serve as election judges in the county and implements an appeal process for an election judge who is preemptively removed as an election judge by the county chairperson or authorized official; Regarding the conduct of elections, allows a registered elector who will not have been a Colorado resident for at least 22 days immediately before a presidential general election to cast a provisional ballot, which includes only a vote for president and vice president, in that election; extends the deadline for the secretary to adopt rules concerning the tabulation, reporting, and canvassing of results for a coordinated election using instant runoff voting conducted by multiple counties from January 1, 2025, to January 1, 2026; updates provisions regarding voting machines and the inspection of voting machines by election judges; repeals obsolete provisions regarding sample ballots, the seal on voting machines, the manner of voting by eligible electors, the counting of write-in ballots, and how voting system software is installed; clarifies that the secretary will conduct a random audit of voting devices only if a risk-limiting audit is not possible after an election; and extends the deadlines for the secretary to promulgate rules necessary to conduct risk limiting audits in an election using instant runoff voting and for a county to audit an election using instant runoff voting conducted as part of a coordinated election from January 1, 2025, to January 1, 2026; Regarding mail ballot elections, allows a clerk to request a waiver from the secretary of state exempting the county from the remote location drop box ballot collection requirements and specifies alternative collection requirements if a waiver is granted; specifies the conditions under which an elector may request a replacement ballot from the clerk; modifies the time by which an elector must request a replacement ballot from the clerk; and repeals obsolete provisions that direct clerks how to count ballots that are cast on electronic or electromechanical vote tabulating equipment; Regarding recounts, repeals obsolete provisions regarding recounts in nonpartisan local elections and clarifies who has standing to request a recount challenge; Regarding certificates of election and election contests, repeals obsolete language regarding the election of precinct officers and duplicative language regarding the resolution of tie votes and specifies that a contest concerning a presidential elector must be filed with the supreme court no later than 24 days after the general election and specifies the deadline for the supreme court to rule on such a contest; and Regarding recall elections, modifies the deadline for filing a nomination petition for a candidate to succeed an officer who is sought to be recalled. The act further modifies the code to specify that regarding the use of an all-candidate primary election or a ranked voting method in a primary or general election, it is the general assembly's intent that a general statutory provision with a later effective date prevails over a specific statutory provision with an earlier effective date. In addition, the act specifies that before a designated election official may conduct an all-candidate primary election using an all-candidate primary ballot and before a primary or general election can use a ranked voting method for federal or state offices, the secretary must certify that: Multiple municipalities in counties of specified sizes with active electors that satisfy certain demographic criteria have conducted an election with a ranked voting method; Each municipality that has conduced an election with a ranked voting method has completed a risk-limiting audit that demonstrates that the certified outcomes in each race were accurate; and The secretary has submitted a report to the general assembly regarding the impact of ranked choice voting methods as compared to elections conducted through other voting methods. The provisions of the act regarding an all-candidate primary election and the use of ranked voting methods take effect March 1, 2026. The act modifies the law regarding initiatives and referendums by repealing an obsolete provision regarding filing a paid circulator report with the secretary and by repealing obsolete language regarding the effective date of the bills enacted during the 2020 legislative session that included an act subject to petition clause. The act modifies the "Fair Campaign Practices Act" as follows: Prohibits a natural person who is not a citizen of the United States, a foreign government, or a foreign corporation from making a direct ballot issue or ballot question expenditure in connection with an election on a ballot issue or ballot question in the state; Specifies that a candidate seeking reelection does not have to file an additional disclosure statement filed pursuant to current law if the incumbent has filed the annual report required by law within the last 30 days from which the incumbent becomes a candidate for reelection; Clarifies that any person may file a complaint with the secretary of state about a candidate not complying with the disclosure statement requirements; and Requires a candidate for specified offices to amend the disclosure statement when there is a substantial change of interests as to which the disclosure is required. The act modifies the public official disclosure requirements specified in the "Colorado Sunshine Act of 1972" as follows: Requires that specified public officials file an annual disclosure statement with the secretary and amend the disclosure statement when there is a substantial change of interests as to which the disclosure is required; Requires specified public officials who are serving in office in the 2024 calendar year, but who have not filed an annual disclosure statement in the 2024 calendar year, to file a disclosure statement within a specified amount of time and requires the disclosure statements to be available on the secretary's website; Repeals a provision that allows a public official to file an income tax return with the secretary in lieu of filing certain information required in the disclosure statement; Allows any person who believes that a member of the general assembly is not complying with the public official's disclosure requirements to file a complaint with specified individuals, requires the secretary to notify the appropriate individuals if a member of the general assembly does not timely file the required annual disclosure statement, and requires an individual who receives a complaint to investigate the complaint using existing procedures. The act amends the "Colorado Open Records Act" to specify that if a clerk receives a request for election-related records that are in active use, in storage, or otherwise not readily available, and the request is made during an election for which the clerk is the designated election official, the clerk may take additional time to fulfill the request under certain circumstances; except that the allowance for additional time does not apply if the requester of the public records is a mass medium organization or a newsperson. The act adds clerk and recorders to the law specifying the office hours and required availability of county officials. The act amends Senate Bill 24-230, concerning support for statewide remediation services that positively impact the environment, to repeal the definition of "fee" applicable to section 20 of article X of the state constitution. These provisions of the act are contingent upon Senate Bill 24-230 being enacted and becoming law. The act modifies the county commissioner redistricting process to specify that staff working with the redistricting commission or the advisory committee assigned to assist the redistricting commission regarding the mapping of county commissioner districts may make a completed proposed redistricting plan that staff has prepared as a result of a request made in a public hearing available to the public on the commission's website. In addition, the act specifies that such staff may communicate with a member of the commission or advisory committee to clarify directions that were given to staff during a public meeting regarding the creation of a proposed plan, so long as staff makes a record of the communication available on the commission's website. The act makes the following appropriations for the 2024-25 state fiscal year: $10,444 to the department of revenue from the Colorado DRIVES vehicle services account in the highway users tax fund to implement the act; $1,888 to the office of the governor from reappropriated funds for use by the office of information technology to provide services to the department of revenue to implement the act; and $3,654 to the department of state from the department of state cash fund for use by the elections division to implement the act. APPROVED by Governor June 6, 2024 PORTIONS EFFECTIVE June 6, 2024 PORTIONS EFFECTIVE January 1, 2025 PORTIONS EFFECTIVE March 1, 2026(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-17 · Senate

Law Enforcement Misconduct

The bill requires a law enforcement agency (agency) that receives an allegation of misconduct, criminal conduct, or other unprofessional conduct regarding a peace officer employed by the agency to investigate the allegation. If a peace officer receives an allegation of misconduct, criminal conduct, or other unprofessional conduct (misconduct) or is reasonably aware of the misconduct of another peace officer, the peace officer shall report the allegation to the subject of the allegation's employing agency. A peace officer who fails to make the report commits a class 2 misdemeanor. A person who makes an allegation has a private right of action if the allegation is not investigated. The bill clarifies that patterns and practices investigations may also be related to deprivation of rights by a peace officer against another peace officer. Current law requires agencies to report certain information regarding officers' misconduct to a database maintained by the P.O.S.T. board. The attorney general may audit the reports made to the database to verify reporting compliance. The bill requires the attorney general to accept reports of non-reporting to the database and requires those reports to be investigated within available resources. Current law requires unedited video and audio recordings of incidents of alleged misconduct to be released the public upon request. The bill states that a law enforcement agency shall not charge a fee to the requestor related to releasing the recording. Current law provides a peace officer with whistle-blower protection. The bill allows a peace officer who is subject to whistle-blower discipline a private right of action against the officer's employing agency. The bill requires each agency to retain all reports regarding allegations of misconduct and all investigation files, notes, and reports related to those reports. The bill also requires the investigating agency to provide a copy of the investigation file to the subject of the investigation after the investigation is completed. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Last action: 2024-04-17 · House

Modify Constitutional Election Deadlines

This Colorado bill proposes changing several key deadlines in the state's election process. It would add an extra week for submitting initiative and referendum petitions, extend the time for publishing measure texts by voters, and adjust the period judges have to declare their intent to run for re-election. If approved by voters in 2024, these changes aim to provide more flexibility and preparation time for various stakeholders involved in elections. The bill has been signed into law but is still awaiting voter approval in the next general election.

Last action: 2024-04-17 · Senate

Pharmacy Practice Act

The act authorizes a pharmacy technician or a pharmacy intern, under the supervision of a pharmacist, to replenish medication in a cassette device used for the automatic packaging of medication. The act also allows: A prescription drug that has been dispensed by a cassette device to be returned to the cassette device for redispensing as long as certain safety requirements are met; and A prescription drug that is dispensed but not delivered to a patient to be returned to stock and redispensed as long as it is stored in the container in which it was dispensed and maintains a label that accurately identifies its contents with respect to the original prescription label. APPROVED by Governor June 6, 2024 EFFECTIVE July 1, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-16 · Senate

Colorado Department of Labor and Employment Regulate Electricity for Electric Vehicles

The bill creates the electric vehicle enterprise (enterprise) in the department of labor and employment (department). The business purpose of the enterprise is to synchronize electric vehicle charging protocols to create consistency and transparency for electric vehicle charging consumers. The enterprise constitutes an enterprise for purposes of section 20 of article X of the state constitution so long as it retains the authority to issue revenue bonds and receives less than 10% of its total annual revenue in grants from all Colorado state and local governments combined. So long as it constitutes an enterprise, the enterprise is not subject to section 20 of article X of the state constitution. The bill establishes a board of directors for the enterprise, including the board's membership, powers, and duties. The bill authorizes the enterprise to impose and collect a fee beginning July 1, 2025, to be paid by each electric vehicle charging station retailer based on the total number of retail electric vehicle charging stations operated by the retailer and the total number of power supply devices used at such stations. The bill creates the electric vehicle enterprise special revenue fund (fund) and continuously appropriates money in the fund to the enterprise to accomplish its duties. The bill requires the state treasurer, on July 1, 2024, to transfer $264,000 from the general fund to the fund and, on July 1, 2025, to transfer $160,000 from the general fund to the fund for the purpose of defraying expenses incurred by the enterprise before it receives fee revenue or revenue bond proceeds. The money is transferred as a loan to the enterprise, to be paid in full not later than December 31, 2028, with interest. The bill requires the enterprise, in consultation with the Colorado energy office and the division of oil and public safety within the department, to promulgate rules establishing minimum standards related to specifications and tolerances for retail electric vehicle charging equipment and methods of retail sale at publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations to promote equity in the marketplace. The department must begin enforcing the rules on July 1, 2025, for all electric vehicle charging stations installed before, on, or after July 1, 2025. For the purposes of existing laws concerning fuel products, the bill amends the definitions of the terms "fuel products" and "motor fuel" to include electricity when used to fuel electric vehicles. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Last action: 2024-04-16 · Senate

Access to Distributed Generation

Senate Bill 24-207, which has been approved and is now law in Colorado, requires large investor-owned electric utilities to provide community solar options for their customers starting January 1, 2026. Utilities with more than 500,000 customers must make at least 50 megawatts of inclusive community solar capacity available, while smaller utilities must offer at least 3.5 megawatts. The bill also mandates that these utilities buy the full output from new community solar facilities and reserve a majority of their capacity for low-income residents. Additionally, it sets rules to protect subscribers by limiting fees and ensuring fair access. This law aims to make renewable energy more accessible and affordable for Colorado residents, particularly those with lower incomes.

Last action: 2024-04-16 · Senate

Birth Equity

Current law prohibits the use of restraints on a pregnant individual in custody with certain exceptions. The act requires the staff of a jail, the department of corrections, or a private contract prison to comply with current law regarding the use of restraints on individuals who are in custody and experiencing labor, delivery, or postpartum recovery. The act also requires a correctional facility or private contract prison to develop administrative policies, including a system for human milk storage, to ensure a newborn can receive the milk that the newborn's postpartum parent has pumped for the newborn's nourishment. The act requires each health-care facility that provides labor and delivery services to establish a policy creating a process for the facility to receive individuals who are pregnant, undergoing physiologic birth, or in the physiologic postpartum process from locations other than licensed facilities. APPROVED by Governor June 5, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 5, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-15 · House

Airport Accessibility Requirements

The act imposes the following duties on each large hub airport (airport), as defined by federal law, in Colorado for accessibility-related functions at the airports: To establish an advisory committee for the cross-disabled community; To consult with the disabled community and confer with the advisory committee during the construction of walkways and other facilities at the airport; To incorporate wayfinding technology to assist individuals who are blind or visually impaired to navigate the airport; To create, maintain, and update an electronic dashboard to report and track basic access shortcomings and violations throughout the travel process; To develop and provide ongoing, comprehensive training programs for airport staff on disability cultural competency, including the presence of, use of, and best practices related to mobility devices, medical equipment, adaptive sports equipment, wayfinding, and access to the airport's accessibility features and amenities; To install and maintain restrooms for individuals with disabilities that include companion care changing tables, including at least one accessible public restroom in every terminal; and To use elevators to transport power wheelchairs from the tarmac to the jetway and give priority usage of an elevator to power wheelchairs and other mobility devices. Each airport shall monitor the completion and ongoing upkeep of compliance with the duties and functions according to the timelines established in the act. APPROVED by Governor June 5, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 5, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-15 · House

Increase Syphilis Testing During Pregnancy

Effective January 1, 2025, the act repeals the existing statutory requirement to test a person who is pregnant for syphilis at the person's first professional visit with a health-care provider or during the first trimester of pregnancy. The act requires each health-care provider to take a blood sample from each pregnant person under their care and submit the sample to a laboratory for HIV testing and, if a pregnant person declines to be tested, to document in the person's medical record the refusal to be tested. The act requires the state board of health (board), on or before January 1, 2025, to promulgate rules concerning prenatal testing standards for syphilis, including the frequency of testing. At least once every 3 years, the department of public health and environment (department) is required to review the board's rules for alignment with national prenatal testing recommendations for sexually transmitted infections and the department's infection control duties. For statistical purposes, the department is required to make de-identified case rate data for syphilis available to county and district public health agencies, which data must remain confidential. APPROVED by Governor June 5, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 5, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-15 · House

Capitol Complex Renovation Fund

The act extends the deposit of the annual amount of depreciation of a capital asset acquired, repaired, replaced, improved, renovated, or constructed with money appropriated to a cash fund into the capitol complex renovation fund (fund) through July 1, 2029. Through July 1, 2031, the act allows money from the fund to be allocated to projects to make improvements to buildings in the capitol complex that address accessibility under the federal "Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990" and state disability discrimination statutes and other improvements, including to the first floor, basement, and cafeteria of the capitol building. APPROVED by Governor June 6, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-15 · Senate

Effective Date 23rd Judicial District

The act changes the effective date of the creation of the new twenty-third judicial district from January 7, 2025, to January 14, 2025, to coincide with the date that the district attorney of that district will be sworn in. To facilitate the creation of the new judicial district, the act authorizes the operations and employees of the eighteenth judicial district to be divided into 2 distinct units. APPROVED by Governor May 24, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 24, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-15 · House

Asbestos & Lead Paint Abatement Grant Program

The act creates the rural housing and development asbestos and lead paint abatement pilot grant program (pilot grant program) in the department of public health and environment (department) to award grants, beginning July 1, 2025, to local governments in rural areas to offset costs associated with the abatement of asbestos and lead paint in housing, commercial buildings, and other development projects. To be eligible for a grant, a local government must submit an application to the department. The application must: For renovation or demolition sites, include an inspection report consistent with rules detailing asbestos-containing materials in excess of trigger levels; For renovation of lead-based paint abatement sites, include a description of eligibility that shows that the facility meets the statutory definition; For both asbestos and lead-based paint abatement, renovation, or demolition, include documentation demonstrating that the applicant has acquired any necessary permits and regulatory approval from the air pollution control division; and Include an assessment of needs of the local government's rural communities. The act creates the rural housing and development asbestos and lead paint abatement fund (fund) in the state treasury. The fund consists of money generated from penalties and fines collected in association with violations of laws concerning hazardous materials in an amount up to $200,000 for the 2025-26 state fiscal year and up to $200,000 for the 2026-27 state fiscal year. The department may expend money in the fund to award grants. The pilot grant program and the fund are repealed, effective July 1, 2027. APPROVED by Governor June 3, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-15 · House

Create Division of Animal Welfare in Department of Agriculture

The act creates the division of animal welfare (division) within the department of agriculture. The division is created to promote domestic animal welfare, including providing education and outreach, creating voluntary programs, and awarding grants. APPROVED by Governor May 30, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-15 · House

Relocate Title 24 CLIMBER Act

The act relocates the "Colorado Loans for Increasing Main Street Business Economic Recovery Act" and renames it the "Colorado Loans for Increasing Main Street Business Economic Resiliency Act" (CLIMBER Act). The administration of the CLIMBER Act small business recovery and resiliency loan program (loan program) is moved and the powers, duties, and functions associated with the administration of the CLIMBER Act are transferred from the department of the treasury to the office of economic development (office). Along with this relocation, the act makes the following changes to the CLIMBER Act: Removes the requirement for the loan program that at least 90% of the money in any prior tranche be invested in small business loans before the office can provide another tranche to a loan program or to the Colorado credit reserve; Allows the office to accept and expend gifts, grants, donations, and federal funds to support the CLIMBER Act and credits this money to the existing small business recovery and resiliency fund; and Removes the future repeal of the CLIMBER Act. APPROVED by Governor June 3, 2024 EFFECTIVE September 1, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-15 · House

Include Hair Length in CROWN Act

In 2020, the general assembly enacted the "CROWN Act of 2020", which specified that, for purposes of anti-discrimination laws in the context of public education, employment and housing practices, public accommodations, and advertising, discrimination on the basis of one's race includes discrimination on the basis of traits commonly or historically associated with race, such as hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles. The act adds hair length that is commonly or historically associated with race to the list of traits associated with one's race. APPROVED by Governor June 3, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 3, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Last action: 2024-04-15 · House

Grace Period Noncompliance Digital Accessibility

House Bill 24-1454 extends the deadline for state agencies and public entities in Colorado to meet digital accessibility standards from July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2025. During this grace period, these agencies will be immune from liability if they show good faith efforts towards compliance or resolving complaints about noncompliance. To qualify for this immunity, the agencies must publish quarterly progress reports and establish a process for addressing issues related to inaccessible digital products. The bill has been signed into law and is now effective as of May 24, 2024.

Last action: 2024-04-15 · House