Colorado 2025 Bills

Wildfire Mitigation Wildland-urban Interface Areas

Forest restoration and wildfire risk mitigation grant program cash fund - appropriations. The act permits the forest restoration and wildfire risk mitigation grant program cash fund (fund) to accept as a component of the fund money appropriated or transferred to the fund by the general assembly. The act also expresses the intent of the general assembly that any additional amount of money appropriated for the 2019-20 state fiscal year to the fund be expended on grants that will support the maximum number of effective forest management fuels reduction projects to reduce the impacts to life, property, and critical infrastructure caused by wildfire. The act exempts appropriations made to the fund from existing statutory requirements relating to appropriations for financial assistance to students attending postsecondary education institutions. For the 2019-20 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $1 million from the general fund to be deposited into the fund for the use of the forest restoration and wildfire risk mitigation grant program. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-31 · House

Food Systems Advisory Council

Colorado food systems advisory council - relocation to Colorado state university - repeal of interagency farm-to-school coordination task force - duties - appropriation. The act relocates the Colorado food systems advisory council (council) from the department of agriculture to Colorado state university and repeals the interagency farm-to-school coordination task force. The act ends the terms of current members of the council and provides for the appointment of new members. As updated in the act, the council's duties are to: Grow local, regional, and statewide food economies within which producers have access to new markets and low-income populations have access to fresh, affordable, and healthy foods. The council will collaborate and coordinate with producers, relevant state and federal educational institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and consumers to connect state and federal agencies and to provide Colorado producers, including fruit and vegetable producers, with viable market opportunities. Support the implementation of the recommendations in the Colorado blueprint of food and agriculture project, ensure that the blueprint, or its successor project, is updated as needed, and ensure alignment with other state or local food plans if relevant; Conduct research regarding national best practices regarding food and nutrition assistance, direct and intermediated market development, institutional procurement, and farm-to-school programs as well as other priorities determined by the council; Collaborate with, serve as a resource to, and receive input from local and regional food policy councils in the state; and Explore methods of collecting and assessing statewide data relating to council activities and report the relevant information and data regarding council activities as required by current law. $100,317 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of higher education to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-31 · House

Modify Innovative Motor Vehicle Income Tax Credits

Income tax - credit - innovative motor vehicles. The act modifies the amounts of and extends the number of available years of the existing income tax credits for the purchase or lease of an electric motor vehicle, a plug-in hybrid electric motor vehicle, and an original equipment manufacturer electric truck and plug-in hybrid electric truck.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-31 · House

Colorado Youth Advisory Council Review Committee

Colorado youth advisory council - review committee - appropriation. The Colorado youth advisory council review committee (review committee) is created to review the work of the Colorado youth advisory council (council) and recommend legislation affecting Colorado youth. The review committee is comprised of the legislative members of the council, 5 nonlegislative council members who are appointed by the council, and one member of the legislative council. The 5 legislative members of the review committee serve as voting members. All other members are nonvoting members. The review committee may meet up to 3 times each interim and recommend up to 3 bills to the legislative council. For the 2019-20 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $28,790 from the general fund to the legislative department to use as follows: $18,455 for use by legislative council staff; $6,889 for use by the committee on legal services; and $3,446 for use by the general assembly.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · House

Community Solar Gardens Modernization Act

Electric utilities - solar energy - community solar gardens - allowable size and location - standards for construction and installation of components. The act amends the current statute authorizing the creation of community solar gardens (CSGs) by: Increasing the maximum size of a CSG from 2 megawatts to 5 megawatts, with the option for the public utilities commission (PUC) to authorize construction of a CSG up to 10 megawatts beginning July 1, 2023; Removing the requirement that a CSG subscriber's identified physical location be in the same county as, or a county adjacent to, that of the CSG, while retaining the requirement that it be within the service territory of the same investor-owned utility; and Requiring all photovoltaic electrical work on a CSG of greater than 2 megawatts to be supervised by a licensed master electrician, licensed journeyman electrician, or licensed residential wireman, and comply with all applicable electrical codes and standards. If an investor-owned utility owns all or part of a CSG, the utility is required to use either its own employees or a contractor whose employees have access to specified apprenticeship programs to operate and maintain the CSG. Beginning in 2020, all photovoltaic electrical work for installations of at least 300 kilowatts must be performed by a licensed master electrician, licensed journeyman electrician, licensed residential wireman, or properly supervised electrical apprentices and must comply with all applicable electrical codes and standards. The PUC shall determine the conditions under which a subscriber to a CSG may choose to retain or sell the renewable energy credits attributable to the subscriber's participation in the CSG. Section 4 of the act is contingent upon House Bill 19-1172 becoming law. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · House

Commissions On Judicial Performance

Commissions on judicial performance - senior judges - vacancies - surveys. Currently, senior judges are evaluated by the state commission on judicial performance (state commission). The act repeals this provision and makes conforming amendments. Under current law, for a vacancy on a state or district commission on judicial performance, if the appointing authority does not appoint a replacement within 45 days after the vacancy arises, the governor appoints a replacement member of the commission. The act changes this from the governor to the state commission. The act provides that surveys of justices and judges are to be distributed primarily through electronic means and directs the state commission to make efforts to locate electronic addresses for persons who use the courts. For rules of the state commission, the act clarifies that they may provide for a matrix or scorecard to evaluate a judge or justice and repeals the requirement that the rules contain a threshold for deciding whether a judge or justice meets a performance standard. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · Senate

Computer Science Grant Program

Computer science education grant program - appropriation. The act creates in the department of education the computer science education grant program (grant program) to provide money to public schools or school districts in order to increase enrollment or participation of traditionally underrepresented students in computer science education activities. The act requires the state board of education (board) to promulgate rules necessary for the implementation of the grant program. The act requires the board to give priority to grant applications that: Demonstrate how the applicant will use the grant to serve a high-poverty student population, a high percentage of minority students, students in rural areas, or a high percentage of female students; Expose students to diverse professionals within the computer science industry; or Demonstrate a low number of computer science education courses or clubs offered in the public school or school district, if any. The act appropriates $250,000 each year for the 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23 fiscal years, from the general fund to the department of education. The department shall distribute the money to the education providers that receive a grant. The act requires each grant recipient to submit a report to the board. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · House

Building Energy Codes

Building regulations - energy efficient building code standards required - reporting. The act requires local jurisdictions to adopt one of the 3 most recent versions of the international energy conservation code at a minimum, upon updating any other building code, and encourages local jurisdictions to update the Colorado energy office on any changes to the jurisdictions' building and energy codes.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · House

Unclaimed Property Trust Fund Transfer

Unclaimed property trust fund - transfer - general fund. On July 1, 2019, the act requires the state treasurer to transfer $30 million from the unclaimed property trust fund to the general fund. The amount transferred constitutes fiscal year spending subject to the state fiscal year spending limit.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · Senate

Living Organ Donor Insurance

Living organ donors - discrimination prohibited - duty to make information available to the public. The act: Prohibits a person who offers life insurance, disability income insurance, health insurance, or long-term care insurance from discriminating against a person based solely on the person's status as a living organ donor; Requires the division of insurance (division) to provide information to the public on a living organ donor's access to insurance; and Requires the division and the department of public health and environment to make materials related to live organ donation available to the public if the materials are from a recognized organ donation organization.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · House

Climate Action Plan To Reduce Pollution

Air pollution - statewide greenhouse gas pollution abatement - air quality control commission - rules - appropriation. Section 1 of the act states that Colorado shall have statewide goals to reduce 2025 greenhouse gas emissions by at least 26%, 2030 greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50%, and 2050 greenhouse gas emissions by at least 90% of the levels of statewide greenhouse gas emissions that existed in 2005. Section 3 specifies considerations that the air quality control commission is to take into account in implementing policies and promulgating rules to reduce greenhouse gas pollution, including the benefits of compliance and the equitable distribution of those benefits, the costs of compliance, opportunities to incentivize clean energy in transitioning communities, and the potential to enhance the resilience of Colorado's communities and natural resources to climate impacts. The commission will consult with the public utilities commission with regard to rules that affect the providers of retail electricity in Colorado. The commission shall not mandate an electric public utility to reduce its emissions by 2030 more than is required by a clean energy plan filed with the public utilities commission if the plan demonstrates an 80% reduction from 2005 statewide green gas emission levels by 2030. A clean energy plan voluntarily filed by a cooperative electric association that has exempted itself from the public utilities commission's jurisdiction or a municipally owned utility with the public utilities commission is deemed approved if the plan demonstrates an 80% reduction by 2030. $281,588 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of public health and environment to implement the act, of which $93,267 is reappropriated to the department of law. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · House

Create Statewide Health Care Review Committee

Statewide health care review committee - creation - membership - duties - appropriation. The act recreates the former health care task force, renamed as the statewide health care review committee, to study health care issues that affect Colorado residents. The committee consists of no more than 10 of the members from the house of representatives committees on health and insurance and public health care and human services and the senate committee on health and human services. The committee may hold 2 meetings during the interim between legislative sessions, each of which may be a field trip. $16,062 is appropriated from the general fund to the legislative department to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · Senate

Front Range Waste Diversion Enterprise Grant Program

Waste diversion - front range waste diversion enterprise created - increased waste diversion goals established - new tipping fee - grant program. Section 1 of the act creates the front range waste diversion enterprise. The enterprise will collect a user fee on each load of waste disposed of at a landfill in the front range and credit the fee to the new front range waste diversion cash fund to finance the front range waste diversion grant program. Section 2 sets the user fee at 15 cents per cubic yard per load from January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020. The fee increases 15 cents per year so that on and after January 1, 2023, the fee is 60 cents per cubic yard per load; except that this amount is adjusted annually by inflation after January 1, 2024. Section 3 adjusts the fine amount for littering on public or private property annually, commencing on January 1, 2020, by inflation and credits the increased amount of the fine to the fund. The front range is defined as the counties of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Douglas, Elbert, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, Pueblo, Teller, and Weld and the cities and counties of Broomfield and Denver. The following entities that are located or provide services in the front range are eligible to apply for grants: Municipalities, counties, and cities and counties; nonprofit and for-profit businesses involved in waste disposal or diversion; and institutions of higher education and public or private schools. The enterprise shall administer the grant program and provide technical assistance to eligible entities to achieve the following municipal waste diversion goals within the front range: 32% diversion by 2021; 39% diversion by 2026; and 51% diversion by 2036. The board of directors of the enterprise shall submit a report by July 1 of each year to the committees of reference of the general assembly with jurisdiction over the environment regarding the grant program. The enterprise, increased user fee, and increased amount of the littering fine are repealed, effective September 1, 2029. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · Senate

High-cost Special Education Trust Fund Grants

High-cost special education trust fund - trust fund grants. The act creates the high-cost special education trust fund (trust fund) to be used for high-cost special education trust fund grants (trust fund grants) to public school special education administrative units that have made significant expenditures in providing special education services to a child with a disability. The trust fund consists of $2.5 million transferred from the marijuana tax cash fund to the trust fund on July 1, 2019. The general assembly is encouraged to prioritize the transfer or appropriation of money to the trust fund in future fiscal years. The department of education may expend interest and income from the trust fund for trust fund grants awarded by the Colorado special education fiscal advisory committee (committee). The act specifies the eligibility criteria for a trust fund grant and criteria that the committee shall consider in determining the trust fund grant recipients and the amount of the trust fund grants. The act requires an annual report to the education committees of the general assembly concerning trust fund grants awarded during the fiscal year, and repeals the trust fund on July 1, 2027. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · Senate

Eviction Legal Defense Fund

Forcible entry and detainer - legal aid services - eviction legal defense fund - appropriation. The act creates the eviction legal defense fund (fund). The state court administrator awards grants from the fund to qualifying nonprofit organizations (organizations) that provide legal advice, counseling, and representation for, and on behalf of, indigent clients who are experiencing an eviction or are at immediate risk of an eviction. The act lists permissible uses of grant money awarded from the fund. Organizations that receive a grant from the fund are required to report to the state court administrator certain information about persons served and services provided by the organization. The state court administrator is required to evaluate the use of grants from the fund every 5 years and submit that evaluation to the general assembly. For the 2019-20 state fiscal year, $750,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the eviction legal defense fund created through the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · Senate

Study Agricultural Applications For Blockchain

Blockchain technology - study of potential agricultural applications - creation of advisory group - report to general assembly. The act directs the commissioner of agriculture to convene an advisory group to study the potential applications for blockchain technology in agricultural operations and to report to the general assembly by January 15, 2020, with its findings and recommendations for legislation, if any, contingent on the commissioner's receipt of sufficient money through gifts, grants, and donations to fund the study and report. The advisory group is subject to repeal on July 1, 2020.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · House

Sunset Podiatry Board

Sunset Process - Senate Health and Human Services Committee. The bill implements the recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies' sunset review and report on the regulatory functions of the Colorado podiatry board (board) as follows: Continues the regulation of podiatrists for 7 years, until September 1, 2026 ( sections 1 and 2 of the bill); Requires a podiatrist to notify the board of a physical illness, physical condition, or behavioral or mental health disorder that affects the podiatrist's ability to practice and allows the podiatrist and the board to enter into a confidential agreement to limit the podiatrist's practice based on the illness, condition, or disorder ( sections 4 and 6 ); Specifies that the passage of an examination approved by the board is required for initial licensure as a podiatrist ( section 3 ); and Eliminates the requirement that the board send letters of admonition by certified mail ( section 5 ). The bill also: Allows the board to permit a podiatrist to perform bone marrow aspirations from the tibia distal to the tibial tubercle if the podiatrist meets the specified criteria ( section 7 ); and Makes conforming amendments necessary to harmonize the bill with the title 12 recodification bill, House Bill 19-1172 ( sections 8 through 14 ).(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · Senate

Collect Long-term Climate Change Data

Air pollution - greenhouse gas emission reporting - air quality control commission - rules - appropriation. The act requires the air quality control commission in the department of public health and environment (department) to collect greenhouse gas emissions data from greenhouse gas-emitting entities and report on the data, including a forecast of future emissions. The commission will adopt rules by June 1, 2020, to require the reporting, and propose draft rules by July 1, 2020, to cost-effectively allow the state to meet its greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. The act also requires the division of administration in the department to update a statewide inventory of greenhouse gas emissions by sector and to post the findings of the inventory on the division's website through 2030. The act appropriates $265,589 to the department from the general fund to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · Senate

Modify Income Tax Credit Health Care Preceptors

Income tax credit - health care preceptors working in health care professional shortage areas - definition of "preceptorship" - continuation under the sunset law. The act makes the following modifications to the existing income tax credit for health care preceptors working in health care professional shortage areas: Clarifies the definition of "preceptorship" to specify that the period of time for which the period of personalized instruction, training, and supervision must be provided to be eligible to claim the tax credit is not less than 4 working weeks or 20 business days per calendar year; and Extends the existing sunset date under which the tax credit would expire to tax years commencing prior to January 1, 2023.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · House

New Appliance Energy And Water Efficiency Standards

Appliances and plumbing fixtures - water and energy efficiency standards for new products sold in Colorado - phase-in of requirements - list of products covered - rule-making authority - enforcement. The act updates and adopts standards for water efficiency and energy efficiency that apply to a list of consumer and commercial appliances and other products. The standards are based on state standards, federal Energy Star and WaterSense specifications, and industry standards in most cases or, where a standard is not incorporated by reference, the standard is specified by statute. The standards apply to new products sold in Colorado and are phased in over a period of 3 years, with general service lamps covered beginning in 2020, air compressors and portable air conditioners covered beginning in 2022, and all other listed products covered beginning in 2021. The act also keeps in place the water efficiency standards on certain products that were added to the Colorado statutes in 2014. The sale of a noncomplying product after the effective date of the applicable standard is punishable through a civil enforcement action by the attorney general, with penalties of up to $2,000 per violation or, in the case of the sale of a noncomplying product to an elderly person, $10,000 per violation. The executive director of the department of public health and environment is directed to collect and publish the standards that are incorporated by reference. The executive director is also authorized, but not required, to adopt rules incorporating more recent versions of standards or test methods in order to maintain or improve consistency with other state or federal agency standards, subject to a one-year grace period between adoption and enforcement of any new or amended standards. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · House

Sunset Public Utilities Commission

Public utilities commission - continuation under sunset law - distribution system planning - workforce transition planning - clean energy plan - wholesale electric cooperative electric resource plan - vehicle booting regulation - energy impact bonds - rules - appropriation. The act implements the recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies' 2018 sunset review and report on the public utilities commission (commission) by: Authorizing the commission to promulgate rules to delegate routine, administrative transportation matters to staff and clarifying that the commission provides initial review of each case submitted for adjudication and determines whether it wishes to retain the case or to assign it to an administrative law judge or to an individual commissioner; Providing for alternate forms of communication that a public utility may utilize to notify its customers of rate changes, including text message and e-mail, and requiring the public utility to post notice of the rate change on its public website, including a reference to the docket numbers of relevant rules or adjudicatory matters; Transferring the administration of the legal services offset fund from the department of law to the department of regulatory agencies; Making technical changes regarding criminal history record checks and telecommunications; Repealing a requirement that an electric utility, as part of the electric utility's plan for acquisition of renewable resources, purchase a certain amount of energy from community solar gardens in 2011 through 2013, but delaying the repeal until 2043 to keep the legislation in place until contracts entered into pursuant to the requirement have likely all expired; Repealing the requirement that the commission, in considering electric utilities' proposals for generation acquisition, give consideration to proposals to propose, fund, and construct integrated gasification combined cycle generation facilities; and Clarifying that the commission may impose a civil penalty for a violation of railroad crossing safety regulations. The act also: Directs the commission to promulgate rules to require an investor-owned utility to file with the commission, for the commission's approval, a distribution system plan regarding the utility's anticipated distribution system investments; Requires an investor-owned utility, when submitting a filing to the commission that includes a proposed retirement of an electric generating facility, to include in the filing a workforce transition plan that provides estimates of workforce transitions that will occur as a result of retiring the electric generating facility; Directs the commission to conduct an investigation of financial performance-based incentives and performance-based metric tracking to identify mechanisms for aligning utility operations and investments with various public benefit goals, including safety, cost efficiency, and emissions reduction. The commission must report the findings of its investigation to the general assembly 18 months after the act's passage; Requires the commission to open a nonadjudicatory proceeding to conduct a survey of public utility retail rates and to consider recommendations for providing rate relief in geographic areas with retail rates that are materially greater than the state average; Directs the commission to require a wholesale electric cooperative to submit to the commission an application for approval of an integrated or electric resource plan; Declares the rights of retail electric utility customers to generate, consume, store, and export electricity from eligible energy resources through distributed generation; Requires a qualifying retail utility to submit a plan, and allows any other electric utility to voluntarily submit a plan, to the commission as part of its ongoing resource acquisition planning process to seek approval from the commission on how the qualifying retail utility plans to address clean energy targets established in the act. A utility implementing a clean energy plan may recover its cost of implementation through electricity rates, as approved by the commission. Directs the commission to evaluate the cost of carbon dioxide emissions in certain proceedings related to a public utility subject to the commission's jurisdiction and to promulgate rules to require those public utilities, when submitting filings, to include the cost of carbon dioxide emissions related to the evaluation of electric generation resources. Starting in 2020, the commission is required to establish a base cost of carbon dioxide emissions in an amount not less than $46 and shall modify the cost thereafter based on escalation rates established by a federal interagency working group. Authorizes the commission to regulate vehicle booting companies, which are private entities in the business of immobilizing motor vehicles through use of a boot, through issuance of permits and enforcement mechanisms including inspections, imposition of a civil penalty, and revocation of a permit; and Adopts the "Colorado Energy Impact Bond Act", under which electric utilities may finance the retirement of fossil-fuel-powered generation facilities and the transition to renewable energy sources by issuing low-cost corporate securities. The securities are subject to commission approval and required to have a rating of at least AA or Aa2, must have a scheduled maturity date of 32 years or less, and are repayable through electricity rates as part of the costs of implementing a clean energy plan. The act continues the functions of the commission for 7 years, until 2026. $907,566 is appropriated for state fiscal year 2019-20 to the department of regulatory agencies for use by the commission for personal services, operating expenses, and the purchase of legal services. The money is appropriated from the public utilities commission fixed utilities fund. Additionally, $163,820 is appropriated to the department of public health and environment from the general fund. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · Senate

Office Of Public Guardianship Operation Conditions

Public guardianship - commission - office of public guardianship - appropriation. The act removes the condition that the public guardianship commission (commission) and director for the office of public guardianship (office) wait to carry out certain duties until the public guardianship cash fund has received $1,700,000 in gifts, grants, and donations. The act requires the office, upon receiving sufficient funding, to begin operations in the second judicial district prior to operating in any other judicial district. The office's reporting deadlines are extended from 2021 to 2023. The office is required to implement its discontinuation plan if there is no legislation to continue or expand the office prior to adjournment sine die of the 2023 legislative session. The act increases specified court fees and requires the state treasurer to deposit the balance of the increased fees in the office of public guardianship cash fund. For the 2019-20 state fiscal year, $835,386 is appropriated to the judicial department for use by the office of public guardianship. Of this amount, $427,000 is from the general fund and $408,386 is from the office of public guardianship cash fund. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · House

Sunset In-home Support Services Program

Medicaid - home- and community-based services - extend in-home support services waiver program. The act implements the recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies' sunset review by extending the repeal date of in-home support services for certain home- and community-based services (HCBS) waivers under the Colorado medical assistance program by 9 years, from 2019 to 2028. Prior to the repeal, the department of regulatory agencies shall conduct a sunset review of the program. The act amends the eligibility definition for in-home support services, removing the reference to specific HCBS waivers and including those waivers for which there is state and federal authority for in-home support services. The act also removes language relating to an obsolete reporting requirement. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · Senate

Protect From Unlawful Abandonment And Confinement

At-risk persons - unlawful abandonment - false imprisonment - appropriation. The act makes it a crime to unlawfully abandon an at-risk person. The intentional and unreasonable desertion of an at-risk person in a manner that endangers the safety of that person constitutes unlawful abandonment. Unlawful abandonment is a class 1 misdemeanor. The act creates the crime of false imprisonment of an at-risk person if: The person knowingly confines or detains an at-risk person in a locked or barricaded room or other space; and Such confinement or detention was part of a continued pattern of cruel punishment or unreasonable isolation or confinement of the at-risk person; or The person knowingly and unreasonably confines or detains an at-risk person by tying, caging, chaining, or otherwise using similar physical restraints to restrict the at-risk person's freedom of movement; or The person knowingly and unreasonably confines or detains an at-risk person by means of force, threats, or intimidation designed to restrict the at-risk person's freedom of movement. False imprisonment of an at-risk person is a class 6 felony pursuant to the first 2 ways to commit the crime and a class 1 misdemeanor pursuant to the third. To comply with the statutorily-required prison costs of the act, the act appropriates: For the 2019-20 state fiscal year, $110,652 from the capital construction fund to the corrections expansion reserve fund; For the 2020-21 state fiscal year,$26,220 to the department of corrections from the general fund; and For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, $1,902 to the department of corrections from the general fund.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · Senate

FAMLI Family Medical Leave Insurance Program

Paid family and medical leave - study - task force created - appropriation. The act creates a study of the implementation of a paid family and medical leave program in the state by: Requiring the department of labor and employment to contract with experts in the field of paid family and medical leave to report on the establishment of a paid family and medical leave program for employees in the state; Requiring the department to request information from third parties that may be willing to administer all or part of a paid family and medical leave program; Creating the family and medical leave implementation task force, which is responsible for recommending a plan to implement a paid family and medical leave program for the state; and Requiring an actuarial study of the final plan recommended by the task force. To implement the act, $165,487 is appropriated to the department of labor and employment and $17,004 is appropriated to the department of public health and environment. Both appropriations are from the general fund. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · Senate

Campaign Contributions Dependent Care Expenses

Use of campaign contributions received for reasonable and necessary expenses - care of children or other dependents. The act permits a candidate committee established in the name of a candidate to expend contributions received and accepted during any particular election cycle to reimburse the candidate for reasonable and necessary expenses for the care of children or other dependents the candidate incurs directly in connection with his or her campaign activities during the election cycle. The candidate committee is required to disclose these expenditures in the same manner as any other expenditures the committee is required to disclose.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · Senate

Housing Authority Property In Colorado New Energy Improvement District

Colorado new energy improvement district - inclusion of housing authority property. The Colorado new energy improvement district (NEID) administers a commercial property assessed clean energy program through which an owner of eligible real property, which includes residential properties having at least 5 dwelling units (eligible property), may finance energy improvements to the eligible property by joining the NEID and agreeing to pay a NEID special assessment against the eligible property. A city, county, or multijurisdictional housing authority (housing authority) and its property, whether owned or leased, are generally exempt from the payment of special assessments to the state or any political subdivision of the state. The act clarifies that this exemption does not preclude a housing authority, an entity in which a housing authority has an ownership interest, or a lessor who leases real property to or from a housing authority from voluntarily applying to include eligible real property that it owns into the boundaries of the NEID and accepting the levying of a NEID special assessment against the eligible property.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · House

Military Vehicle Motor Vehicle Regulation

Surplus military vehicles - certificates of title - on-road and off-road use - appropriation. The act defines surplus military vehicles as off-highway vehicles for the purposes of titling these vehicles and of using these vehicles on and off road. These changes in the definition are as follows: A surplus military vehicle may be titled as an off-highway vehicle; A surplus military vehicle is not registered as a motor vehicle; and A surplus military vehicle is treated as an off-highway vehicle for the purposes of on-road use and off-road use. These changes do not apply to military vehicles that are valued for historical purposes. To implement the act, $45,000 is appropriated to the department of revenue from the Colorado DRIVES vehicle service account. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-30 · Senate

Institute Of Cannabis Research Role And Mission

CSU-Pueblo - Institute of Cannabis Research - governing board - host institution relocation. The act creates the institute of cannabis research (institute) at Colorado state university - Pueblo. The role and mission of the institute is to conduct or fund research related to cannabis and publicly disseminate the results of the research. The act creates the institute of cannabis research governing board (governing board) to oversee the institute and approve its annual budget. The governing board shall advise any Colorado institution of higher education that is developing cannabis-related curriculum and provides input to the Colorado commission on higher education before it approves any cannabis-related degrees or certification. The governing board consists of: The chancellor of the Colorado state university system or his or her designee; The executive director of the Colorado commission on higher education or his or her designee; The president of the University of Colorado or his or her designee; The executive director of the department of public health and environment or his or her designee; The following seven members appointed by the governor, with the consent of the senate: Three scientists from relevant fields who have been employed at appropriate research-oriented institutions or entities who support the mission of the institute; and Four members associated with cannabis-related industries within Colorado. The institute has a director that is an employee of the host institution. The director manages the institute's budget and employees, oversees the research-funding process, delivers an annual symposium, and produces an annual report. The act creates a process to relocate the institute if Colorado state university - Pueblo wants to stop hosting the institute or if the governing board believes that the institute should be relocated. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-29 · House

Urban Drainage Flood Control District Board Directors

Urban drainage and flood control district - board of directors. The urban drainage and flood control district is a special district created in statute to design and construct flood control and warning measures within portions of the metropolitan Denver area. The district is governed by a board of directors (board). The act repeals a requirement that the board consist of 16 directors and a requirement that the board meet on the first business day of February each year. The act relocates a requirement that each director take an oath of office to a different statutory section. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-29 · House

Industrial Hemp Products Regulation

Industrial hemp - regulation of industrial hemp products - increased wholesale food manufacturer fee - stakeholder process - local regulation. Section 1 of the act sets the annual registration fee that a wholesale food manufacturer that produces an industrial hemp product is required to pay to the department of public health and environment at $300, regardless of the manufacturer's gross annual sales. Section 1 also authorizes the department to convene a stakeholder work group to study the regulation of industrial hemp products. Sections 2 and 3 authorize local governments to charge a local licensing fee and adopt ordinances or resolutions regulating businesses engaged in the storage, extraction, processing, or manufacturing of industrial hemp or industrial hemp products if the ordinances or resolutions do not conflict with state law. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-29 · Senate

Sunset State Electrical Board

State electrical board - continuation under sunset law - contemporaneous reviews. The act implements the recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies' (department's) sunset review and report on the state electrical board by: Continuing the functions of the board for 13 years, until 2032 (sections 1 and 2 of the act); Repealing the limitations on the permit fees that local jurisdictions may charge (section 7); Clarifying that cables and systems utilized for conveying power are not exempt from regulation when they are hard-wired into a building's electrical system but that power-limited circuits are exempt (section 7); Defining "direct supervision", with regard to the oversight of apprentices, and "supervision" of electrical work (sections 3, 6, and 9); Repealing the requirement that the board notify an applicant that he or she is qualified to take a licensure examination (section 5); Directing the governor to consider that at least one of the 4 members of the board who must be a master or journeyman electrician should be an electrician who works primarily in the residential sector (section 4); Clarifying that traffic signals are exempt from regulation (section 7); Repealing redundant language regarding an inspection exemption and obsolete language regarding providing copies of the electrical code and standards (section 7); and Subjecting to regulation the alteration of existing facilities that are otherwise exempt from regulation (section 7). Section 8 requires state electrical inspectors or inspectors employed by an incorporated town or city, county, city and county, or qualified state institution of higher education (entity) to develop standard procedures to advise inspectors on how to conduct a contemporaneous review to ensure compliance. Each entity must post its standard procedures on its public website and provide the director of the division of professions and occupations within the department with a link to the web page on which the standard procedures have been posted or, if the entity does not have a website, provide its current procedures to the director for posting on the department's website. The board can issue a cease-and-desist order to an entity that is conducting inspections that do not comply with statutory requirements. Sections 10 through 17 are contingent upon House Bill 19-1172 becoming law. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-29 · Senate

Educator Loan Forgiveness Program

Educator loan forgiveness program - appropriation. The act makes changes to the teacher loan forgiveness program, renaming it the educator loan forgiveness program (program) and revising the eligibility criteria for the program. The program: Repays up to $5,000 of qualified educational loans for up to 5 years for teachers and other educators employed in qualified positions under the program; and Targets teachers and other educators employed in hard-to-fill positions due to geography or content area. The department of education (department) is required to annually identify the content shortage areas that qualify for the program. Subject to available appropriations, the Colorado commission on higher education (commission) shall approve up to 100 new participants in the program each year, and the act specifies the criteria the commission shall use to prioritize applicants, if necessary. The program includes the educator loan forgiveness fund, and the commission shall adopt policies that ensure that loan repayment is made only on qualified loans for educators in qualified positions. The commission shall prepare an annual report for the general assembly that includes information concerning the content shortage areas identified by the department and information concerning the program participants. The act extends the repeal date of the program to 2033. For the 2019-20 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $623,969 to the department of higher education for use by the Colorado commission on higher education. Of that amount, $123,969 is for administrative expenses, requiring 1.4 FTE, and $500,000 is for student loan repayments. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-29 · Senate

Sunset Regulated Marijuana

Regulated marijuana - reorganization - sunset - appropriation. The act makes changes to the retail and medical marijuana codes and continues those codes until 2028 with a sunset review prior to 2028. The act defines the terms, "advertising", "branding", and "consumer education materials". The act requires industrial hemp that is used in medical marijuana-infused products or retail marijuana products to be tested prior to manufacturing the product. The act allows retail marijuana stores to sell industrial hemp consumables. The act creates limits on the amount of medical marijuana flower, medical marijuana concentrate, and medical marijuana products that a medical marijuana store can sell to an individual in one day. For flower, the limit is 2 ounces; for concentrate, the limit is 20 grams; and for products, the limit is 20,000 milligrams. The act allows a physician to provide an exemption to the limits. Under current law, there is an exception to the "Colorado Food and Drug Act" for medical marijuana but not one for retail marijuana. The act repeals the exception for medical marijuana. The act streamlines the statutes related to license renewal by: Eliminating statutory timelines for local licensing and allowing local ordinance to determine the application timelines; Allowing a licensee that has submitted a timely renewal application to operate until the application is acted upon; and Repealing statutes related to the order in which state and local licenses must be processed. Under current law, there are 2 separate licenses related to research: A research and development license and the research and development cultivation license. The act merges the 2 licenses into one. The act gives the state licensing authorities the ability to seek injunctive relief and investigatory subpoenas from district courts related to nonlicensed entities. Under current law, there is a broad grant of confidentiality to records and information related to licensees. The act provides similar protections to applicants, patients, and customers. The act also makes the following information that was confidential available to the public: Final agency actions, testing records on an aggregated and de-identified basis, applicant and licensee demographic information on an aggregated and de-identified basis, and enforcement forms and compliance checklists. In both the medical marijuana code and the retail marijuana code, there are unlawful acts sections that create criminal violations, but the provisions in the 2 codes are not the same. The act makes the unlawful acts consistent. The act makes it an unlawful act to engage in a regulated marijuana business without the proper license and to adulterate or alter samples of marijuana or marijuana products to circumvent testing requirements. Under current law, a person is prohibited from being licensed if the person discharged a sentence for a felony within 5 years of applying for licensure or discharged a drug felony conviction within 10 years of applying for licensure. The act changes the law so a person is prohibited from licensure if the person was convicted of a felony within 3 years of applying for licensure or is currently serving a sentence for a felony or a deferred judgment or sentence. The act creates the following new categories of ownership: Controlling beneficial owner, passive beneficial owner, and indirect financial interest holder. Under current law, a patient who has submitted an application to be on the registry but has not received a patient card must present a copy of the application and a certified mail return receipt when purchasing medical marijuana at a center. The act repeals the requirement for a certified mail return receipt and requires proof of application. The act directs the state licensing authorities to track information on license disqualifications based on criminal history. Under current law, all medical marijuana sold at a medical marijuana center must be labeled with a list of chemical additives. Under current law, a medical marijuana-infused products manufacturer may only use medical marijuana from 5 different sources to produce a medical marijuana product. The act repeals these requirements. The act requires the state licensing authority to adopt rules that prevent redundant testing of medical marijuana concentrate for residual solvent when all of the inputs of the concentrate have passed the residual solvent testing. The act creates 2 new retail marijuana license types: Accelerator cultivators and accelerator manufacturers. The accelerator licenses allow a cultivator and manufacturer to operate respectively on the premises of a licensed retail marijuana cultivation facility or retail marijuana products manufacturer. The accelerator licensee can receive technical, compliance, and capital assistance from the host-licensed retail marijuana business. A licensed business that hosts an accelerator licensee may be eligible for reduced licensing fees. Applications for the licenses may be filed beginning on July 1, 2020. The act clarifies that a marijuana business licensee may hold a gaming license. The act requires that each medical marijuana and retail marijuana store post a warning sign related to the use of marijuana while pregnant or breastfeeding. The act allows a medical marijuana or retail marijuana cultivation facility that has approval to change locations from the state licensing authority to operate one license at 2 different locations while transitioning from the old location to the new location. The act allows marijuana licensees to transfer electronic marijuana waste to a person for the purposes of recycling or reuse. The act allows retail marijuana stores, retail cultivation facilities, and retail marijuana products manufacturers to provide performance-based incentives to employees including sales-based, performance-based incentives to employees. The act prohibits the open and public consumption of marijuana and allows local jurisdictions to make exceptions to the prohibition if the locations are not accessible to the public or a substantial number of the public without restriction. The prohibition does not apply to a licensed business that permits consumption on its premises if the business is operating with the conditions of its license. The act states that marijuana business employees are not agricultural workers unless they are farm laborers. The act also states that, if it is determined that marijuana business are not covered by the national "Labor Relations Act", then employees of marijuana businesses are covered by the Colorado "Labor Peace Act". The act allows regulated marijuana businesses to recycle marijuana consumer waste. The state licensing authority must treat a metered-dose inhaler the same as a vaporized delivery device for purposes of regulation and testing. Under federal law, there may be negative immigration consequences for a person legally in the United States who works in the regulated marijuana industry. Prior to accepting an application for a license, registration, or permit, the state licensing authority shall inform the applicant that having a medical marijuana or retail marijuana license and working in the medical marijuana or retail marijuana industry may have adverse federal immigration consequences. The act allows a medical marijuana or retail marijuana cultivation facility to obtain medical marijuana seeds or immature plants from its own medical marijuana, commonly owned from the retail marijuana of an identical direct beneficial owner, or marijuana that is properly transferred from another medical marijuana business pursuant to the inventory tracking requirements imposed by rule. Regulated marijuana employees can be compensated by performance-based incentives, including sales-based, performance-based incentives. The act makes technical changes and repeals obsolete provisions. The act combines the laws for regulated medical marijuana and retail marijuana, which are currently separate articles in title 44, into one article in title 44. The act incorporates the provisions of HB 19-1090, publicly traded regulated marijuana businesses, and HB 19-1234, regulated marijuana delivery, into the new consolidated article. The act takes effect on January 1, 2020. For the 2019-20 state fiscal year, $396,604 is appropriated from the marijuana cash fund to the department of revenue. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-29 · Senate

Voting Rights For Voters With Disabilities

Notice and preparation for elections - accessibility for voters with disabilities - independent and private marking of ballot - electronic voting device - appropriation. The secretary of state is required to establish procedures to enable a voter with a disability to independently and privately mark a ballot or use an electronic voting device that produces a paper record using nonvisual access, low vision access, or other assistive technology in order for the voter to vote in a mail ballot election. The secretary of state is required to include in the procedures a method by which a voter with a disability may request such a ballot. A voter with a disability who requests that a ballot and balloting materials be sent by electronic transmission may choose electronic mail delivery or, if offered by the voter's jurisdiction, other electronic means. The designated election official in each jurisdiction charged with distributing a ballot and balloting materials is required to transmit the ballot and balloting materials to the voter using the means of transmission chosen by the voter. A voter with a disability who receives a ballot via electronic means must print the ballot and such ballot must be received by the election official in the applicable jurisdiction before the close of polls on the day of the election. For the 2019-20 state fiscal year, $50,000 is appropriated from the department of state cash fund to the department of state for use by the information technology division. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-29 · Senate

Regulated Marijuana Delivery

Regulated marijuana - delivery - rule-making authority - surcharge - limitations - local authorization - appropriation. The act creates marijuana delivery permits for licensed medical marijuana centers and transporters and licensed retail marijuana stores and transporters that allow the centers, stores, and transporters to deliver medical marijuana, medical marijuana-infused products, retail marijuana, and retail marijuana products to customers. The act gives the state licensing authority rule-making authority over the permit and delivery system. The act specifies that a permit is valid for one year and may be renewed with the associated license. A one-dollar surcharge is assessed on each delivery, and that money is remitted to the municipality where the center or store is located, or to the county if the center or store is in an unincorporated area, for local law enforcement costs related to marijuana enforcement. Deliveries are limited to one per day, limited to private residences, and may not be made to college campuses. The act provides protection against criminal prosecution for those making the deliveries. Delivery is only allowed in a jurisdiction if that jurisdiction has voted to allow delivery either by referendum or by the governing board of the jurisdiction. Medical marijuana delivery permitting for medical marijuana centers begins on January 2, 2020, and medical marijuana delivery permitting for medical marijuana transporters, and all retail marijuana delivery permitting, begins on January 2, 2021. The act requires responsible vendor training programs to include marijuana delivery training. For the 2019-20 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $390,152 from the marijuana cash fund to the department of revenue. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-29 · House

Automatic Voter Registration

Voter registration - transfer of records from department of revenue - transfer of records from department of health care policy and financing - voter registration agency reports - verification of signatures - appropriation. Beginning July 1, 2020, the department of revenue is required to transfer to the secretary of state (secretary) the electronic record of each unregistered elector or person eligible to preregister who applies for the issuance, renewal, or correction of a Colorado driver's license or identification card and who provides documentation of citizenship. The elector's county clerk reviews the record for completeness and sends the elector a notice advising that the elector has been registered to vote. The elector can return the notice to either decline to be registered or affiliate with a party. If the elector does not decline to be registered within 20 days after the notice is mailed and the form is not returned as undeliverable, the elector is registered to vote. The department of health care policy and financing is also required to begin transferring to the secretary the electronic records of electors who apply for medicaid, subject to compliance with all federal laws and regulations. The elector's county clerk reviews the record for completeness and sends the elector a notice advising that the elector has been registered to vote. The elector can return the notice to decline to be registered, affiliate with a party, or provide a signature if necessary for their record. If the elector does not decline to be registered within 20 days after the notice is mailed and the form is not returned as undeliverable, the elector is registered to vote. Agencies that oversee offices designated as voter registration agencies are required to begin reporting information to the secretary related to the number of people who apply for benefits or programs, the number of voter registration choice forms the offices collect, and the number of people who receive voter registration forms. The office of information technology is required to assess and report to the secretary which voter registration agencies collect sufficient information for voter registration purposes. When the office of information technology and the secretary determine that an agency collects sufficient information, the agency is required to begin transferring records to the secretary for voter registration purposes. Unless a person who knows they are ineligible to vote intentionally takes voluntary action to become registered, the transfer of the person's record by a voter registration agency does not constitute completion of a voter registration form by that person. Beginning July 1, 2020, the act creates a process for electors who are registered through a voter registration agency to provide a signature for verification if they return a ballot in an election but a copy of their signature is not found in the statewide voter registration system. For the implementation of the act, $67,840 is appropriated to the department of state, $136,240 is appropriated to the office of the governor for use by the office of information technology, $18,000 is appropriated to the department of revenue for use by the division of motor vehicles, and $90,287 is appropriated to the department of human services. It is anticipated that the department of human services will receive an additional $45,413 in federal funds for the office of information technology services to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-29 · Senate

Clean Indoor Air Act Add E-cigarettes Remove Exceptions

Smoking restrictions - application to vape and e-cigarette use - exemptions - age restrictions in permitted smoking areas - signage - penalties. The act amends the "Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act" by: Adding a definition of "electronic smoking device" (ESD) to include e-cigarettes and similar devices within the scope of the act; Citing the results of recent research on ESD emissions and their effects on human health as part of the legislative declaration; Eliminating the existing exceptions for certain places of business in which smoking may be permitted, such as airport smoking concessions, businesses with 3 or fewer employees, designated smoking rooms in hotels, and designated smoking areas in assisted living facilities; Repealing the ability of property owners and managers to designate smoking areas through the posting of signs; Exempting FDA-approved nebulizers, inhalers, and vaporizers, as well as humidifiers that emit only water vapor, from the definition of an ESD; Amending signage requirements for tobacco businesses and vape shops that must notify customers of prohibitions on entry by persons under the age of 18; Increasing the radius of an "entryway", the area around the doorway to a building where smoking is not permitted, from a minimum of 15 feet to a minimum of 25 feet except where existing local regulations permitted a smaller radius when construction or renovation of a business commenced, on or before July 1, 2019; and Creates a grace period, affirmative defenses, and graduated penalties for enforcement of the amended signage requirements and age restrictions for tobacco businesses and vape shops. The act takes effect July 1, 2019, except for the provisions requiring exclusion of minors and the posting of appropriate signage relating to the exclusion, which provisions take effect October 1, 2019. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-29 · House

Sunset Medical Marijuana Program

Medical marijuana program - physician relationship - primary caregiver relationship - dentist or advanced practice practitioner make recommendations - card validity length - health effects panel conflict disclosures - sunset - appropriation. In a bona fide physician-patient relationship for purposes of a medical marijuana recommendation, the act clarifies that if the patient is a child, as part of the relationship the physician must consult with the patient's parents. The act clarifies that a parent can be a primary caregiver for a child with a disabling medical condition. The act clarifies that a primary caregiver for a person with a debilitating or disabling medical condition receives the same confidentiality protections as other primary caregivers. The act clarifies that if a person with a medical marijuana card is convicted of a drug crime, the card is subject to revocation. The act allows a dentist or advanced practice practitioner with prescriptive authority acting within the scope of his or her practice to make medical marijuana recommendations for a disabling medical condition. The act gives the state health agency the authority to promulgate rules regarding the length of time that a medical marijuana card for a disabling medical condition is valid. Under current law there is a health care panel (panel) that monitors the health effects of marijuana and provides a report every two years. The act requires the panel to include individuals with expertise in neuroscience, epidemiology, toxicology, cannabis physiology, and cannabis quality control. The act requires the panelists to disclose all financial interests related to the health care industry and the regulated marijuana industry and report those disclosures in the panel's report. The act gives the department of public health and environment the authority to collect Colorado-specific data that involves health outcomes associated with cannabis from all-payer claims data, hospital discharge data, and available peer-reviewed research studies. The act extends the medical marijuana program until September 1, 2028, and requires a sunset review prior to the repeal. The act makes other technical changes and repeals obsolete provisions. The act appropriates $114,007 to the department of public health and environment from the medical marijuana program cash fund, of which $100,000 is for operating expenses for the registry and $14,007 is for personal services. The act appropriates $560,143 to the department of regulatory agencies from the division of professions and occupations cash fund of which $535,456 is for legal services and $24,687 is for personal services. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-29 · Senate

School Nurse Grant Program

School nurse grant program - appropriation. The act creates the school nurse grant program (grant program) in the department of public health and environment (department). The grant program awards grants to local education providers, as defined in the act, to hire school nurses to serve in public schools. Grants are awarded on a 5-year grant cycle, with an initial one-year grant, renewable for an additional 4 years, as long as there is a school nurse in the grant-funded position and the grant money is being used for authorized purposes. Subject to annual appropriations from the general assembly, the department shall recommend grant recipients, and the state board of health shall annually award up to $3 million during the 5-year grant cycle. Once the 5-year grant cycle is complete, the department shall administer a new grant cycle. The department may expend a portion of the grant money for reasonable and necessary administrative expenses. In each year in which school nurse grants are awarded, the department shall report to certain committees of the general assembly concerning the grant program. For the 2019-20 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $2,944,809 from the marijuana tax cash fund to the department of public health and environment for use by the prevention services division for the school nurse grant program. The act also appropriates $55,121 and 0.8 FTE from the marijuana tax cash fund to the department of public health and environment for the prevention services division for the primary care office. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-29 · House

Parents Encouraging Parents Conference

Parents encouraging parents conference - appropriation. The act creates parents encouraging parents conferences for parents of children with disabilities. The department of education shall provide for the conferences and related lodging and food for attendees. The act requires a specified conference curriculum. For the 2019-20 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $68,000 from the general fund to the department of education. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-29 · Senate

County Treasurers To Serve As Public Trustees

County - county treasurer to serve as public trustee. Public trustees for Class 2 counties (Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, Mesa, Pueblo, and Weld) are currently appointed by the governor. Commencing July 1, 2020, the act specifies that the county treasurer for each Class 2 county will serve as the public trustee for the county. The county treasurer is required to create a transition plan for assuming the new duties of the public trustee. The county treasurer is authorized to consider incorporating staff of the appointed trustee's office, including the prior public trustee, into the treasurer's office.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-29 · House

The Clean Campaign Act Of 2019

Campaign and political finance - contributions to issue committees - campaign activity by noncitizens - restrictions on independent expenditure committees - expanded disclaimer requirements for independent expenditures - written affirmation where certain money transfers are earmarked for particular campaign purposes - disclosure by issue committees and small-scale issue committees - appropriation. The act prohibits an issue committee or small-scale issue committee from knowingly accepting contributions from: Any natural person who is not a citizen of the United States; A foreign government; or Any foreign corporation that does not have the authority to transact business in this state. Under the act, a natural person who is not a citizen of the United States, a foreign government, or a foreign corporation is prohibited from establishing, registering, or maintaining a political committee, small donor committee, political party, issue committee, or small-scale issue committee, or making an electioneering communication or regular biennial school electioneering communication. If, within the 6 months before becoming a candidate for public office, a person actively solicits funds for an independent expenditure committee with the intent of benefitting his or her future candidacy, any expenditure made by that independent expenditure committee in that candidate's race is presumed to be controlled by or coordinated with that candidate and deemed to constitute both a contribution by the maker of the expenditures and an expenditure by the candidate committee. The act extends existing restrictions barring a foreign corporation from expending money on an independent expenditure to include a natural person who is not a citizen of the United States or a foreign government. The act also prohibits an independent expenditure committee from knowingly accepting a donation from any natural person who is not a citizen of the United States, any foreign government, or any foreign corporation. The act expands existing requirements requiring a disclaimer to include communication placed on a website, streaming media service, or an online forum for a fee, or that is otherwise distributed. Existing requirements pertaining to the nature of the disclaimer are expanded to include online video or audio communications. Any corporation, labor organization, or independent expenditure committee (covered organization) that contributes, donates, or transfers $10,000 or more to any person during any one calendar year earmarked for the purpose of making an independent expenditure or electioneering communication must provide to the recipient of the contribution, donation, or transfer a written affirmation. Any covered organization that transfers $10,000 or more to any person, earmarked for the purpose of that person making a contribution, donation, or transfer to pay for an independent expenditure or electioneering communication, during any one calendar year, must provide to the recipient of the transfer a written affirmation. Particular disclosure requirements are made applicable to a covered organization that is not a for-profit organization. The act prohibits any person from accepting a contribution, donation, or transfer from a covered organization unless the covered organization provides a written affirmation. The act describes the required contents of the affirmation. The act repeals and reenacts existing statutory provisions addressing small-scale issue committees and, in particular, specifies requirements governing when such committees are required to disclose and file reports of their contributions or expenditures. Under existing law, an issue committee making an expenditure in excess of $1,000 on a communication is required to disclose in the communication the name of the issue committee making the expenditure. The act expands these requirements so they apply to a candidate committee, political committee, small donor committee, political organization, political party, or other person, as well as an issue committee, making or spending more than $1,000 per calendar year on a communication. The act also extends these requirements to communication placed on a website, streaming media service, or online forum for a fee. Instead of requiring that the communication disclose certain information, the act requires that the responsible person include in the communication a disclaimer statement. The act specifies the contents of the disclaimer statement. For the 2019-20 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $42,650 to the department of state from the department of state cash fund for use by the information technology division. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-29 · House

Publicly Licensed Marijuana Companies

Licensed marijuana ownership - allow publicly traded corporations - controlling beneficial owners, indirect financial interest holders, and passive beneficial owners - rule-making authority - suitability finding - notification, disclosure, notice requirements - appropriation. The act repeals the provision that prohibits publicly traded corporations from holding a marijuana license. The act creates new ownership concepts of controlling beneficial owners, indirect financial interest holders, and passive beneficial owners. The act repeals the concept of direct beneficial owner and the associated requirements. The act gives the state licensing authority rule-making authority related to the parameters of, qualifications of, disclosure of, requirements for, and suitability for the new ownership concepts. A "controlling beneficial owner" is limited to a person that satisfies one or more of the following criteria: A natural person, an entity as defined in section 7-90-102 (20) that is organized under the laws of and for which its principal place of business is located in one of the states or District of Columbia, a publicly traded corporation, or a qualified private fund that is not a qualified institutional investor: Acting alone or acting in concert, that owns or acquires beneficial ownership of ten percent or more of the owner's interest of a medical marijuana business; That is an affiliate that controls a medical marijuana business and includes, without limitation, any manager; or That is otherwise in a position to control the medical marijuana business except as authorized in section 44-11-407; or A qualified institutional investor acting alone or acting in concert that owns or acquires beneficial ownership of more than 30 percent of the owner's interest of a medical marijuana business. "Indirect financial interest holder" is a person that is not an affiliate, a controlling beneficial owner, or a passive beneficial owner of a medical marijuana business and that: Holds a commercially reasonable royalty interest in exchange for a medical marijuana business's use of the person's intellectual property; Holds a permitted economic interest that was issued prior to January 1, 2020, and that has not been converted into an ownership interest; Is a contract counterparty with a medical marijuana business, other than a customary employment agreement, that has a direct nexus to the cultivation, manufacture, or sale of medical marijuana, including, but not limited to, a lease of real property on which the medical marijuana business operates, a lease of equipment used in the cultivation of medical marijuana, a secured or unsecured financing agreement with the medical marijuana business, a security contract with the medical marijuana business, or a management agreement with the medical marijuana business, provided that no such contract compensates the contract counterparty with a percentage of revenue for profits of the medical marijuana business; or Is identified by rule by the state licensing authority as an indirect financial interest holder. "Passive beneficial owner" means any person acquiring any interest in a medical marijuana business that is not otherwise a controlling beneficial owner or in control. The act requires a person intending to apply to become a controlling beneficial owner or passive beneficial owner to receive a finding of suitability or an exemption from the state licensing authority prior to submitting a marijuana business application. The act also requires a marijuana business or controlling beneficial owner that is a publicly traded corporation to comply with various notification, disclosure, notice, and suitability requirements. The act limits the types of publicly traded corporations that can be marijuana businesses or controlling beneficial owners. For the 2019-20 state fiscal year, $2,783,561 was appropriated from the marijuana cash fund to the department of revenue. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-29 · House

Nursing Home Penalty Cash Fund

Nursing home penalty cash fund - reserve - grant cap - repeal related program sunset. The act repeals the current reserve for the nursing home penalty cash fund and instead requires the medical services board to establish a minimum reserve that limits expenditures for grants. The annual cap on expenditures for grants, which is $250,000 or possibly a lesser amount depending on whether the fund balance exceeds $2 million, is repealed and the sunset review of the use of grants and the related nursing home innovations grant board is also repealed.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-29 · Senate

Hemp Regulation Alignment With 2018 Federal Farm Bill

Industrial hemp - alignment with federal law - state plan of regulation. In 2018, the federal government enacted the "Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018" (federal act), which removed hemp from schedule I of the federal "Controlled Substances Act". The federal act requires the United States department of agriculture (USDA) to develop a plan for the regulation of hemp and authorizes each state to seek approval from the USDA to have primary regulatory authority over hemp production within the state by preparing and submitting a state plan of regulation to the secretary of the USDA. The act updates the laws governing Colorado's industrial hemp regulatory program to align with the federal act and to put the department of agriculture in a position to prepare and submit a state plan to the secretary of the USDA. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-29 · Senate

Freestanding Emergency Departments Licensure

Freestanding emergency departments - mandatory licensure - exceptions - appropriation. Effective July 1, 2022, the act creates a new license, referred to as a "freestanding emergency department license". The department of public health and environment (department) may issue the license to a health facility that offers emergency care, that may offer primary and urgent care services, and that is either: Owned or operated by, or affiliated with, a hospital or hospital system and located more than 250 yards from the main campus of the hospital; or Independent from and not operated by or affiliated with a hospital or hospital system and not attached to or situated within 250 yards of, or contained within, a hospital. A facility licensed as a community clinic before July 1, 2010, and that serves a rural community or ski area is excluded from the definition of "freestanding emergency department". The act allows the department to waive the licensure requirements for a facility that is licensed as a community clinic or that is seeking community clinic licensure and serves an underserved population in the state. The state board of health must adopt rules regarding the new license, including rules to set licensure requirements and fees and safety and care standards. $43,248 is appropriated to the department from the health facilities general licensure cash fund to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-29 · House

Continue Complementary Or Alternative Medicine Program

Complementary and alternative medicine for a person with a spinal cord injury - pilot program - continuation - report. The act continues the department of health care policy and financing's pilot program that allows an eligible person with a spinal cord injury to receive complementary or alternative medicine until 2025. The act requires the independent evaluation of the pilot program and associated report to be completed no later than January 1, 2025.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-29 · Senate

Marijuana Hospitality Establishments

Marijuana - hospitality establishments - retail hospitality spaces and sales establishments - marijuana hospitality establishment licensing - rules - appropriation. Subject to approval by both the state and local licensing authorities, the act authorizes marijuana hospitality spaces (hospitality spaces) in which medical and retail marijuana may be consumed on site and retail marijuana hospitality and sales establishments in which retail marijuana, retail marijuana concentrate, and retail marijuana products may be sold and consumed on site. Subject to local approval, the act authorizes a retail food establishment to apply for a marijuana hospitality establishment license for a specified portion of the retail food establishment but prohibits an entity from having both a marijuana hospitality establishment license and a liquor license for the same premises. The act establishes requirements and prohibitions for the new hospitality spaces and requires the state licensing authority to promulgate rules governing the new marijuana hospitality establishment licenses and hospitality spaces. The act makes smoking marijuana in the hospitality spaces an exception to the "Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act". For the 2019-20 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $399,479 from the marijuana cash fund to the department of revenue to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-29 · House

Joint Budget Committee Requirement To Recommend Capital Financing Methods

Capital construction - repeal of requirement to recommend new method of financing the state's capital needs. The act repeals a requirement that the joint budget committee develop and make recommendations concerning new methods of financing the state's ongoing capital construction, capital renewal, and controlled maintenance needs.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Last action: 2019-05-29 · House