Under current law, it is illegal for someone to possess a firearm if the person was convicted of or adjudicated for certain felonies. The bill adds aggravated motor vehicle theft to the convictions that prohibit a person from possessing a firearm. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Under current law, the driver of a motorcycle is prohibited from overtaking or passing a motor vehicle by driving in the same lane as the motor vehicle or between rows of motor vehicles, a practice known as "lane splitting". The bill requires the Colorado department of transportation, in collaboration with the Colorado state patrol, to conduct a feasibility study of permitting motorcycle lane splitting and report the results of the study to the transportation committees of the house of representatives and the senate by December 31, 2023.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill requires the general assembly to annually appropriate $1.5 million from the general fund to the department of human services for continued employment support and job retention services and to continue to support work-based learning opportunities for Colorado employment first participants.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Wildfire Matters Review Committee. The bill requires the center of excellence for advanced technology aerial firefighting (center of excellence) in the division of fire prevention and control in the department of public safety to establish one or more remote camera technology pilot programs. The program may include the use of artificial intelligence technologies. The center of excellence must acquire or contract for a system of remote pan-tilt-zoom cameras and associated tools to provide a live feed of information that can detect, locate, and confirm ignition in the wildland-urban interface. The center of excellence may acquire or contract for artificial intelligence technologies to assist in the detection, containment, and monitoring of wildfires. The center of excellence must report to the wildfire matters review committee on the system's effectiveness and potential for more widespread use in the state. The bill appropriates $2 million $720,368 from the general fund to implement the program. (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.)
The bill requires the division of administration in the department of public health and environment, on and after January 1, 2024, to use quality-assured data to determine the maximum amount of a pollutant that can be discharged daily into state waters without exceeding applicable water quality standards. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning the Treatment of Persons with Behavioral Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems. To provide ongoing funding for the Colorado 911 resource center, the state treasurer is required to issue a warrant, paid from the general fund, in the amount of $250,000 to the Colorado 911 resource center on July 1, 2023, and on each July 1 thereafter.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill requires all individual and group health benefit plans to provide coverage for biomarker testing if the testing is supported by medical and scientific evidence. Biomarker testing is defined as an analysis of a patient's tissue, blood, or other biospecimen for the presence of an indicator of normal biological processes, pathogenic processes, or pharmacologic responses to a specific therapeutic intervention. The bill requires the commissioner of insurance to implement biomarker testing coverage for all individual and group health benefit plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025. Biomarker testing is subject to the health benefit plan's annual deductibles, copayment, or coinsurance but is not subject to any annual or lifetime maximum benefit limit. If a carrier requires prior authorization for biomarker testing, the bill requires the carrier to use an expedited prior authorization process. Subject to federal authorization and federal financial participation, beginning July 1, 2024, the bill includes coverage for biomarker testing as part of the state medical assistance program if the testing is supported by medical and scientific evidence. Under the state medical assistance program, the bill requires an expedited utilization review and prior authorization process, as well as an appeal process if biomarker testing is denied. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Wildfire Matters Review Committee. The bill creates the timber, forest health, and wildfire mitigation industries workforce development program (program) in the state forest service. The program provides partial reimbursement to timber businesses and forest health or wildfire mitigation entities for the costs of hiring interns. The forest service must adopt rules, policies, and procedures for the program, including criteria for an internship to qualify, best practices for recruiting and selecting interns to increase representation of historically underrrepresented communities in the industries, the criteria to use in selecting qualified interns, the required educational experience for an intern, and administrative requirements for the program. For income tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2023, but before January 1, 2028, a business involved in forestry, logging, the timber trade, the production of wood and secondary products, or forest health and wildfire mitigation activities in Colorado may claim a credit against state income tax for 20% of the cost incurred by the taxpayer in purchasing certain equipment, vehicles, and equipment infrastructure. The total aggregate credit in any one income tax year is limited to $10,000. Any amount of the credit that exceeds the taxpayer's income tax liability is not refundable but may be carried forward for up to 5 years. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
For income tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2023, but before January 1, 2027, the bill allows a refundable state income tax credit, which is intended to offset the various expenses that licensed teachers often incur throughout an academic year for classroom supplies, professional development costs, supplemental educational materials, field trips, and other items that improve the quality of the educational services that they provide, to a licensed teacher who is employed as a teacher in a public school on a full-time basis for at least one-half of an academic year (eligible teacher) during the income tax year for which the credit is claimed. The amount of the credit is $1,000 for an eligible teacher who is employed for the equivalent of an entire academic year and $500 for a teacher who is employed for one-half of an academic year. Two eligible teachers who file a joint income tax return may each claim the credit. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill establishes a state income tax credit for the purchase and installation of a lifebuoy apparatus in a subdivision with a body of water beginning January 1, 2023. The tax credit is for $1,500 per lifebuoy apparatus purchased and installed in the subdivision by an eligible purchaser. The tax credit may be claimed only once per lifebuoy apparatus and is not refundable, but may be carried forward up to 5 years. An eligible purchaser must certify to the department of revenue each lifebuoy apparatus purchased and installed during each tax year for which the credit is claimed.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Current law allows a state income tax deduction for payments made under a qualified state tuition program equal to a maximum of $20,000 for a taxpayer who files an individual income tax return and $30,000 for 2 married taxpayers who file a joint income tax return. The bill increases to $40,000 the maximum deduction for married taxpayers who file a joint income tax return.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
For the 2023-24 state fiscal year through the 2026-27 state fiscal year, the bill appropriates $3 million annually money from the general fund to the food pantry assistance grant program. The bill repeals the food pantry assistance grant program, effective July 1, 2028. (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.)
