| Bill # | Calendar Notification | Short Title | Sponsors | Bill Summary | Most Recent Status | Fiscal Note | Date Introduced | Amendment Link |
| HB24-1002 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Social Work Licensure Compact | E. Sirota (D) | M. Martinez (D) / J. Marchman (D) | J. Rich (R) | The act enacts the "Social Work Licensure Compact" (compact). The compact is designed to: Eliminate the necessity for social workers to obtain licenses from multiple states by providing for the mutual recognition of licenses from other states that have signed the compact (member states); Facilitate the exchange of licensure and disciplinary information among member states; Authorize member states to hold a regulated social worker accountable for abiding by a member state's laws, regulations, and applicable professional standards in the member state in which the client is located at the time care is rendered; and Allow for the use of telehealth to facilitate increased access to regulated social work services. The act authorizes the state board of social work examiners (board) to promulgate rules and to facilitate Colorado's participation in the compact, including notifying the social work licensure compact commission (commission) established by the compact of any adverse action taken by the board against a Colorado regulated social worker. The commission includes a delegate from each member state and has the powers and duties set forth in the act. The compact becomes effective on the date the compact is enacted in the seventh member state. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $78,750 from the division of professions and occupations cash fund to the department of regulatory agencies for use by the division of professions and occupations to implement the act. APPROVED by Governor June 3, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 6/3/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-10 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1004 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Ex-Offenders Practice in Regulated Occupations | J. Bacon (D) | S. Bird (D) / J. Coleman (D) | In determining whether an applicant for a state-regulated occupation is qualified to be registered, certified, or licensed, the act allows the entity with regulatory authority concerning the occupation (regulator) to consider an applicant's conviction for a crime for a 3-year period beginning on the date of conviction or the end of incarceration, whichever date is later. If an individual's conviction is directly related to the profession or occupation for which the individual has applied for registration, certification, or licensure, the regulator may consider the conviction after the 3-year period has passed. A regulator may only deny or refuse to renew a registration, certification, or license if the regulator determines that the applicant has not been rehabilitated and is unable to perform the duties and responsibilities of the profession or occupation without creating an unreasonable risk to public safety. An applicant's conviction for a crime does not, in and of itself, disqualify the applicant from being issued a registration, certification, or license. The act allows an individual to petition a regulator to determine whether a criminal conviction will preclude the individual from becoming registered, certified, or licensed prior to that individual completing any other requirements for such credentialing. If a regulator determines that an individual's conviction will likely be considered, the regulator shall advise the individual of any actions the individual may take to remedy the disqualification. The act places the burden of proof for denial of an applicant on the regulator to demonstrate that denial based on the applicant's criminal conviction directly connects to potential performance in the profession or occupation for which the applicant seeks credentialing. APPROVED by Governor June 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 6/4/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-10 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1008 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Wage Claims Construction Industry Contractors | M. Duran (D) | M. Froelich (D) / J. Danielson (D) | C. Kolker (D) | For wage claims brought by individuals working in the construction industry, the act: Requires a subcontractor that receives a written demand for payment to forward a copy of the written demand for payment to the general contractor within 3 business days after receipt; Specifies that a general contractor entering into a construction contract is liable for all amounts owed to an employee for the employee's labor, construction, or other work, including amounts owed by a subcontractor acting under, by, or for the general contractor; and Allows a general contractor to require the following information from each subcontractor acting under, by, or for the general contractor: Pay data; Contact information; and An affidavit attesting to whether the subcontractor has participated in a civil or administrative proceeding within the last 5 years and, if so, the outcome of the proceeding. Unless a wage violation is caused by the general contractor's lack of payment to a subcontractor, the general contractor may seek indemnification from the subcontractor for all amounts owed by the general contractor for the subcontractor's wage violation. VETOED by Governor May 17, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 5/17/2024 Governor Vetoed | 2024-01-10 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1038 | NOT ON CALENDAR | High-Acuity Crisis for Children & Youth | M. Young | B. Bradley (R) / B. Kirkmeyer (R) | R. Fields | The act requires the department of health care policy and financing (HCPF), in collaboration with the behavioral health administration (BHA) and the department of human services (CDHS), to develop a system of care (system of care) for children and youth who are less than 21 years of age and who have complex behavioral health needs. At a minimum, the system of care must include: Implementation of a standardized assessment tool; Intensive-care coordination; Expanded supportive services; and Expanded access to treatment foster care. The act requires HCPF to convene a leadership team that is responsible for the decision-making and oversight of the system of care and to convene an implementation team to create a plan to implement the system of care. The act requires CDHS and HCPF to report progress on the development and implementation of the system of care to the general assembly. The act creates the residential child care provider training academy in CDHS to create a pipeline of high-quality staff for residential child care providers and ensure that individuals hired to work at residential child care facilities receive the necessary training to perform the individual's job functions responsibly and effectively. The act requires CDHS to expand the number of treatment beds available for children and youth whose behavioral or mental health needs require services and treatment in a residential child care facility. The act requires CDHS to develop a system to establish and monitor quality standards for residential child care providers and ensure the quality standards are implemented into all levels of care that serve children and youth in out-of-home placement. The act requires CDHS to develop a system to incentivize residential child care providers to implement quality standards above CDHS' established minimum standards. The act requires CDHS to make publicly available on the department's website a directory of each residential child care provider's quality assurance. The CDHS program that provides emergency resources to certain licensed providers to help remove barriers the providers face in serving children and youth whose behavioral or mental health needs require services and treatment in a residential child care facility currently repeals on July 1, 2028. The act extends the program indefinitely and requires CDHS to contract with additional licensed providers for the delivery of services to children and youth who are eligible for and placed in the program. The act requires CDHS and the BHA to increase the minimum reimbursement rates paid to qualified residential treatment programs for the purpose of aligning room and board payments across payer sources. The act requires HCPF to contract with a third-party vendor to complete an actuarial analysis in order to determine the appropriate medicaid reimbursement rate for psychiatric residential treatment facilities. The act requires CDHS to contract with one or more third-party vendors to implement a pilot program to assess the needs of, and provide short-term residential services for, juvenile justice-involved youth who do not meet the criteria for detention. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the act appropriates money to the department of human services and the department of health care policy and financing to implement the act. APPROVED by Governor June 6, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 6, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 6/6/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-10 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1047 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Veterinary Technician Scope of Practice | K. McCormick (D) | M. Catlin (R) / D. Roberts (D) | C. Simpson (R) | On or before September 1, 2025, the board of veterinary medicine (board) is required to promulgate rules establishing certain tasks that a licensed veterinarian may delegate to veterinary technicians and veterinary technician specialists and the recommended level of supervision for the tasks. A licensed veterinarian may delegate tasks pursuant to the board's rules after first establishing a veterinarian-client-patient relationship with an animal or group of animals and the owner of the animal or animals. The licensed veterinarian is required to provide an appropriate level of supervision of the veterinary technician or veterinary technician specialist in accordance with applicable rules of the board. If there are not applicable rules related to the specific task that is being delegated, the veterinarian may delegate the task based on the assessment of the veterinary medical care being provided, the experience, education, and training of the person providing the care, and in compliance with all state and federal laws. Beginning on January 1, 2026, the act authorizes a veterinary technician to apply to the board to receive a veterinary technician specialist designation as part of the veterinary technician's registration, grants title protection for veterinary technician specialists, and prohibits the unauthorized practice as a veterinary technician specialist by a person who does not have a veterinary technician specialist designation. APPROVED by Governor March 22, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 3/22/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-10 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1049 | NOT ON CALENDAR | School Mental Health Professional Loan Repayment Program | R. Weinberg (R) | S. Vigil / J. Marchman (D) | F. Winter (D) | Colorado Youth Advisory Council Review Committee. The bill creates the licensed school mental health professional loan repayment program (program) in the department of higher education. The purpose of the program is to provide loan repayment of up to $10,000 to eligible school counselors, school psychologists, and school social workers who provide mental health services to students who have limited access to mental health services. The commission on higher education (commission) administers the program. The bill creates in the state treasury the licensed school mental health professional loan repayment program fund. The bill requires that the commission submit an annual report to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate on or before October 31 of each year the program is operational. The program repeals on July 1, 2029. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) | 2/15/2024 House Committee on Education Postpone Indefinitely | 2024-01-10 | No amendments found | |
| HB24-1082 | NOT ON CALENDAR | First-Generation-Serving Higher Education Institutions | R. Taggart (R) | J. Mabrey (D) / J. Rich (R) | J. Coleman (D) | The act requires the department of higher education (department) to: Identify and designate state institutions of higher education (state institutions) as first-generation-serving institutions if: The average resident first-generation undergraduate population share for the most recent year and the 2 previous years equals or exceeds the statewide average resident first-generation undergraduate student population share for the fall 2022 term; or The state institution secured a First Scholars Network of Institutions designation from the Center for First-generation Student Success or a similarly rigorous independent third-party designation; Post on the department's website the names of the state institutions that are so designated; and Notify the state institutions and the Colorado general assembly of the designations. APPROVED by Governor April 11, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 4/11/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-10 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1087 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Professional Endorsement Special Education Teaching | K. McCormick (D) | R. Armagost (R) / B. Kirkmeyer (R) | J. Marchman (D) | Under current law, a person seeking a teaching endorsement in special education or early childhood special education (endorsement) must complete an approved program and a student teaching practicum through an institution of higher education and pass one or more appropriate content-based exams. The act requires the department of education to issue an endorsement. Under current law, to receive the endorsement, the educator must hold a valid teaching license other than an initial license and complete coursework and assessments, as specified by rule of the state board of education (board), in a program in special education offered by an accepted institution of higher education. The act adds applicants who complete an alternative teacher preparation program (program) for special education offered by a designated agency as eligible for the endorsement. The act authorizes a person with a professional teacher license to continue in the person's current position while participating in an alternative teacher preparation program for the purpose of receiving an endorsement. APPROVED by Governor April 19, 2024 EFFECTIVE April 19, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 4/19/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-12 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1096 | NOT ON CALENDAR | School Psychologist Licensure Interstate Compact | M. Young | M. Lukens (D) / C. Kolker (D) | J. Marchman (D) | The act enacts the "School Psychologists Licensure Interstate Compact" (compact). The purpose of the compact is to facilitate the interstate practice of school psychology in educational or school settings, thereby improving the availability of school psychological services (services) to the public. The compact establishes a pathway to allow school psychologists to obtain equivalent licenses to provide services in any state that is a member of the compact (member state). The compact outlines the requirements for a school psychologist to obtain and maintain an equivalent license in another member state. Provisions for active military members and their spouses are made. The compact takes effect on the date it is enacted into law in the seventh compact state. The executive director of the department of education shall notify the revisor of statutes in writing when the seventh compact state has enacted the compact into law by e-mailing notice to the revisor of statutes. APPROVED by Governor April 29, 2024 EFFECTIVE April 29, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 4/29/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-24 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1097 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Military Family Occupational Credentialing | R. Taggart (R) | M. Weissman (D) / R. Fields | B. Gardner | Effective September 1, 2024, the act makes changes to Colorado's occupational credential portability program (program) relating to the spouses and dependents of military members and other qualified servicemembers serving in the United States uniformed services, including: In addition to military spouses already covered by the program, allowing gold star military spouses, dependents of military members, and spouses and dependents of other qualified servicemembers who are licensed, certified, registered, or enrolled in a profession or occupation (credentialed) in good standing in another state or United States territory (current state) to be credentialed in Colorado by endorsement from the current state to practice the same profession or occupation in Colorado; Allowing an applicant to be credentialed under the program if the applicant committed an act that would have been grounds for discipline in this state, but for which the applicant remains in good standing in the current state because the act is not grounds for discipline in the current state; Removing the 3-year limitation and nonrenewal provision for a military spouse's credential and allowing military spouses, gold star military spouses, military dependents, and spouses and dependents of other qualified servicemembers to obtain a renewable 6-year credential while in Colorado; Waiving the application and renewal fee for Colorado credentials issued to military spouses, gold star military spouses, military dependents, and spouses and dependents of other qualified servicemembers; and Expanding eligibility for the program to spouses and dependents of Armed Forces Reserve, Ready Reserve, National Guard members in Colorado, and spouses and dependents of other qualified servicemembers. APPROVED by Governor April 17, 2024 EFFECTIVE September 1, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 4/17/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-24 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1111 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Adopt Cosmetology Licensure Compact | M. Martinez (D) | D. Wilson / B. Pelton (R) | The act adopts the cosmetology licensure compact (compact) to facilitate the interstate practice and regulation of cosmetology. With the adoption of the compact, a cosmetologist who holds an active, unencumbered license to practice in the cosmetologist's home state may apply to the cosmetologist's home state for a multistate license. If a cosmetologist is granted a multistate license under the compact, the cosmetologist is authorized to practice cosmetology in the applicant's home state, as well as in each state that is a member of the compact. The cosmetologist must comply with the rules of the licensing authority and the scope of practice laws of the state in which the cosmetologist provides services. If the cosmetologist moves to a new home state, the cosmetologist must apply to the new home state for reissuance of a multistate license. Under the compact, active military members and their spouses may designate a home state where the individual is currently licensed in good standing to practice cosmetology and may retain their home state designation for purposes of the multistate license during any period when that individual or the individual's spouse is on active duty assignment. The compact requires a state that is a member of the compact (member state) to report adverse actions taken by a member state's licensing authority or other regulatory body, including actions taken against a cosmetologist's individual license or authorization to practice, such as revocation, suspension, or any other encumbrance on a license affecting the cosmetologist's ability to practice. The compact authorizes the cosmetology licensure compact commission (commission) to develop and maintain a coordinated database and reporting system to include information relating to a cosmetologist's multistate license and any adverse actions reported against a cosmetologist. The compact specifies the authority of the home state to act with respect to the multistate license issued by the home state, as well as the authority of a remote state to act with respect to the licensee. The compact creates the administrative structure for the compact, including granting the powers necessary to establish and operate the commission, which includes one delegate from each member state that is the administrator of the state licensing authority in the member state or the administrator's designee. Among other powers, the commission may adopt rules and bylaws, establish an executive committee, hire employees, and establish an office. The compact includes provisions relating to the conduct of the commission's meetings and its rule-making authority. The compact authorizes the commission to levy and collect an annual assessment from each member state and to impose fees on licensees of a member state for granting and renewing a multistate license. The compact includes provisions governing disputes among member states and between the commission and a member state, enforcement provisions, and withdrawal of member states from the compact. The compact is effective for member states once the seventh state has adopted the compact. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, $104,620 is appropriated from the division of professions and occupations cash fund to the department of regulatory agencies for use by the division of professions and occupations to implement the act. APPROVED by Governor June 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 6/4/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-26 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1131 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Local College Districts | M. Lukens (D) | E. Velasco (D) / D. Roberts (D) | P. Will | The act authorizes the board of trustees (board) of any local college district to determine the number of trustees on the board. The act permits 9-member boards that establish board member districts to designate one or 2 board member districts as at-large districts and permits 11-member boards that establish board member districts to designate up to 3 board member districts as at-large districts. Under existing law, voters must approve a school district's annexation into a local college district at a regular biennial school election. The act removes that restriction so that the approval vote may occur at any regular election. The act permits a recipient of a local investments in transformational affordable housing grant for a project in a rural community or rural resort community to prioritize providing affordable housing for enrolled postsecondary students, local college district employees, and local government employees in buildings on land owned and controlled by a local college district. APPROVED by Governor April 11, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 4/11/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-29 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1160 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Economic Development Organization Action Grant Program | B. McLachlan | S. Bird (D) / R. Zenzinger | B. Kirkmeyer (R) | The bill creates the economic development organization (EDO) action grant program (program) within the Colorado office of economic development (office) to provide grants to Colorado-based EDOs to support and increase EDO capacity to implement community-specific economic development programming, as identified in each EDO's program application. The office is required to administer the program in consultation with the Colorado economic development commission and a statewide economic development organization. The economic development organization grant program cash fund (fund) is created in the state treasury, and the office is required to award program grants from the fund. The state treasurer is required to transfer $2 million from the general fund to the fund on July 1, 2024.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) | 5/14/2024 House Committee on Appropriations Lay Over Unamended - Amendment(s) Failed | 2024-01-31 | No amendments found | |
| HB24-1176 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Behavioral Health Grant for Capital Project | E. Hamrick (D) | I. Jodeh (D) / J. Buckner (D) | R. Fields | The act expands the behavioral health-care continuum gap grant program to include awarding a community investment grant for a new capital construction project. The act transfers $4 million from the general fund to the behavioral and mental health cash fund for purposes of the act. The act appropriates $4 million from the behavioral and mental health cash fund to the department of human services for the behavioral health-care continuum gap grant program related to integrated behavioral health services. APPROVED by Governor May 24, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 24, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 5/24/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-31 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1186 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Department of Higher Education Supplemental | S. Bird (D) / R. Zenzinger | The 2023 general appropriations act is amended to balance and make adjustments to the total amount appropriated to the department of higher education. The general fund, cash funds, and reappropriated funds portions of the appropriation are increased. APPROVED by Governor March 6, 2024 EFFECTIVE March 6, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 3/6/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-02-03 | No amendments found | |
| HB24-1210 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Higher Education Longitudinal Data System Report Deadline | S. Bird (D) | R. Taggart (R) / B. Kirkmeyer (R) | R. Zenzinger | Existing law requires the Colorado commission on higher education to report to the house and senate education committees information about developing the student success data system into a statewide longitudinal data system that connects K-12, postsecondary, and workforce information. A report was required on or before January 15, 2023, and on or before January 15, 2024. The act extends each deadline 2 years, so that a report is required on or before January 15, 2025, and on or before January 15, 2026. The department of higher education was appropriated $3 million for the student success data system. The act permits the department to spend the appropriated money through December 31, 2026. APPROVED by Governor March 6, 2024 EFFECTIVE March 6, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 3/6/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-02-02 | No amendments found | |
| HB24-1260 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Prohibition Against Employee Discipline | M. Duran (D) | T. Hernandez / J. Danielson (D) | The act prohibits an employer from subjecting or threatening to subject an employee to discipline, discharge, or an adverse employment action on account of the employee's refusal to attend or participate in an employer-sponsored meeting concerning religious or political matters or for declining to listen to the speech of or view religious or political communications from the employer or the agent, representative, or designee of the employer. With regard to state employees, the prohibitions apply only to meetings and communications relating to state employees' decisions to join or support a fraternal or labor organization. Certain employer communications are exempt from the prohibition, including communications: Required by law, a court order, or an agreement with a governmental entity to communicate to employees, but only to the extent of a legal requirement; That are necessary for an employee to perform the employee's job duties; or That are required to prevent unlawful discrimination or harassment. Certain communications from institutions of higher education and K-12 schools and school districts are also exempt when the communication is related to coursework, symposia, or an academic program. The act does not apply to certain religious corporations, entities, associations, educational institutions, societies, or nonprofit faith-based health systems or facilities. The act authorizes an aggrieved person to seek relief by filing a complaint with the department of labor and employment (department) or by filing an action in district court after the person has exhausted all administrative remedies and has filed a complaint with the department. The act also creates an affirmative defense for employers. Each employer is required to distribute, at the employer's workplace or through e-mail or a regularly used communication system, a notice to each employee of the employee rights outlined in the act. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, $278,564 is appropriated from the general fund to the department for use by the division of labor standards and statistics to implement the act. VETOED by Governor May 17, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 5/17/2024 Governor Vetoed | 2024-02-13 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1264 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Supporting the Educator Workforce | B. McLachlan | M. Catlin (R) / R. Zenzinger | C. Simpson (R) | The bill requires the department of education to create, maintain, and manage an online career support and pathways portal (online portal) for educators; staff; school districts, district charter schools, institute charter schools, boards of cooperative services, or approved facility schools (local education providers); and educator preparation programs (educator programs). The online portal must have: Access to career incentives, stipends, and loan forgiveness; Career pathway information for educators and staff, including, but not limited to, mentoring, induction program coaching, instructional coaching, district curriculum support, special assignments for teachers, and principal leadership; and A job posting and application portal for local education providers to post open employment positions and to search for prospective candidates, and for educators and staff to upload resumes and to apply to open employment positions. Local education providers and educator programs shall post a link to the online portal on their websites to promote the online portal to educators and staff. The bill allows Indian tribes and tribal organizations to access and use the online portal. Pursuant to current law, the educator and retention program (ERR program) provides support to members of the armed forces and nonmilitary-affiliated educator candidates. The bill expands criteria for participation in the ERR program to include applicants who are: Enrolled in a teacher degree apprenticeship program and employed by an Indian tribe or tribal organization or a local education provider; or Enrolled in an educator program to attain a special services provider license with the appropriate endorsement.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) | 5/14/2024 House Committee on Appropriations Lay Over Unamended - Amendment(s) Failed | 2024-02-13 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1278 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Sunset Concurrent Enrollment Advisory Board | M. Martinez (D) | T. Story (D) / J. Coleman (D) | The act repeals the concurrent enrollment advisory board (advisory board) on September 1, 2027. Prior to the repeal, the department of regulatory agencies will conduct a sunset review and make recommendations concerning its continuation. The act requires the advisory board to work with the department of education, department of higher education, and the community college system that supports the enrollment of first-generation students, low-income students, and students of color in concurrent enrollment programs. APPROVED by Governor June 3, 2024 EFFECTIVE September 1, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 6/3/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-02-13 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1290 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Student Educator Stipend Program | M. Bradfield (R) | C. Kipp (D) / R. Zenzinger | The act appropriates $4,197,000 to the department of education from the state education fund to fund student educator stipend program stipends. The department of education is required to transfer the appropriation spending authority to the department of higher education to fund student educator stipend program stipends. APPROVED by Governor June 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 4, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 6/4/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-02-13 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1291 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Licensed Legal Paraprofessionals | R. English (D) | J. Joseph (D) / D. Roberts (D) | B. Gardner | The Colorado supreme court approved the licensure of legal paraprofessionals (LLPs), which allows LLPs to represent clients and perform certain types of legal services related to domestic relations matters, including: Legal separations, declarations of invalidity of marriage, or dissolutions of marriage or a civil union; Initial allocations or modifications of an allocation of parental responsibility, including parentage determinations; Matters involving establishment or modification of child support or maintenance; Seeking, modifying, or terminating a civil protection order; Matters involving a name change; and Matters involving a request for an amended birth certificate to change the sex designation of an adult. The act amends the relevant statutory provisions to align with the Colorado supreme court rule authorizing the licensure of LLPs. APPROVED by Governor April 29, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 4/29/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-02-13 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1296 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Modifications to the Colorado Open Records Act | C. Kipp (D) | M. Soper (R) / J. Marchman (D) | The bill makes the following changes to the "Colorado Open Records Act" (CORA): Requires a custodian to evaluate a request for public records promptly and for no longer than 2 days. Within the 2-day period the custodian shall notify the requester whether or not any costs or fees that may apply to the request and if extenuating circumstances exist that allow for an extension of the reasonable time to respond to a CORA request (response period). If there are costs or fees that may apply, the response period does not begin until the custodian receives a response from the requester acknowledging acceptance of the costs or fees. Alternatively, a requester may revise their request and the custodian shall evaluate the revised request within the 2-day evaluation period. Otherwise, the response period begins after the custodian has provided notice to the requester. Changes the reasonable time to respond to a CORA request, except for requests from a mass medium or a newsperson, from 3 working days to 5 working days and changes the extension of time for the response period if extenuating circumstances exist from not exceeding 7 additional days to not exceeding 10 additional days; Adds an extenuating circumstance that allows for an extension of the response period when the custodian is not scheduled to work within the response period; Requires public entities to post any rules or policies adopted pursuant to CORA, including what the public entity's records retention policy, and to post information for members of the public regarding how to make a public records request; If public records are in the sole and exclusive custody and control of someone who is not scheduled to work within the response period, a custodian shall provide all other available responsive public records within the response period and notify the requester of the earliest date on which the person is scheduled to return to work and make best efforts to make responsive records available for inspection within the response period or extended response period, as applicable expected to be available or that the person is not expected to return to work . The requester may make a subsequent request for additional responsive records, if any, on or after the date the person who is authorized to have custody and control of the records is scheduled to return to work custodian provides . Allows a custodian to determine that a requester is a vexatious requester, requires the custodian to make a sworn statement in support of the determination to provide to the requester, allows the custodian a 30-day response period when a requester is a vexatious requester, and permits the requester to appeal the determination that the requester is a vexatious requester to the district court; Excludes a mass medium or newsperson from being a vexatious requester; Allows a custodian , subject to certain exceptions, to determine that a request is made for the direct solicitation of business for pecuniary gain, requires the custodian to make a sworn statement in support provide written notice of the determination to provide to the requester, allows the custodian a 30-day response period for such a request, permits the requester to submit a signed statement affirming the request is not for the direct solicitation of business for pecuniary gain which the custodian must consider in making their determination, permits the requester to appeal the determination that the request is made for the direct solicitation of business for pecuniary gain to the district court, and allows a custodian to charge the requester for the full cost of responding to the request notwithstanding the allowance for the first hour of research and retrieval to otherwise be free of charge and notwithstanding the statutory cap on fees, which otherwise would apply; Prohibits disclosure of any other contact information of students in any public elementary or secondary school in addition to the prohibition of disclosure of addresses and telephone numbers that is in current law; Allows a custodian to deny the right of inspection of public records that are an employee's calendar, unless the public record is an elected official's calendar or the calendar of an employee who is in a leadership position or the request is made by a mass medium or newsperson; and Clarifies that if a custodian imposes any requirements concerning the pre-payment of fees or the payment of fees in connection with a request for inspection of public records, the requirements must be in accordance with the custodian's adopted rules or written policies and must not be inconsistent with the provisions of CORA; and Allows a custodian to treat a CORA request made within 14 calendar days of another CORA request made by the same person as one request for purposes of calculating the fee that the custodian may charge to the requester for research and retrieval of responsive public records. In addition, the bill requires that members of the general assembly retain public records for a minimum of 60 days. (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.) | 5/1/2024 Senate Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Postpone Indefinitely | 2024-02-14 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1305 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Changes for Concurrent Enrollment Students | W. Lindstedt (D) | M. Lukens (D) / M. Baisley (R) | D. Michaelson Jenet (D) | The act expands the types of programs a pathways in technology early college high school (p-tech school) may focus on beyond science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Under current law, the college opportunity fund program provides a stipend for eligible undergraduate students in Colorado. Generally, an eligible undergraduate student is ineligible to receive a stipend for more than 145 credit hours during the student's lifetime. The act makes an exception to this lifetime limitation for college-level credit hours earned while the eligible undergraduate student was enrolled in a concurrent enrollment program, the accelerating students through concurrent enrollment program, the teacher recruitment education and preparation program, or a p-tech school. APPROVED by Governor May 30, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 5/30/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-02-14 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1317 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Workforce Data Collection | M. Young | S. Lieder (D) | The bill requires the director of the division of employment and training (director) in the department of labor and employment to annually collect, analyze, and make recommendations to the general assembly based on data from workforce centers; the state, in relation to data it has collected concerning workers in specific age categories, beginning at age 50; and individuals with disabilities. The bill also requires the director, every 3 years, to conduct, or contract with an another entity to conduct, a survey to better understand the experiences and needed tools and resources of individuals in Colorado who are 55 years of age or older and are considering entering or reentering the workforce, are unemployed, underemployed, or are looking for a career change. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) | 5/14/2024 House Committee on Appropriations Lay Over Unamended - Amendment(s) Failed | 2024-02-20 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1324 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Attorney General Restrictive Employment Agreements | C. Clifford (D) / L. Liston (R) | N. Hinrichsen (D) | The act grants the attorney general rule-making authority over restrictive employment agreements. Current law allows an employer to recover the expense of educating and training a worker where the training is distinct from normal, on-the-job training. The act regulates the recoverable expense as other consumer debt and student debt. The act also adds the requirement that, for an employer to recover the expense, the training must comply with rules promulgated by the attorney general regarding the transferability of the training or credentialing that is available to the employee as a result of the training. APPROVED by Governor May 31, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 5/31/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-02-20 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1325 | Wednesday, May 8 2024 THIRD READING OF BILLS - FINAL PASSAGE - CONT'D (2) in senate calendar. | Tax Credits for Quantum Industry Support | A. Valdez (D) | M. Soper (R) / J. Bridges (D) | M. Baisley (R) | The act creates 2 tax incentives to support the development of the quantum technology ecosystem in the state. Neither of the tax credits created in the act are allowed to any qualified applicant unless a Colorado-based entity receives a multi-million dollar federal grant from the economic development administration for the regional technology and innovation program or a comparable federal grant program. Section 2 of the act creates a 100% refundable income tax credit for qualifying investments in fixed capital assets as part of a coordinated plan to create a shared quantum facility (facility credit) for income tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2025, but before January 1, 2033. The amount of the facility credit is equal to the amount of the qualifying investment made by a qualified applicant for an eligible project; except that the maximum aggregate amount of all facility credits is $44 million. In addition, the maximum aggregate amount of facility credits that may be claimed in the taxable year in which the eligible project is placed in service is $24 million. If qualified applicants are issued more than an aggregate of $24 million in facility credits, the qualified applicants may claim the credits in future taxable years, subject to a specified limit on the amount of the credit that may be claimed in a single taxable year. A qualified applicant may be a consortium of entities that are jointly participating in creating a shared quantum facility. An eligible project is a project to create a shared quantum facility, which is a primary place in the state where an applicant performs activities and provides the economic benefits related to quantum business and that is approved as an eligible project by the office of economic development (office). The act details a process for claiming the facility credit that requires: The submission by a qualified applicant to the office of an application for a facility credit reservation; Preliminary and final review of the application and approval of the request for a facility credit reservation by the office; Issuance of a facility credit reservation to the qualified applicant by the office; Completion of the eligible project and certification by the qualified applicant of the qualified applicant's qualifying investments; Review of the eligible project and qualifying investments by the office; Issuance of a tax credit certificate by the office; Filing of the tax credit certificate with the department of revenue with the qualified applicant's tax return or informational return; and Recapture of the credit if the eligible project is not used for a use that makes it an eligible project during a specified compliance period. Section 3 creates a 100% refundable income tax credit to offset losses incurred by a qualified applicant in connection with a registered loan to a quantum company (loan loss credit) for income tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2026, but before January 1, 2046. A qualified applicant is a commercial bank, depository institution, private lending fund, or other entity that makes loans for commercial purposes to a quantum company that satisfies certain income and other criteria (eligible loan). The administrator of the loan loss credit (administrator) may be the office, or the office may contract with a third-party program administrator to administer the credit. The administrator is required to determine the method by which the loan loss credit will be distributed to qualified applicants. The distribution method may be on a first-come, first-served basis or based on a competitive lender selection process where the administrator chooses which lenders are eligible to apply for the loan loss credit. A qualified applicant is required to register any loan that is the basis of a loan loss tax credit with the administrator and is not eligible to claim the loan loss credit until the qualified applicant has incurred a loss in connection with a registered loan. The amount of the loan loss credit is an amount up to 15 cents for every dollar of an eligible loan that the qualified applicant has made or will make; except that the maximum aggregate amount of all loan loss credits is $30 million. In addition, subject to specified requirements and, if the administrator is not the office, the approval of the office, the administrator may establish policies and procedures to set the amount of the loan loss credit below 15 cents for every dollar loaned, change the amount of the loan loss credit from time to time, or cap the total amount of loan loss credits issued to a qualified applicant. Each qualified applicant that is issued more than one loan loss credit certificate is required to hold all the loan loss credit certificates that were issued to the qualified applicant in a pooled loan loss reserve. A qualified applicant may use all or any portion of the loan loss credit certificates issued to that qualified applicant to offset any loss incurred by that qualified applicant in connection with one or more registered loans. The act details a process for claiming the loan loss credit that requires: Submission of an application for a loan loss credit certificate and a request that the administrator register an eligible loan; Preliminary and final review of the application and registration of eligible loans by the administrator; Issuance of a loan loss tax credit certificate to a qualified applicant; Periodic updates to the administrator by a qualified applicant that was issued a loan loss credit certificate regarding the status of each of the qualified applicant's registered loans; Application to the administrator for a registered loan loss certificate after a qualified applicant incurs a loss in connection with a registered loan; Review of information regarding the loan by the administrator and issuance of a registered loan loss certificate to the qualified applicant; and Filing the loan loss credit certificate and the registered loan loss certificate with the department of revenue with the qualified applicant's tax return or informational return. The administrator of the loan loss credit may impose a registration and issuance fee on a qualified applicant or on the borrower to which a qualified applicant made an eligible loan. The administrator is required to credit any fee revenue to the quantum business loan loss reserve cash fund, which is created in the act and is exempted, in section 3, from the restriction on the statutory amount of authorized cash fund reserves. The office and the administrator are required to annually report to the general assembly regarding the facility credit and the loan loss credit and may, after soliciting advice from the department of revenue and quantum industry participants, create and modify policies and procedures as necessary to implement the facility credit or the loan loss credit, as applicable. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, $90,255 is appropriated to the office of the governor from the general fund for use by economic development programs for the implementation of the act. APPROVED by Governor May 28, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 28, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 5/28/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-02-22 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1340 | Wednesday, May 8 2024 THIRD READING OF BILLS - FINAL PASSAGE (3) in senate calendar. | Incentives for Post-Secondary Education | S. Bird (D) | R. Taggart (R) / B. Kirkmeyer (R) | R. Zenzinger | The act creates a refundable state income tax credit (incentive) to encourage enrollment in institutions of higher education. For income tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2025, but prior to January 1, 2033, the incentive is available to an eligible student who has matriculated at any public Colorado institution of higher education, including an area technical college, Colorado mountain college, or AIMS community college (institution), in the amount equal to the amount paid by or for the benefit of the eligible student in tuition and fees minus any scholarships or grants with respect to the qualifying semesters, during which up to the first 65 academic credit hours or equivalent are accumulated at an institution, excluding credits earned through concurrent enrollment, advanced placement, the international baccalaureate program, military credits, and any other credits accumulated prior to matriculation at an institution. To qualify, an eligible student must: Matriculate at the institution within 2 years of completion of high school graduation or an equivalent in Colorado; Be designated as a degree or credential seeking student for the semester or term for which an incentive is claimed; Qualify for in-state tuition for the semester or term for which the incentive is claimed; Complete a free application for federal student aid (FAFSA) or Colorado application for state financial aid (CASFA) for the semester or term for which an incentive is claimed that indicates the student's household has an adjusted gross income that is $90,000 or less; and Earn at least 6 credit hours or equivalent with a grade point average of 2.5 or higher for the semester or term for which the incentive is claimed. The act requires an institution, by January 15, 2026, and every January 15 thereafter through 2033, to electronically report each eligible student for any qualifying semester or term completed during the academic year completed during the prior calendar year in a format prescribed by the department of higher education (department) with the student's tax identification number or social security number and the amount of tuition and fees paid minus any scholarship or grants for that prior calendar year. The act requires an institution to provide each eligible student with a statement containing the student's eligibility and incentive amount. The department is required to electronically report the information received from the institutions, with any corrections and additions, to the department of revenue to allow administration of the incentive. The department, in consultation with institutions, is required to determine each institution's average percentage of state and institutional financial aid allocated to the resident student population who have a family income of $90,000 or less in each year of the 3 years prior to 2025, and each Colorado public institution of higher education is required to maintain a percentage of state and institutional financial aid to resident students who have an adjusted gross household income of $90,000 or less that is equal to or greater than the average percentage calculated. An institution that does not maintain the percentage is required to notify the department and must include in the notification a description of changes to institutional finances or the student population that prevented the institution from maintaining the percentage. On or before June 30, 2027, and each year thereafter until 2037, the department is required to submit a report to the joint budget committee and the house of representatives and senate education committees, that includes among other data, for each institution, the average percentage of state and institutional financial aid allocated to the resident student population who have a family income of $90,000 or less in the academic years 2021-2022 through 2033-34. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, $101,756 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of higher education for use by the Colorado commission on higher education and higher education special purpose programs to implement the act. APPROVED by Governor May 30, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 5/30/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-02-27 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1364 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Education-Based Workforce Readiness | J. McCluskie (D) | J. Bacon (D) / J. Bridges (D) | P. Lundeen (R) | The act authorizes the department of education (department) to commission a financial study (study) with an independent contractor to analyze the costs to the state and school districts, district charter schools, institute charter schools, and boards of cooperative services (local education providers) and potential cost savings to provide students the opportunity to obtain college credits, industry credentials, and work-based learning experiences. The study must also include an analysis of the effects of consolidating certain postsecondary and workforce readiness programs. The department shall submit the report by December 1, 2024, including recommendations for implementation in the 2025-26 state budget year. The act requires the office of information technology (office) to build, or contract with a third-party vendor to build, the Colorado statewide longitudinal data system (data system) to establish a consistent, appropriate, secure, and legal means of data sharing and connecting multiple data sets into the data system to support effective state investments, inform policy research, and assist Colorado citizens in making choices related to their education and training pathways. The office shall work with contributing state agencies, local education providers, institutions of higher education, partner entities, and policymakers. The act creates the Colorado state longitudinal data system governing board (governing board) to support the office with the development and implementation of the data system. The governing board is required to convene the systems build and implementation interagency advisory group and the sustainability interagency advisory group to support and advise the governing board on the technical development, implementation, use, and function of the data system. The act requires the office to submit an interim report on or before January 15, 2025, on the progress of the data system, the data governance processes and procedures, and recommendations for legislative changes and funding, as necessary, to the general assembly, the state board of education, and the governor. Beginning April 15, 2026, and each April 15 thereafter, the office shall submit an annual report summarizing key findings from the data system on education and workforce outcomes and education and workforce readiness to the general assembly, the state board of education, and the governor. The act creates the statewide longitudinal data system cash fund (cash fund). On July 1, 2024, the state treasurer shall transfer $5 million to the cash fund for purposes of the data system. Subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly for the 2024-25, 2025-26, and 2026-27 state fiscal years, the office and the department may expend money from the cash fund for purposes of the data system. The state treasurer shall transfer all unexpended and unencumbered money in the cash fund to the general fund on September 1, 2027. The act appropriates $4,432,419 from the cash fund to the office for purposes of the data system. The act appropriates $800,005 from the general fund to the department for purposes of the study. The act appropriates $202,992 from the cash fund to the department for purposes of the data system. APPROVED by Governor May 23, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 23, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 5/23/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-03-08 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1365 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Opportunity Now Grants & Tax Credit | M. Lukens (D) | M. Soper (R) / J. Bridges (D) | P. Will | On July 1, 2024, the act requires the state treasurer to transfer $3.8 million from the general fund to the regional talent development initiative grant program fund to address workforce shortages in infrastructure and building trades. Of this amount, the office of economic development (office) is authorized to use not more than 7% for the administrative costs incurred to administer the regional talent development initiative grant program. The regional talent summit grant program (grant program) is created and is administered by the office. The grant program, through a selection committee, will award grants to and contract with a program facilitator to convene and facilitate regional summits across the state. The goals of the program facilitator are to understand workforce development needs in identified regions of the state, generate a landscape analysis for each identified region that includes job projections and an overview of educational pathways, gather insight from employers about critical workforce and training needs, create regional goals for addressing talent needs, and develop comprehensive tactical plans. Beginning January 1, 2026, any modified or new local workforce development plan must incorporate the tactical plans. The workforce development plans must be published in the Colorado talent report. The program facilitator must complete all regional talent summits on or before July 1, 2025, and submit workforce plans as a result of the regional talent summits by December 1, 2025. The grant program, through a selection committee, will also award grants to one or more regional hosts to secure facilities to host regional talent summits, determine community partners to attend the summits, and gather insight from regional employers about critical workforce and training needs. The regional talent summit grant program fund (fund) is created in the state treasury. On July 1, 2024, the state treasurer is required to transfer $200,000 from the general fund to the fund. The money in the fund is continuously appropriated to the office to be used for purposes of the grant program. The act establishes a state income tax credit (tax credit) for the costs of facility improvement and equipment acquisition associated with training programs designed to alleviate workforce shortages beginning January 1, 2026. A qualified taxpayer in a qualified industry may earn a tax credit equal to up to 50% of the costs incurred by the qualified taxpayer to improve its facilities and acquire equipment. The tax credit is refundable and may not be carried forward. To claim the tax credit, a qualified taxpayer must first reserve the tax credit by applying to be in the evaluation pool established by the office. A selection committee will consider the merits of each application to determine which taxpayers are qualified to reserve the tax credit. If a taxpayer is qualified and approved, the taxpayer is required to incur facility improvements and equipment acquisition costs to claim the tax credit. If the applicant submits evidence that the costs were incurred during the income tax year for which the applicant applied, and those costs are certified by a certified public accountant, the applicant may be awarded a tax credit. The aggregate amount of tax credits reserved in one calendar year cannot exceed $15 million and the amount is decreased to $7.5 million if the September revenue forecasts by legislative council or the office of state planning and budgeting project that state revenues will not increase by at least 4% for that fiscal year. A person or organization not subject to tax or a person or organization exempt from taxes is required to make and file a return containing information prescribed by the executive director to claim the tax credit. The workforce development tax credit program cash fund (fund) is created in the state treasury. The fund consists of gifts, grants, donations, and fee revenue credited to the fund and any money the general assembly may appropriate to the fund. The money in the fund is continuously appropriated to the office for the purpose of administering the tax credit. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $109,603 from the general fund to the office of the governor for use by economic development programs. The appropriation may be used for opportunity now grant administration. APPROVED by Governor June 7, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 6/7/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-03-08 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1393 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Accelerating Concurrent Enrollment Program Modifications | S. Bird (D) | R. Taggart (R) / R. Zenzinger | B. Kirkmeyer (R) | Under current law, the accelerating students through concurrent enrollment (ASCENT) program is available to all qualified students who are designated to participate by their local education provider. The act: Starting in the 2025-26 state fiscal year, caps the number of qualified students who participate in the ASCENT program at the number of qualified students who participated in the ASCENT program in the 2024-25 state fiscal year; and Creates additional eligibility requirements to participate in the ASCENT program. The act requires the department of education to submit a report to the education committees of the house and the senate and the joint budget committee regarding the ASCENT program. Under current law, the district's total program formula includes funding for a district's extended high school pupil enrollment, determined by the district's number of pupils who are concurrently enrolled in a postsecondary course multiplied by a dollar amount that annually increases. Starting in the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the act amends the district's extended high school funding formula to cap the dollar amount that is multiplied by the district's ASCENT program students within the district's extended high school funding formula. For purposes of the act, the cash funds appropriation made in the annual general appropriation act for the 2024-25 state fiscal year is reduced by $1,081,762, and for the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the general assembly appropriates $45,600 to the department of education. APPROVED by Governor April 18, 2024 PORTIONS EFFECTIVE April 18, 2024 PORTIONS EFFECTIVE July 1, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 4/18/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-03-25 | No amendments found | |
| HB24-1396 | NOT ON CALENDAR | General Fund Transfer to Advanced Industries Programs | S. Bird (D) | R. Taggart (R) / J. Bridges (D) | B. Kirkmeyer (R) | The advanced industries acceleration cash fund (AI cash fund) consists, in part, of money transferred annually to the fund from the general fund pursuant to the "Colorado Bioscience and Clean Technology Innovation Reinvestment Act" (bioscience act). The amount of money transferred pursuant to the bioscience act is based on the amount of income tax withholding for certain bioscience and clean technology occupation classifications. The act extends both the transfers to the AI cash fund and the bioscience act, which had respectively been scheduled to repeal on July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026, for an additional 8 years so that the last transfer is scheduled for March 1, 2033, and the bioscience act is scheduled to repeal, effective July 1, 2034. APPROVED by Governor April 18, 2024 EFFECTIVE April 18, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 4/18/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-03-25 | No amendments found | |
| HB24-1402 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Evaluation of Colorado Department of Higher Education Information Technology | S. Bird (D) | E. Sirota (D) / J. Bridges (D) | R. Zenzinger | The act requires the office of information technology (office) in the office of the governor to evaluate, or contract with a third party to evaluate, the information technology functions and services of the department of higher education (department) for the purpose of assessing possibilities for consolidating existing information technology functions and services with those information technology functions and services managed by the office, and if the evaluation shows that consolidation would be beneficial, create a proposed plan and accompanying budget for consolidating the department's information technology functions and services with those information technology functions and services managed by the office. The act appropriates $280,000 for the 2024-25 state fiscal year from the general fund to the governor's office for allocation to the office of the governor to implement the act. APPROVED by Governor April 18, 2024 EFFECTIVE April 18, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 4/18/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-03-25 | No amendments found | |
| HB24-1409 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Employment-Related Funding & Workforce Enterprise | S. Bird (D) | E. Sirota (D) / J. Bridges (D) | R. Zenzinger | Under current law, employers pay an annual support surcharge to fund unemployment administration and to support the solvency of the unemployment insurance trust fund. This surcharge is deposited into several different funds. The act adjusts the deposits as follows: 35% (decreased from 59.46%) to the employment support fund; 19% (increased from 18.92%) to the benefit recovery fund; 32% (increased from 21.62%) to the employment and training technology fund; and 14% to the workforce development fund in the workforce development enterprise (enterprise), which is created in the act. Each of these funds has a limit on the maximum amount of money that can be held in the fund. The act requires the maximum amount to be adjusted for inflation based on the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood consumer price index. The act adjusts these initial caps as follows: Decreases the cap for the employment support fund from $32,000,000 to $7,000,000; Decreases the cap for the employment and training technology fund from $31,000,000 to $13,200,000; and Establishes the cap for the workforce development fund at $6,800,000. The $15,000,000 cap for the benefit recovery fund remains the same. The enterprise is created within the division of employment and training in the department of labor and employment (division) for the business purpose of ensuring Coloradans' access to workforce development services and to Colorado's workforce development centers. The act appropriates $14,003,304 to the department of labor and employment from the workforce development fund for use by the division for workforce center program costs related to the enterprise. APPROVED by Governor May 31, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 15, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 5/31/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-03-25 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1410 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Changes to Just Transition Office | S. Bird (D) | R. Taggart (R) / J. Bridges (D) | R. Zenzinger | The act relocates the just transition office (office) from the division of employment and training in the department of labor and employment to the office of the executive director of the department of labor and employment. The act changes the deadline for the office to expend money in the just transition cash fund (fund) from state fiscal year 2023-24 to state fiscal year 2029-30. The act modifies the types of programs that the office supports using money from the fund. APPROVED by Governor May 31, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 31, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 5/31/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-03-25 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1430 | NOT ON CALENDAR | 2024-25 Long Appropriations Bill | S. Bird (D) / R. Zenzinger | For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, the bill provides for the payment of expenses of the executive, legislative, and judicial departments of the state of Colorado, and of its agencies and institutions. The grand total for the operating budget is set at $42,929,675,236. The general funds portion of the appropriation is set at $12,398,541,034; the general fund exempt portion is set at $3,803,423,067; the cash funds portion is set at $11,342,249,687; the reappropriated funds portion is set at $2,878,921,519; and the federal funds portion is set at $12,506,539,929. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, the grand total for the state fiscal year for capital construction projects is set at $367,677,785. The capital construction fund portion of the appropriation is set at $262,215,419; the cash funds portion is set at $103,554,776; and the federal funds portion is set at $1,907,590. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, the grand total for information technology projects is set at $158,354,132. The capital construction fund portion of the appropriation is set at $86,836,669; the cash fund portion is set at $14,255,934; and the federal funds portion is set at $57,261,529. The 2021 general appropriation act is amended to balance and make adjustments to the total amount appropriated for capital construction projects and capital construction information technology projects. The 2023 general appropriation act is amended to balance and make adjustments to the total amount appropriated to the department of education; the offices of the governor, lieutenant governor, and state planning and budgeting; and the departments of health care policy and financing, higher education, local affairs, personnel, public health and environment, and public safety. Appropriations were made in several bills during the 2023 legislative session that are further amended to balance and make adjustments and to extend the appropriation of unexpended amounts to the 2024-25 fiscal year. APPROVED by Governor April 29, 2024 EFFECTIVE April 29, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 4/29/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-03-26 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1439 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Financial Incentives Expand Apprenticeship Programs | J. Willford (D) | R. Weinberg (R) / J. Coleman (D) | M. Baisley (R) | For income tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2025, but before January 1, 2035, section 1 of the act creates a refundable state income tax credit (tax credit) that an employer may claim if the employer employs an apprentice for at least 6 months during an income tax year and either has a registered apprenticeship program or is an employer-partner of a registered apprenticeship program. The amount of the tax credit is up to $6,300 for 6 months of employment plus up to $1,050 for each additional month of employment, for a maximum of up to $12,600 per apprentice per income tax year. An employer may not claim a credit for: More than 10 apprentices per income tax year; The same apprentice for more than 24 consecutive months; and An apprentice for months when the apprentice did not receive wages from the employer. To claim a tax credit, an employer must submit an application for the reservation of the tax credit and an application to receive an income tax credit certificate to the state apprenticeship agency (SAA) in the department of labor and employment (department). The SAA shall review the applications for specified criteria to determine whether the employer qualifies for the tax credit and tax credit certificate. An employer issued a tax credit certificate must file the certificate with the employer's state income tax return. The SAA is required to submit certain information and reports, as applicable, regarding the tax credit to the state auditor and the department of revenue. The SAA must also conduct outreach and provide technical assistance to small businesses concerning awareness of and application for the tax credit. Section 2 ends the state income tax credit for qualified investments made in a qualified school-to-career program for income tax years after December 31, 2024. Section 4 creates the scale-up grant program in the department to start new registered apprenticeship programs or expand existing programs in Colorado. The scale-up grant program awards grants from the money in the scale-up grant fund, which is created in the act. Eligible grant recipients include employers or entities that operate an apprenticeship program and that: Plan to develop and register a new registered apprenticeship program; or Currently offer a registered apprenticeship program and plan to expand it. The act requires the department to collect specified data regarding the scale-up grant program and submit a report to specified committees of the general assembly. Section 4 also creates the qualified apprenticeship intermediary grant program in the department to support entities that demonstrate expertise in connecting employers or apprenticeship program participants to registered apprenticeship programs or in convening stakeholders to develop registered apprenticeship programs. The SAA must post a list of the types of entities eligible to apply to the grant program on the SAA's website. The qualified apprenticeship intermediary grant program awards grants from the money in the qualified apprenticeship intermediary grant fund, which is created in the act. An eligible grant recipient must be a qualified apprenticeship intermediary. The act requires the department to collect specified data regarding the qualified apprenticeship intermediary grant program and submit a report to specified committees of the general assembly. On July 1, 2024, the state treasurer shall transfer from the general fund $2 million to the scale-up grant fund and $2 million to the qualified apprenticeship intermediary grant fund. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the following amounts are appropriated to the department for use by the office of future of work to implement the act: $103,515 from the general fund; $666,666 from the scale-up grant fund; and $666,667 from the qualified apprenticeship intermediary grant fund. APPROVED by Governor May 10, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 10, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 5/10/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-04-02 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1446 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Professional Development for Science Teachers | B. McLachlan | A. Hartsook (R) / J. Buckner (D) | B. Pelton (R) | The act requires the department of education to develop and offer a free, optional professional development program (program) to enhance pedagogy around research-based Colorado academic standards in science. The program must include opportunities for in-person and virtual instruction on interventions for students who are below grade level or struggling in science, children with disabilities, gifted students, and students who are English language learners. The program must create incentives for teacher participation by offering ongoing professional development credit toward licensure renewal. The program prioritizes professional development for eligible science teachers employed at local education providers in rural school districts and small rural school districts. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $3 million to the department of education from the state education fund for science teacher professional development. APPROVED by Governor May 23, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 5/23/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-04-09 | Amendments | |
| HB24-1461 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Exemption for College Program Completion Earned Time | M. Martinez (D) | R. Pugliese (R) / J. Gonzales (D) | 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.) | 6/5/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-04-20 | No amendments found | |
| SB24-007 | Wednesday, May 8 2024 THIRD READING OF BILLS - FINAL PASSAGE (4) in house calendar. | Behavioral Health First Aid Training Program | R. Fields | D. Michaelson Jenet (D) / B. Titone (D) | R. Weinberg (R) | The act creates the behavioral health first aid training program (training program) in the office of suicide prevention (office) in the department of public health and environment (department). The purpose of the training program is to: Improve overall community climate and promote adult, teen, and youth behavioral health, mental health, and mental well-being; Train educators and school staff; employees of community-based, youth-based, or nonprofit organizations; employees of organizations that serve underserved populations; faith-based community members; law enforcement officers; first responders; and active duty or retired military personnel (candidates) to recognize the warning signs and symptoms of mental illness and substance use among adults, teens, and youth; Train candidates on how to respond to an adult, teen, or youth who is experiencing mental health or substance use challenges; Train candidates on crisis intervention strategies and best practices; Prepare candidates to teach adults and teens how to recognize warning signs and symptoms of mental health or substance use challenges; Prepare candidates to teach teens how to find a responsible and trusted adult for assistance when a peer is struggling with mental health or substance use challenges or crisis; and Prepare candidates to teach adults how to respond to a teen or youth struggling with a mental health or substance use challenge or crisis. The office is required to contract with a Colorado-based nonprofit organization (third-party entity) to offer and administer the training program to organizations that apply to participate and are accepted in the training program that include, but are not limited to, school districts, district charter schools, institute charter schools, boards of cooperative services, the Colorado school for the deaf and the blind, local public health agencies, community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, organizations that serve underserved communities, law enforcement agencies, first responder organizations, military forces, and faith-based organizations (organizations). The act requires the office to promulgate rules to establish criteria for an application process. The third-party entity shall create an application process based on the rules promulgated by the office. In selecting organizations to participate in the training program, the third-party entity shall prioritize the organization's geographic diversity, existing resources and infrastructure, and plan to implement the training program and associated curriculum. Subject to available appropriations, the training program is available at no cost to the organizations selected to participate. The office shall use pre- and post-course surveys developed by a national mental and behavioral health organization to evaluate the effectiveness of the training program. The third-party entity shall administer the pre- and post-course surveys to collect evaluation data from the organizations that participate in the training program. The third-party entity shall submit a report to the office summarizing the evaluation data collected. The office is required to include a summary of the evaluation data collected and recommendations, if necessary, concerning the training program in the office's annual report submitted to the general assembly each November 1. The training program is scheduled for a sunset review and repeal, effective September 1, 2033. The act appropriates $250,000 to the department for purposes of the training program. APPROVED by Governor June 5, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 5, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 6/5/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-10 | Amendments | |
| SB24-010 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Dentist & Dental Hygienist Compact | J. Ginal | P. Will / M. Duran (D) | A. Hartsook (R) | The act adopts the dentist and dental hygienist compact (compact) to facilitate the interstate practice of dentistry and dental hygiene. With the adoption of the compact, a dentist or dental hygienist who holds an active, unencumbered license in a participating state and does not have an encumbered license from any participating state may apply to another participating state (remote state) for a privilege to practice dentistry or dental hygiene, as applicable, (compact privilege) in that state. Under a compact privilege, the dentist or dental hygienist must practice within the scope of practice authorized for a dentist or dental hygienist licensed in the remote state and is subject to the remote state's licensing authority, which may, within the borders of the remote state, take adverse action against the dentist's or dental hygienist's compact privilege in order to protect the health and safety of its citizens. If a remote state, acting through its licensing authority, takes adverse action, the dentist's or dental hygienist's compact privilege in all remote states is removed until any restriction on the compact privilege is removed. Only the participating state in which the dentist or dental hygienist is licensed may take adverse action against the dental or dental hygienist's license; however, a remote state may take adverse action against the dentist's or dental hygienist's compact privilege in the remote state. The compact creates the dentist and dental hygienist compact commission (commission). The commission consists of one commissioner from each participating state who is selected by the state's licensing authority. The compact authorizes the commission to create the administrative structure for the compact, including granting the powers necessary to establish and operate the commission, adopt rules and bylaws, establish an executive committee, hire employees, establish an office, and conduct the commission's meetings. Further, the commission shall develop and maintain a coordinated database and reporting system to include significant investigatory information from participating states concerning the dentist's or dental hygienist's practice and to record any adverse action against the dentist or dental hygienist. To pay the costs associated with the compact, the compact authorizes the commission to levy and collect an annual assessment from each participating state and to impose fees on licensees for the granting or renewal of a compact privilege; except that an active military member or the member's spouse will not be required to pay the commission's fee for a compact privilege. The compact includes provisions governing disputes among participating states and between the commission and a participating state, enforcement provisions, and withdrawal of participating states from the compact. The compact is effective for participating states on the date on which the compact is enacted in the seventh participating state. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, $78,750 is appropriated to the department of regulatory agencies from the division of professions and occupations cash fund for use by the department to implement the act. APPROVED by Governor May 17, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 5/17/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-10 | Amendments | |
| SB24-012 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Reentry Workforce Development Cash Assistance Pilot Program | J. Gonzales (D) | J. Coleman (D) / M. Young | J. Mabrey (D) | The bill creates the reentry workforce development cash assistance pilot program (pilot program) in the department of corrections (department) to provide cash assistance to persons who enroll and participate in workforce services or training programs after incarceration. The pilot program provides a total payment of up to $3,000 to eligible persons for basic life expenses. The bill requires the department to contract with an organization to administer the pilot program, perform an annual survey of pilot program recipients, and produce an annual report that is submitted to the judiciary committees of the senate and house of representatives. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) | 2/7/2024 Senate Committee on Judiciary Postpone Indefinitely | 2024-01-10 | No amendments found | |
| SB24-014 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Seal of Climate Literacy Diploma Endorsement | C. Hansen (D) / B. McLachlan | The act authorizes a school district, board of cooperative services, district charter high school, institute charter high school, or the Colorado school for the deaf and the blind (local education provider) to grant a high school diploma endorsement in climate literacy (seal of climate literacy) to graduating students who demonstrate mastery in climate literacy and attain green skills or technical green skills. The purpose of the seal of climate literacy is to give a student personal agency to help the student and the student's communities understand or adapt to the effects of climate change. To obtain a seal of climate literacy, a student must complete the minimum high school graduation requirements of the local education provider, successfully complete at least 2 courses in the area of climate literacy selected by the local education provider, and successfully complete a final experiential learning project (final project) that is approved, supported, and facilitated by a climate literacy experiential learning provider (learning provider). The local education provider may collaborate with local businesses, nonprofit organizations, industry leaders, and institutions of higher education to support students' climate literacy. Beginning with students in the sixth grade, each local education provider shall annually notify students and their legal guardians of the requirements for obtaining a seal of climate literacy. On or before July 1, 2025, and every July 1 thereafter, each local education provider shall collect data on the seal of climate literacy, including: The schools that awarded the seal of climate literacy; The number of students who received the seal of climate literacy; The types of final projects students have completed; The names of the learning providers who approve, support, and facilitate students' final projects; A list of academic courses students have completed to earn the seal of climate literacy; and Any other findings related to the seal of climate literacy. On or before October 1, 2025, and every October 1 thereafter, each local education provider shall submit a report to the department of education (department) summarizing the data collected. The department may collaborate with a nonprofit organization to evaluate the data collected and prepare a report summarizing the data. On or before January 15, 2026, and every January 15 thereafter, the department shall submit the report to the house of representatives education committee and the senate education committee, or their successor committees, and the state board of education. The act appropriates $18,749 to the department from the general fund for purposes of the seal of climate literacy. APPROVED by Governor May 23, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 5/23/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-10 | Amendments | |
| SB24-015 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Licensed Professional Counselors in Communities | C. Kolker (D) / M. Young | The bill creates the dual licensure stipend program (stipend program) in the division of professions and occupations (division). The purpose of the stipend program is to increase the number of licensed professional counselors in communities by: Reimbursing licensed professional counselor supervisors (supervisors) who provide clinical supervision to school counselors who are seeking licensure as licensed professional counselors (dual licensure candidate); and Reimbursing dual licensure candidates for the cost of examination fees and application fees. A dual licensure candidate is eligible for the stipend program if the dual licensure candidate is a licensed special services provider and has completed a master's or doctoral degree in professional counseling from an accredited school or college or an equivalent program. The bill requires the division to contract with a Colorado nonprofit organization or membership organization (Colorado organization) to manage and administer the stipend program. The Colorado organization must have experience administrating grant programs and working with school counselors or mental health professionals. The bill requires the division to provide the Colorado organization publicly available information on supervisors who can provide clinical supervision to dual licensure candidates. The Colorado organization shall maintain the list of supervisors by confirming whether a supervisor opts in to the stipend program and provides clinical supervision to dual licensure candidates. The Colorado organization shall determine a set rate for supervisors who provide clinical supervision to dual licensure candidates. The bill requires the Colorado organization to annually collect data on: The number of dual licensure candidates participating in the stipend program; The number of supervisors participating in the stipend program; and The geographic locations of the dual licensure candidates and supervisors participating in the stipend program. The Colorado organization shall draft a report summarizing the data collected. The bill requires the division to submit the report to the education committee and the public and behavioral health and human services committee of the house of representatives, the education committee and the health and human services committee of the senate, or their successor committees. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) | 2/20/2024 Senate Committee on Finance Refer Unamended to Appropriations | 2024-01-10 | Amendments | |
| SB24-018 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Physician Assistant Licensure Compact | C. Simpson (R) | D. Michaelson Jenet (D) / J. Amabile (D) | T. Winter (R) | The act enacts the "Physician Assistant Licensure Compact" (compact). The compact is designed to enable a physician assistant with a license in a state that has signed the compact (participating state) to more easily become authorized to practice in any other participating state. Participating states and physician assistants must meet specific conditions enumerated in the compact to participate in the compact. The compact allows only the participating state where a physician assistant is licensed to discipline the physician assistant, but allows a participating state where the physician assistant is practicing, but is not licensed, to revoke the physician assistant's authority to practice in that state. The act authorizes the Colorado medical board (board) to promulgate rules and to facilitate Colorado's participation in the compact, including notifying the Compact Commission (commission) established by the compact of any adverse action taken by the board against a physician assistant licensed in Colorado or practicing in Colorado under the compact. The commission includes a delegate from each participating state and has the powers and duties set forth in the act. The compact becomes effective on the date the compact is enacted in the seventh participating state. APPROVED by Governor May 17, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 6/7/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-10 | Amendments | |
| SB24-050 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Colorado Workforce Demonstration Grants Pilot Program | T. Exum (D) | The bill creates the Colorado workforce demonstration grants pilot program (pilot program) in the office of economic development (office) to provide grants to eligible workforce training providers in order to facilitate workforce training for eligible participants. The office administers the pilot program and awards grants from the Colorado workforce demonstration grants pilot program cash fund (fund), which is created in the bill. In awarding grants, the office must: Give first priority to eligible workforce training providers that implement a proven program or practice; Give second priority to eligible workforce training providers that implement an evidence-informed program or practice; and Allocate one-third of the money appropriated to the fund to eligible workforce training providers that are qualified intermediaries, so long as at least one eligible workforce training provider that is a qualified intermediary selected to participate includes in its application a plan to conduct an evaluation that, once completed, will demonstrate that the qualified intermediary is offering a proven program or practice. An eligible workforce training provider that receives a grant from the pilot program must report to the office certain information concerning the proven programs or practices and the evidence-informed programs or practices that it provides or facilitates with the grant money. The office must conduct an evaluation of long-term wage outcomes for eligible participants served by eligible workforce training providers under the pilot program. The evaluation must anonymize personal data, aggregate data by each eligible workforce training provider, and be consolidated into a single annual report. The office must submit an annual summarized report to the legislative subject matter committees concerned with labor and employment. The pilot program is repealed, effective July 1, 2029. Any unexpended and unencumbered money remaining in the fund is transferred to the general fund. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) | 2/1/2024 Senate Committee on Business, Labor, & Technology Refer Unamended to Appropriations | 2024-01-12 | No amendments found | |
| SB24-051 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Adult Education | R. Zenzinger | B. Kirkmeyer (R) / C. Kipp (D) | M. Catlin (R) | Current law permits a community college or local district college to develop and implement minimum graduation requirements for a high school diploma. The act gives that authority to the state board of community colleges and occupational education and a local district college board of trustees. The act authorizes the department of education (department) to roll forward unexpended and unencumbered money appropriated to the department from the general fund for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 state fiscal years for the adult education and literacy grant program (program). The money is available to the department for the program through the 2028-29 state fiscal year, at which time it reverts to the general fund. APPROVED by Governor March 6, 2024 EFFECTIVE March 6, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 3/6/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-17 | No amendments found | |
| SB24-053 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Racial Equity Study | J. Coleman (D) / L. Herod | N. Ricks (D) | The act establishes the Black Coloradan racial equity commission (commission) in the legislative department to conduct a study to determine, and make recommendations related to, any historical and ongoing effects of slavery and subsequent systemic racism on Black Coloradans that may be attributed to Colorado state practices, systems, and policies. The study includes historical research conducted by the state historical society (society), commonly known as history Colorado, and an economic analysis conducted by a third party. The society may enter into an agreement with a third-party entity to conduct all or parts of the historical research. The society shall conduct at least 2 community engagement sessions for members of the public to provide input to the society. The society shall provide the commission with quarterly updates about the status of its research. The society is required to submit a report to the commission with the results of its research and any recommendations. The commission shall enter into an agreement with a third party to conduct an economic analysis of the financial impact of systemic racism on historically impacted Black Coloradans utilizing the findings of the society's historical research. The third party shall deliver the results of its economic analysis to the commission. At the conclusion of the study, the commission shall submit a report to the general assembly and the governor about the study and make the report available on a publicly accessible webpage of the general assembly's website. The report must include a description of the study's goals, the results of the historical research and economic analysis, and the commission's recommendations. After the commission submits the report, the commission shall work with any parties necessary to implement the recommendations in the report. The study is contingent upon the commission receiving $785,000 of gifts, grants, or donations for the purpose of conducting the study. The act creates the Black Coloradan racial equity study cash fund to accept the gifts, grants, or donations received for the study. The money in the cash fund is continuously appropriated to legislative council for use by the commission and to the society for conducting the historical research. APPROVED by Governor June 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 6/4/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-17 | Amendments | |
| SB24-055 | Wednesday, May 8 2024 THIRD READING OF BILLS - FINAL PASSAGE (1) in house calendar. | Agricultural & Rural Behavioral Health Care | J. Marchman (D) | P. Will / M. Lukens (D) | A. Hartsook (R) | The act creates the agricultural and rural community behavioral health program (program) in the behavioral health administration (BHA). The BHA is required to identify a specific BHA staff person to serve as a liaison between the BHA, the department of agriculture (department), behavioral health-care providers, rural community leaders, agricultural communities, and nonprofit organizations that serve agricultural communities. The program shall: Engage in statewide community outreach to educate communities on behavioral health issues facing farmers, ranchers, other agricultural industry workers, their families, and rural communities; Establish interdepartmental relationships; and Develop an understanding of and address the root causes of behavioral health issues in the agricultural industry and in rural communities. The act creates the agricultural behavioral health community of practice work group (work group) in the department. The purpose of the work group is to convene a group of leaders and experts in agriculture and behavioral health care to improve access to behavioral health care for those involved in agriculture and their families. The work group consists of at least 7 members and shall: Compile best practices to provide behavioral health care to those involved in agriculture and their families; Identify gaps in the provision of behavioral health care to those involved in agriculture; Engage with other stakeholders involved in behavioral health care focused on those involved in agriculture; Collect data, as permitted by state and federal data privacy laws, on behavioral health-care outcomes in agricultural communities and steps taken to support those involved in agriculture through behavioral health initiatives and programs; and Report to the department and the BHA on the data collected and recommend legislative or policy changes to further improve agricultural behavioral health care. The work group is scheduled for sunset review and repeal on September 1, 2029. The act establishes the agricultural behavioral health grant program (grant program) in the department. Subject to available appropriations, the department may administer the grant program. The purpose of the grant program is to: Continue existing programs or create new programs that address the root causes of behavioral health issues in the agricultural industry or in rural communities; Strengthen collaborative efforts between organizations and communities in addressing the root causes of behavioral health issues in the agricultural industry or in rural communities; and Improve access to health, wellness, and behavioral health care for farmers, ranchers, other agricultural industry workers, and their families. The act requires the department to contract with a statewide agricultural organization to convene an in-person annual summit for organizations with an interest in promoting and providing behavioral health care to agricultural communities. The department and the BHA are required to enter into an interagency agreement to share data collected in the course of addressing behavioral health-care issues in the agricultural industry and in rural communities. The interagency agreement must state that the data shared will be aggregated and anonymized, and data sharing must be in compliance with state and federal data privacy laws. On or before January 1, 2026, and each January 1 thereafter, the department is required to submit a report summarizing data collected by the work group, and data collected from grant recipients, to the agriculture, water, and natural resources committee and the health and human services committee of the house of representatives and the agriculture and natural resources committee and the health and human services committee of the senate, or their successor committees, and the BHA. On or before January 1, 2027, and each January 1 thereafter, the department shall include in the report a summary of the data collected regarding the in-person annual summit. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the general assembly appropriates $61,989 from the general fund for use by the department to implement the act. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the general assembly appropriates $145,116 to the department of human services for use by the BHA to implement the act. APPROVED by Governor June 6, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 6/6/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-17 | Amendments | |
| SB24-059 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Children's Behavioral Health Statewide System of Care | B. Kirkmeyer (R) | D. Michaelson Jenet (D) / M. Duran (D) | R. Pugliese (R) | Colorado's Child Welfare System Interim Study Committee. The bill requires the behavioral health administration (BHA), in partnership with the office of children, youth, and families in the department of human services; the department of health care policy and financing; the division of insurance in the department of regulatory agencies; and the department of public health and environment, to develop, establish, and maintain a comprehensive children's behavioral health statewide system of care (system of care). The system of care will serve as the single point of access to address the behavioral health needs of children and youth in Colorado, regardless of payer, insurance, and income. The system of care shall serve children and youth up to twenty-one years of age who have mental health disorders, substance use disorders, co-occurring behavioral health disorders, or intellectual and developmental disabilities. The system of care must include, at a minimum, a statewide behavioral health standardized screening and assessment, trauma-informed mobile crisis response and stabilization services for children and youth, tiered care coordination for moderate and intensive levels of need, parent and youth peer support, intensive in-home and community-based services, and respite services. The bill establishes the office of the children's behavioral health statewide system of care (office) in the BHA. The office is the primary governance entity and is responsible for convening all relevant state agencies involved in the system of care, including, but not limited to, the department of human services office of children, youth, and families, the division of child welfare, and the division of youth services; the department of health care policy and financing; the division of insurance in the department of regulatory agencies; and the department of public health and environment. The office will be directed by the deputy commissioner of the office. The bill requires the office to create and convene, on or before November 1, 2024, a leadership team responsible for decision-making and oversight. The leadership team is required to provide a report to the house of representatives public and behavioral health and human services committee and the senate health and human services committee, or their successor committees, on or before July 1, 2027. The office is required to create and convene, on or before January 15, 2025, an implementation team that shall create an implementation plan for the system of care. The implementation plan must receive an annual minimum appropriation of $10 million and include the creation of a capacity-building center, which shall develop, implement, and fund, within available appropriations, the following: A student loan forgiveness program for students in behavioral health disciplines who make a 3- to 5-year commitment to work in shortage areas in the system of care; Paid internships and clinical rotations in the system of care and a description of multiple options for payment; Revisions to graduate medical education programs at Colorado institutions of higher education to support internships, residencies, fellowships, and student programs in child and youth behavioral health; A financial aid program for youth transitioning out of foster care who wish to pursue a career in children and youth behavioral health, developed in partnership with Colorado institutions of higher education and community colleges; and An expansion of current BHA efforts related to behavioral health apprenticeships, internships, stipends, and pre-licensure workforce support specific to service children, youth, and families. On or before January 15, 2025, the office is required to create an advisory council, composed of, at a minimum, family and youth providers, local partners, county departments of human and social services, county commissioners, juvenile justice agencies, families or individuals with lived experience using children's or youths' behavioral health services, consumer advocacy organizations, and university partners. The BHA shall develop a state-level process to monitor, report on, and promptly resolve complaints, grievances, and appeals, including recipient rights issues. The process must be available to providers, clients, case management entities, and anyone else working with the children and youth in the system of care. The bill requires the leadership team to begin, or contract for, on or before January 1, 2025, a cost and utilization analysis of the populations of children and youth who are included in the system of care. On or before July 1, 2025, the department of health care policy and financing, in consultation with the office, is required to establish standard and uniform medical necessity criteria for all system of care services. The department of health care policy and financing is required to set standard rate and utilization floors for all system of care services across all managed care entities. On or before July 1, 2025, the bill requires the department of health care policy and financing to establish a standard statewide medicaid fee schedule or rate frame for behavioral health services for children and youth and incorporate the fee schedule and rate frame into the contracts with managed care entities and behavioral health administrative services organizations. The fee schedule or rate frame must increase rates and incorporate enhanced rates or quality bonuses for evidence-based practices and extended weekday and weekend clinic hours and allow maximum flexibility for use of telehealth to expand access. The bill requires that each managed care entity or behavioral health administrative services organization contract with or have single-use agreements with every qualified residential treatment facility or psychiatric residential treatment facility that is licensed in Colorado. The office, advised by state and county partners, providers, and racially, ethnically, culturally, and geographically diverse family and youth representatives, is required to develop and establish a data and quality team. The data team shall track and report annually on key child welfare factors. The bill requires the BHA, advised by the office, to establish or procure a capacity-building center. The capacity-building center shall, at a minimum: Train, coach, and certify providers of the array of services offered through the system of care; Provide training, coaching, and certification related to the use of behavioral health screening and assessment tools to support a uniform assessment process and training in trauma-informed care to staff at relevant state agencies; Work with rural health clinics and federally qualified health centers to expand their capacity to provide behavioral health services to children and youth; Offer training and other strategies to expand the number of behavioral health providers in rural and other underserved communities; and Utilize data and reports to target its investment to build capacity in regions identified as lacking capacity. The bill requires the BHA to develop a website to provide regularly updated information to families, youth, providers, staff, system partners, and others regarding the goals, principles, activities, progress, and timelines for the system of care. The website must include key performance dashboard indicators; changes in access by the child welfare population; changes in access disparities between racial, ethnic, and regional groups; and changes in access to intensive- and moderate-care coordination with high-fidelity wraparound. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) | 5/2/2024 House Committee on Health & Human Services Postpone Indefinitely | 2024-01-17 | Amendments | |
| SB24-069 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Clarify Individualized Education Program Information | C. Kolker (D) | B. Kirkmeyer (R) / M. Young | L. Garcia (D) | On or before July 1, 2026, the act requires the department of education to: Create, deliver, and make publicly available a training program, in plain and easy-to-understand language, regarding individualized education program laws and procedures, including parent and student rights; and Deliver the training program in person and make the training program and related information publicly available online. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $75,288 from the general fund to the department to implement the act. APPROVED by Governor June 5, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 6/5/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-22 | Amendments | |
| SB24-070 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Remote Testing & Online Education Programs | P. Lundeen (R) | R. Zenzinger / B. McLachlan | R. Pugliese (R) | The act requires the department of education (department) to develop, review, and update state assessment administration and security policies (policies) for home-based, virtual administration of computer-based state assessments (assessments) for students enrolled full time in online schools or online programs. The policies must include, but are not limited to: Testing personnel qualifications; Maximum ratio of students to virtual administrator; Tester verification; Remote setting requirements, including restriction to other devices or people with or without internet capabilities; Monitoring of the test-taker and testing environment; Device and network requirements; Parental consent agreements; and Eligibility for schools to conduct assessments. The department's policies must support the collection of evidence and evaluation of assessment results in order to administer assessments in the 2024-25 school year, with the expectation of full implementation of assessments no later than the 2025-26 school year that result in valid scores. To establish the validity of assessments in the 2024-25 school year, the department shall conduct validation activities, gather data, and evaluate the comparability of home-based, virtual state assessments and school-based, in-person administered state assessments. To encourage student and educator participation in validation activities, the department may provide incentives. The act appropriates $440,000 to the department from the state education fund to implement the act. APPROVED by Governor June 5, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 5, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 6/5/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-22 | Amendments | |
| SB24-099 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Public Employees' Retirement Association Employment after Retirement for Rural Schools | R. Pelton (R) | J. Marchman (D) / T. Winter (R) | B. McLachlan | Current law limits the duration of employment a public employees' retirement association (PERA) service retiree can work for a PERA employer without a reduction in PERA retirement benefits. Under certain circumstances, a rural school district may hire a service retiree who is a teacher, a school bus driver, a school food services cook, a school nurse, or a qualified paraprofessional without the service retiree receiving a deduction in benefits for any length of employment in the calender year. The act adds superintendents and principals to the list of service retirees hired by a rural school district who may be employed without a reduction in benefits and clarifies that the exemption for a rural school district also includes a small rural school district which has a funded pupil count for the prior budget year of less than 1,000 pupils. The act also requires PERA, on or before December 1, 2025, and on or before December 1 of each 5th year thereafter, to submit a report to the finance and education committees of the house of representatives and the senate or any successor committees regarding certain employment after service retirement allowances. The report must include: The number of service retirees under certain allowances who have been employed after service retirement as of the date of the report; The extent to which certain employment after service retirement allowances have helped employers in the school division address shortages; The costs, if any, to PERA as a result of certain employment after service retirement allowances; and Any other information deemed relevant by PERA. APPROVED by Governor April 11, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 4/11/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-24 | Amendments | |
| SB24-103 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Labor & Employment Statutes Technical Changes | B. Pelton (R) | J. Ginal / B. McLachlan | Section 1 of the act corrects a cross reference to the annual Colorado talent report by deleting a reference to a subsection that does not exist within the article regarding intrastate air service within the state of Colorado. Section 2 removes unnecessary language to clarify that a qualifying organization that receives a grant from the immigration legal defense fund shall only use the grant for services that include providing indigent clients with representation before the board of immigration appeals within the United States department of justice, but not representation before a United States district court, a United States circuit court of appeals, or the United States supreme court. Section 3 clarifies that the "approval" granted by a state apprenticeship agency refers to the approval of an apprenticeship program. Sections 4 and 5 correct inconsistencies in the membership of 2 committees regarding apprenticeships. Current law establishing the committee for apprenticeship in the building and construction trades (CABCT) states that the CABCT consists of 16 members, but the statute outlines the appointment of 17 members. The act changes the total membership of the CABCT to 17 members. Current law also dictates that the governor appoints 7 members to serve concurrently on both the CABCT and the committee for apprenticeship in new and emerging industries (CANEI). This conflicts with current law establishing the CANEI, which states that the governor appoints 6 members to the CANEI, only 5 of whom serve concurrently on the CABCT. There are presently 7 members appointed by the governor on the CANEI who serve concurrently on the CABCT. The act resolves this conflict by clarifying that the governor appoints 7 members to the CANEI, all of whom are concurrently appointed to the CABCT. APPROVED by Governor March 22, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 3/22/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-26 | No amendments found | |
| SB24-104 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Career & Technical Education & Apprenticeships | J. Danielson (D) / E. Hamrick (D) | The act requires the state apprenticeship agency in the department of labor and employment (department), in coordination with the career and technical education division of the Colorado community college system, to align the high school career and technical education system and the registered apprenticeship system for programs and occupations related to infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, education, or health care (programs and occupations). On and after July 1, 2026, the act requires both entities to expand the number of aligned pathways for programs and occupations identified as top jobs by the annual Colorado talent pipeline report. The act requires the office of future of work in the department to engage in proactive outreach to foster collaboration between registered apprenticeship programs, the Colorado community college system, career and technical education programs, institutions of higher education, and other training providers in the related programs and occupations to facilitate awareness of opportunities for current and prospective participants. The act appropriates $87,326 to the department from the general fund for use by the office of the executive director of the department and $95,245 in reappropriated funds to the department of higher education. APPROVED by Governor May 31, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 5/31/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-01-26 | Amendments | |
| SB24-109 | Wednesday, May 8 2024 THIRD READING OF BILLS - FINAL PASSAGE (8) in house calendar. | Continue Colorado Veterans' Service-to-Career Program | N. Hinrichsen (D) | B. Pelton (R) / A. Hartsook (R) | D. Ortiz | The Colorado veterans' service-to-career program (program) authorizes nonprofit agencies to partner with work force centers selected by the department of labor and employment (department) to provide veterans and other eligible participants with skills training, internships, work placements, mentorship opportunities, career and professional counseling, and support services. Under current law, the general assembly is allowed to annually appropriate money from the marijuana tax cash fund to the department to be used for the program. The act extends the repeal date for the program from July 1, 2024, to September 1, 2027. In addition, the act removes the provision permitting the appropriation of money from the marijuana tax cash fund and instead allows the general assembly to appropriate money from the general fund to be used for the program. APPROVED by Governor June 6, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 6, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 6/6/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-02-05 | Amendments | |
| SB24-115 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Mental Health Professionals Practice Requirements | D. Michaelson Jenet (D) | J. Smallwood / M. Young | E. Sirota (D) | The act removes the requirement that a mental health professional provide each client with an explanation of the levels of regulation and the differences between licensure, registration, and certification of mental health professionals. The act removes the requirement for an individual to take and pass the board of social work examiners' masters examination in order to obtain a licensed social worker license. In order for an individual to obtain a registration as a psychologist candidate (PSYC), a clinical social worker candidate (SWC), a marriage and family therapist candidate (MFTC), a licensed professional counselor candidate (LPCC), or an addiction counselor candidate (ADDC), the act requires the individual to pass the Colorado jurisprudence examination. The act authorizes PSYCs, SWCs, MFTCs, LPCCs, and ADDCs to renew their candidate registrations if they are unable to complete all the post-degree licensure requirements within the 3-year time frame that a registration is valid and allows candidates whose registrations have expired to reapply for the registration. The act requires certain mental health professionals, prior to a renewal of a license or registration, to complete continuing professional development and educational hours. On or before December 31, 2024,the state board of psychologist examiners, the state board of social work examiners, the state board of marriage and family therapist examiners, the state board of licensed professional counselor examiners, and the state board of addiction counselor examiners are required to begin the rule-making process to align their respective rules with their respective practice acts. APPROVED by Governor May 22, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 5/22/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-02-05 | Amendments | |
| SB24-122 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Empowerment Scholarship Accounts | B. Kirkmeyer (R) | The bill creates the empowerment scholarship program (program) in the department of education (department). The purpose of the program is to meet the educational needs of every eligible student by assisting with certain education expenses. The bill requires: The department to contract with an entity that will administer the program (administering entity); The department to transfer to the administering entity an amount equal to 80% of the prior budget year's statewide average of district per pupil funding for an eligible student who receives a scholarship, except to prorate the amount based on the amount of time remaining in the budget year if the eligible student is found eligible after the beginning of the budget year; The parent of an eligible student to apply to the administering entity for an empowerment scholarship account (account); A parent of an eligible student to only spend money in the account on defined eligible expenses; and The administering entity to oversee the program and comply with an audit to ensure scholarship money is spent on defined eligible expenses.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) | 2/28/2024 Senate Committee on Education Postpone Indefinitely | 2024-02-05 | No amendments found | |
| SB24-141 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Out-of-State Telehealth Providers | K. Van Winkle (R) | D. Michaelson Jenet (D) / M. Bradfield (R) | M. Rutinel (D) | The act allows a health-care provider (applicant) who possesses a license, certificate, registration, or other approval as a health-care provider in another state (out-of-state credential) to provide health-care services through telehealth to patients located in Colorado if the applicant registers with the regulator that regulates the health-care services the applicant will provide (regulator). An applicant is eligible for registration if: The applicant submits an application in a manner prescribed by the division of professions and occupations (division) in the department of regulatory agencies (department) and pays the applicable fee; The applicant possesses an out-of-state credential issued by a governmental authority in another state, the District of Columbia, or a possession or territory of the United States that is active and unencumbered, that has educational and supervisory standards equivalent to or exceeding the educational and supervisory standards required for the equivalent credential in this state or the interstate compacft license for the applicable credential type, and that entitles the applicant to perform health-care services that are substantially similar to health-care services that may be performed by a licensee, certificate holder, or registrant in this state; The applicant designates an agent upon whom service of process may be made in Colorado; The applicant has not been subject to any disciplinary action relating to the applicant's out-of-state credential during the 5-year period immediately preceding the submission of the applicant's application that has resulted in the applicant's out-of-state credential being limited, suspended, or revoked, unless the disciplinary action pertains to an action, behavior, or treatment permitted under Colorado law; and The applicant demonstrates passage of a jurisprudence examination administered by the division if passage of a jurisprudence examination is required for substantially similar credentialing in this state. An applicant who has been registered to provide health-care services through telehealth to patients located in Colorado (registered provider) shall: Provide health-care services in compliance with the professional practice standards for health-care services in this state; In the event of an emergency situation, make a good faith effort to contact and coordinate with emergency services located near the originating site, or facilitate contact with the appropriate local mental and behavioral health services, and remain on a synchronous connection with the patient, if the emergency arises during a synchronous connection, until emergency services have reached the originating site or the situation is resolved in the registered provider's clinical judgment; Maintain a written emergency protocol that is appropriate to the applicable standard of care for Colorado; Notify the applicable regulator of restrictions placed on the registered provider's out-of-state credential in any state or jurisdiction or of any disciplinary action taken or pending against the registered provider in any state or jurisdiction; Maintain and have in effect a form of financial responsibility that covers services provided to patients in this state as required by the applicable regulator; Disclose to the patient that the registered provider does not have a physical location in Colorado and disclose the location of the registered provider; and Not open an office in this state and shall not provide in-person health-care services to patients located in this state unless the health-care provider obtains the license, certification, or registration that the applicable regulator requires for the performance of the relevant health-care services in this state. The act also allows the division or the regulator to take disciplinary action against a registered provider under specified conditions. The department may notify other states in which the registered provider is licensed, registered, or certified to practice of any disciplinary actions taken against the registered provider in this state. A registered provider is prohibited from prescribing a controlled substance. APPROVED by Governor June 7, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 6/7/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-02-07 | Amendments | |
| SB24-143 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Credential Quality Apprenticeship Classification | J. Coleman (D) | R. Zenzinger / L. Herod | E. Hamrick (D) | Current law requires the department of higher education (department) and higher education institutions to develop a framework for evaluating the quality of nondegree credentials. The act formally recognizes the resulting quality and in-demand nondegree credentials framework (framework) as the primary tool for assessing the quality of nondegree credentials offered in the state. The act requires the department to collaborate with various agencies to ensure the effective integration of the framework within the state's education and workforce systems. Beginning January 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the act requires the department to evaluate nondegree credentials offered through state-recognized programs to ensure the credentials meet the framework's quality standards. Beginning January 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the department shall supply a list of nondegree credential programs that meet the framework's quality standards for inclusion in the Colorado talent report and in a credential registry endorsed by the state. The department shall engage state agencies, educational institutions, international organizations, industry associations, and other stakeholders to study and make recommendations about the adoption of the international standard classification of education (ISCED) as the state's standard framework for classifying nondegree credentials and ISCED's wider application in the state's education and workforce systems. The recommendations must include a process for assigning ISCED equivalency levels to nondegree credentials included in stackable credential pathways and apprenticeship programs. The act requires the department to report its findings and recommendations on or before July 31, 2025. Current law requires the department to create stackable credential pathways in growing industries. The act requires the department to assign appropriate ISCED equivalency levels to the stackable credential pathways on or before July 31, 2025. Beginning January 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the act requires the office of future of work to coordinate with various agencies to determine ISCED equivalency levels for each apprenticeship program registered on and after July 31, 2025. The office of future of work shall then determine ISCED equivalency levels for each apprenticeship program registered before July 31, 2025. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $124,287 from the general fund to the department of higher education for use by the Colorado commission on higher education and higher education special purpose programs. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $30,000 from the general fund to the department of labor and employment for use by the office of future of work. APPROVED by Governor May 10, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 5/10/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-02-07 | Amendments | |
| SB24-155 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Payment of Family & Medical Leave Benefits | F. Winter (D) / J. Marvin | The act specifies that a judgment for a debt for overpayment of paid family and medical leave benefits is eligible to be assigned, released, or commuted and is not exempt from claims of creditors or from levy, execution, and attachment or other remedy or recovery or collection of a debt. The act adds family and medical leave benefits to the list of exceptions for which workers' compensation benefits may be assigned, levied, or attached. The act also allows the division of family and medical leave insurance (division) in the department of labor and employment to obtain reimbursement from a workers' compensation insurer if an employee received both family and medical leave benefits and temporary indemnity benefits for the same absence and allows the insurer to offset benefits in the amount reimbursed. The division may access records regarding compensability and benefit payments of workers' compensation claims for the purpose of coordinating family and medical leave benefits. The department of revenue may provide the division with tax information and may enter into an agreement with the division providing for payment of the costs related to supplying the information and providing for periodic updating of the information supplied. APPROVED by Governor April 11, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 4/11/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-02-12 | No amendments found | |
| SB24-156 | NOT ON CALENDAR | College Preparation & Enrichment Program | J. Buckner (D) | J. Coleman (D) | The bill creates the "Colorado College Preparation and Enrichment Program" (program) in the department of higher education (department), to be administered by the office of educational equity (office). The purpose of the program is to create partnerships between local education providers (K-12 schools) and institutions of higher education (IHE). The goals of the program are to increase the number of students who graduate from high school, matriculate to an IHE, and ultimately graduate from an IHE. The department shall appropriate $500,000 annually to each IHE that participates in the program. An IHE may opt out of the program at any time. Each participating IHE shall partner with eligible K-12 schools, beginning in eighth grade, to provide a number of services to encourage students to apply to an IHE, apply for financial aid, and ultimately be accepted at an IHE. Participating IHEs shall create guaranteed admissions pathways so participating students are provided with the exact steps necessary for admission. Once enrolled in an IHE, participating students will be identified, organized, and monitored in cohorts at each IHE. A primary contact person will be appointed to communicate with and coordinate services for students from participating K-12 schools. As part of the allowable uses for program funding, each IHE may provide a number of services to students, including targeted academic and financial advising, community building, initiatives focused on retention and on-time completion, and recruitment and outreach and multi-language marketing. Eligibility criteria are set forth for both the IHEs and K-12 schools. The office shall submit an annual report to the department on the overview of the program and the program's return on investment. The department shall include this report in its annual "SMART Act" hearing. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) | 3/20/2024 Senate Committee on Education Postpone Indefinitely | 2024-02-12 | No amendments found | |
| SB24-164 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Institution of Higher Education Transparency Requirements | J. Buckner (D) | P. Lundeen (R) / J. McCluskie (D) | R. Pugliese (R) | The act adds the following rights to the rights of higher education students: Cost transparency regarding a postsecondary education program; A seamless transfer of course credit for courses in the guaranteed transfer pathway matrix and a timely response on whether transfer credit will be accepted by a public institution of higher education (institution); The right to appeal an institution's decision not to accept a student's request to transfer credits; and The right to know what work-related experiences or prior learning opportunities are awarded postsecondary credit at the institution at which the student is enrolled. The act makes changes to the statewide common course numbering system, now referred to as the guaranteed transfer pathway matrix (matrix), to guarantee certain course transfer credits between community colleges, local district colleges, and area technical colleges. The department of higher education (department), beginning in January 2026, shall include as part of its "SMART Act" presentation a compilation of information regarding courses in the matrix. The act provides the department with exclusive authority to bring an enforcement action against an institution that violates the provisions related to the matrix. The act requires the department to establish an appeal process if an institution wrongfully denies a student's transfer credit. The act requires an institution to issue a decision to a student regarding the acceptance or denial of transfer credits within 30 days after the student is admitted to the institution. APPROVED by Governor May 18, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 18, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 5/18/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-02-22 | Amendments | |
| SB24-167 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Training for Entry-Level Health-Care Workers | J. Ginal | J. Smallwood / K. McCormick (D) | The act authorizes the department of public health and environment to require each operator of an assisted living residence (operator) to require each direct care worker who provides direct care services to residents of an assisted living residence (direct care worker) to: Take a tuberculosis test; and Undergo fit testing for a respiratory mask. The act requires each operator to require each direct care worker to complete direct care training to provide specific services to residents. The individual or entity that provides training is required to provide each trained direct care worker with a certificate of completion of training that may be presented to another assisted living residence to consider for the purposes of satisfying the residence's training requirements. For a direct care worker who has been issued a certificate of completion, an operator may require an employee to complete new training or may require the completion of a competency test prior to the employee providing direct care services. APPROVED by Governor June 6, 2024 EFFECTIVE January 1, 2025(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 6/6/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-02-27 | Amendments | |
| SB24-173 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Regulate Mortuary Science Occupations | D. Roberts (D) | B. Gardner / M. Soper (R) | B. Titone (D) | The act requires an individual to obtain a license to practice as a funeral director, a mortuary science practitioner, an embalmer, a cremationist, or a natural reductionist (mortuary science professional). The director of the division of professions and occupations (director) is required to promulgate rules for such licensing. To be licensed, an individual must submit an application, pay an application fee, obtain a fingerprint-based criminal history record check, not have been subject to discipline in another state or convicted of a disqualifying crime, and meet the following qualifications: For a funeral director, the applicant must have graduated from an accredited mortuary science school, have successfully passed the arts section of a national board examination, and have received workplace learning experience of one year or longer; For a mortuary science practitioner, the applicant must have graduated from an accredited mortuary science school, have successfully passed both the arts and science sections of a national board examination, and have received workplace learning experience of one year or longer; For an embalmer, the applicant must have graduated from an accredited mortuary science school, have successfully passed the science section of a national board examination, and have received workplace learning experience of one year or longer; and For a cremationist or natural reductionist, the applicant must have received official certification as a crematory operator from the Cremation Association of North America, the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, the National Funeral Directors Association, or a successor organization. An applicant may file for a waiver of the educational requirements and obtain full licensure upon completion of an examination. A current practitioner may apply for a provisional license if the practitioner does not meet the new requirements. To obtain a provisional license, an applicant must have obtained at least 4,000 hours of work experience, have received workplace learning experience of one year or longer, and pass a fingerprint-based criminal history record check. An individual who holds a provisional license without being subject to discipline may obtain full licensure by satisfying certain criteria. A provisional license expires after 3 years unless the director approves a reinstatement or extension of the provisional license. The act establishes administrative procedures for renewing a license. To renew a license, a license holder must obtain 6 hours of continuing education including: One hour covering the applicable law; One hour covering applicable ethics; and One hour covering public health requirements. The act updates existing law concerning title protection to require a person to hold the appropriate license in order to use the title "funeral director", "mortuary science practitioner", "embalmer", "cremationist", or "natural reductionist". The act establishes grounds for disciplining an applicant or license holder and authorizes the director to take disciplinary actions against an applicant or a license holder. The director may also seek an injunction to enforce the act. An employer of a mortuary science professional must report to the director any termination, disciplinary action, or resignation if any of these actions were taken for conduct that violates the act. The director may bring an action for the enforcement of an order of the director. The act repeals the regulation of the practice of mortuary science professionals, effective September 1, 2031. Before the repeal, the regulation will undergo a sunset review and report. The act appropriates $121,166 to the department of regulatory agencies from the division of professions and occupations cash fund to implement the act. APPROVED by Governor May 24, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 24, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 5/24/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-03-04 | Amendments | |
| SB24-182 | Wednesday, May 8 2024 CONSIDERATION OF HOUSE AMENDMENTS TO SENATE BILLS (8) in senate calendar. | Immigrant Identification Document Issuance | J. Gonzales (D) | J. Bridges (D) / T. Hernandez | E. Velasco (D) | The "Colorado Road and Community Safety Act" authorizes the issuance of a driver's license or identification card to an individual who is not lawfully present in the United States if the individual meets certain requirements. The act changes these requirements by: Repealing the requirement that the applicant have filed a Colorado resident income tax return; Repealing the requirement that the applicant demonstrate residency in the state for the immediately preceding 2 years; Repealing the requirement that the applicant provide a documented social security number or individual taxpayer identification number; and Allowing an applicant to present a passport, consular identification card, or military identification document from the applicant's country of origin that is unexpired or expired less than 10 years before the date of the applicant's application for a driver's license or identification document. The act authorizes the use of exceptions processing, which is a hearing to determine whether an applicant possesses evidence sufficient to prove the applicant qualifies for an identification document, for identification document applicants who are not lawfully present in the United States. The department will promulgate rules concerning exceptions processing and the use of documents issued by an agent or agency of the United States government to prove a person qualifies for a Colorado identification document. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $122,855 to the department of revenue from the Colorado DRIVES vehicle services account in the highway users tax fund, $14,355 of which is reappropriated to the governor's office for use by the office of information technology. APPROVED by Governor June 5, 2024 EFFECTIVE March 31, 2025(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) | 6/5/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-03-18 | Amendments | |
| SB24-208 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Colorado Department of Labor and Employment Regulate Electricity for Electric Vehicles | K. Priola | F. Winter (D) / T. Mauro (D) | M. Rutinel (D) | 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.) | 4/29/2024 Senate Second Reading Laid Over to 05/09/2024 - No Amendments | 2024-04-17 | Amendments | |
| SB24-212 | Wednesday, May 8 2024 THIRD READING OF BILLS - FINAL PASSAGE (18) in house calendar. | Local Govs Renewable Energy Projects | C. Hansen (D) | S. Fenberg / K. Brown (D) | K. McCormick (D) | 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.) | 5/21/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-04-22 | Amendments | |
| SB24-221 | Wednesday, May 8 2024 THIRD READING OF BILLS - FINAL PASSAGE (11) in house calendar. | Funding for Rural Health Care | D. Roberts (D) | B. Kirkmeyer (R) / M. Catlin (R) | M. Lukens (D) | 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.) | 6/6/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-04-25 | Amendments | |
| SB24-232 | Wednesday, May 8 2024 THIRD READING OF BILLS - FINAL PASSAGE (9) in house calendar. | Public Employees' Workplace Protections | R. Rodriguez (D) | T. Sullivan (D) / S. Woodrow (D) | B. Titone (D) | 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.) | 6/7/2024 Governor Signed | 2024-05-03 | No amendments found | |
| SJR24-011 | NOT ON CALENDAR | Recognize Colorado Quantum Technology Industry Contribution | M. Baisley (R) | J. Bridges (D) / A. Valdez (D) | M. Soper (R) | *** No bill summary available *** | 4/9/2024 Signed by the Speaker of the House | 2024-02-28 | No amendments found |