There is a state auxiliary services pilot program that arranges for the provision of auxiliary services for state departments and agencies that employ or serve individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind. The bill requires the Colorado commission for the deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind (commission) to continue the operations of the state auxiliary services program (program) indefinitely. The commission is required to perform the following functions: Coordinate on a statewide basis the day-to-day scheduling for auxiliary services; Create and manage efficient and consistent processes through which an auxiliary services provider may submit required documentation and receive payment for auxiliary services provided; Create and manage a process for the intake and fulfillment of requests by state departments and agencies for auxiliary services; Resolve any issues that may arise with regard to auxiliary services; Communicate with auxiliary services users, auxiliary services providers, and appointing authorities; and Establish, monitor, and publish a list of CART providers and qualified interpreters. The bill requires the commission to convene an advisory council to make recommendations concerning the provision of auxiliary services. The bill requires the commission to include data on the functions of the program in its annual report to the governor and the general assembly. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill creates the Colorado safe student protection program (program) to provide grants to school districts and charter schools to support student safety, including equipment and training to ensure safe student transportation on school buses, and to facilitate the development of a secure website, online application, and mobile application that provide parental notifications about student safety and age-appropriate health and safety information at no cost to parents (secure digital notification and information tools). The department of education (department) operates the grant program and selects a program facilitator to support schools awarded a program grant. The department allocates a portion of the program money to the program facilitator. Subject to available appropriations, program grants are 3-year grants that cover the 2022-23 through 2024-25 school years. The department annually distributes grant money. A grant recipient may use a grant award to: Provide parents with the secure digital notification and information tools; Increase the safety of students and the security of school buses by equipping school buses with hardware and software that monitor driver behavior and enable the buses to communicate directly with first responders; and Fund relevant school bus safety training, including federal transportation security awareness training. The program facilitator may be a public benefit corporation or a nonprofit organization that operates with a charitable purpose and must have at least 7 years of experience in student safety, including student transportation safety. The department allocates fifty percent of program money to the program facilitator. The program facilitator must use program money to: Support program grant recipients; Develop the secure digital notification and information tools; Recruit school bus drivers and conduct or facilitate federal transportation security awareness training; Develop and make publicly available school bus transportation safety information and age-appropriate student safety educational materials; Conduct a statewide awareness campaign to reduce instances of drivers illegally failing to stop for a school bus; and Seek additional sources of funding on behalf of the program. The program is a 3-year program that repeals in 2025. The bill makes an appropriation. The bill appropriates $3.5 million to the department for 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 establishes that conducting investigations of reporting on the investigation of wildland fires in the state to the wildfire matters review committee is a duty of the director of the division of fire prevention and control within the department of public safety and makes an appropriation creates the fire origin and cause investigation fund to fund such investigations. (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 creates the math achievement accelerator grant program (grant program) in the department of education (department). A school district, board of cooperative services that operates a school that serves kindergarten or any of grades one through 8, or a charter school that serves kindergarten or any of grades one through 8 may apply to the department to participate in the grant program. The department, with the assistance of a grant review committee convened by the commissioner of education, shall review the grant applications and recommend to the state board of education (state board) grant recipients and the grant amounts. The state board shall select the applicants that will receive 3-year grants to implement research-based, school-based plans to improve student achievement in mathematics in the elementary and middle school grades. The bill specifies the required contents of the application and the criteria the department and the state board shall apply in recommending and selecting grant recipients. Distribution of grant money in the second and third years of a grant is conditioned on the department finding that the grant recipient is meeting specified requirements. The department shall pay grants out of the math achievement accelerator grant fund created in the bill. The bill directs the department to contract with an independent evaluator to annually evaluate the school-based plans implemented using the grant money, their effectiveness in improving student achievement in mathematics, and the overall implementation of the grant program. The department shall submit the evaluation reports prepared by the independent evaluator to the state board and the education committees of the general assembly. The bill makes an appropriation. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Under existing law, the division of veterans affairs (division) within the department of military and veterans affairs operates a veterans resource information clearinghouse (clearinghouse) to provide information concerning support, services, and other assistance available to veterans and their families. The bill requires the division to create and maintain an online portal to assist veterans with accessing information provided through the clearinghouse, allow users to maintain a personalized health record in the portal, and offer secure care coordination and personalized care tools that help veterans be more engaged in their health. The division is permitted to enter into an agreement with a third party to create and maintain the online portal or, if the third party maintains an existing, similar portal, to expand and maintain that existing portal.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill establishes certain rights for a person who is protected through a legal guardianship relationship (protected person) and duties of a guardian or conservator (guardian). With certain exceptions, a guardian shall notify within 7 days one or more of the protected person's close family members and any person designated by the protected person when the protected person: Changes place of residence; Resides at a location other than the protected person's residence for more than 48 hours; Is admitted to a medical facility for acute care or emergency care; or Dies. The guardian, in conjunction with the protected person and any close family members, shall develop an initial care plan, to be updated annually. The care plan must include why the guardianship is necessary, any necessary restrictions placed on visitation or access to reporting, how the protected person's finances will be handled, and how the protected person and close family members can obtain answers to questions that arise. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill creates the competitive transportation innovation grant program (grant program) in the department of education (department) to address the public school transportation shortage. The bill allows school districts, charter schools, institute charter schools, the state charter school institute, boards of cooperative services, a consortium of school districts, tribal governments, local governments, and community organizations that partner with school districts (eligible applicants) to apply to the grant program. The state board of education (state board) shall select grantees who develop and implement innovative solutions, strategies, and services to address the public school transportation shortage. Eligible applicants shall serve students of color and students from under-resourced communities who are disproportionately impacted by the transportation shortage and struggle to access school districts of their choice and career pathway programs because of their limited access to transportation. The department operates the grant program. The grant program is a one-time grant program, but grantees have 2 years to spend the grant money. If selected for a grant, a grantee is required to submit a report to the department on or before August 1, 2024, and to submit a second report on or before August 1, 2025. The report must include an explanation of the solutions, strategies, and services developed and implemented with the grant money as described in the grantee's grant application. On or before August 30, 2024, and again on or before August 30, 2025, the department is required to submit a report summarizing information submitted by the grantee. The bill requires the general assembly to appropriate money from the revenue loss restoration cash fund to address the public school transportation shortage resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill repeals the grant program, effective July 1, 2026. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
For 3 income tax years beginning in 2022, the bill creates a refundable state income tax credit of up to $75 for a resident individual who has had a package stolen from the individual's residence or place of business (eligible person) for the purchase of package anti-theft devices. The bill also creates a state income tax credit for a package delivery company that donates a package anti-theft device to an eligible person in the amount of the retail value of the device up to $75 per donation.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Current law prohibits a person who is under 18 years of age from using a mobile electronic device when driving. The bill applies the prohibition to a person who is 18 years of age or older unless the person is using a hands-free accessory. The following uses are exempted: By a person reporting an emergency to state or local authorities; By an employee or contractor of a utility services provider when responding to a utility emergency; By a person operating a commercial truck when using a mobile data terminal that transmits and receives data; By a first responder; or By a person in a motor vehicle that is lawfully parked. The penalties for a violation are: For a first offense, $150 $75 and 2 license suspension points; For a second offense within 24 months, $250 $150 and 3 license suspension points; and For a third or subsequent offense within 24 months, $500 $250 and 4 license suspension points. It is an affirmative defense to a The violation will be dismissed if the defendant has not previously committed a violation, produces proof of purchase of a hands-free accessory, and affirms, under penalty of perjury, that the defendant has not previously claimed this affirmative defense option to dismiss . Current law requires a peace officer who makes a traffic stop to record the demographic information of the violator, whether a citation has been issued, and the violation cited. The bill clarifies that the peace officer must record whether the bill has been violated. A peace officer is prohibited from stopping a driver or issuing a citation for a violation of the bill unless the officer visually observes the operator using, holding, or physically supporting with any part of the person's body the mobile electronic device. The executive director of the department of transportation, in consultation with the chief of the Colorado state patrol, will create a campaign raising public awareness of the requirements of the bill and of the dangers of using mobile electronic devices when driving. To implement the bill, $23,941 is appropriated to the department of revenue from the Colorado DRIVES vehicle services account in the highway users tax fund. (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.)
Under current law, a qualified student who is selected to participate in the accelerating students through concurrent enrollment (ASCENT) program by the department of education (department) may enroll in postsecondary courses and be included in the pupil enrollment of a school district, board of cooperative services, or charter school (local education provider) for funding during the year following the student's fourth year of high school. The number of students who are selected to participate in the ASCENT program is limited each year through the budget process. The bill removes the limit on the number of program participants and allows each qualified student selected by the enrolling local education provider to participate in the program. The bill reduces the number of postsecondary credits a qualified student must have completed to be eligible to participate in the ASCENT program. The bill directs the department to distribute to each local education provider for each ASCENT program participant an amount equal to 3% of the per-pupil extended high school funding amount to pay for non-tuition expenses the qualified student incurs in participating in the postsecondary courses. Under existing law, a qualified student who fails to complete a concurrent enrollment course must repay the local education provider for the amount of tuition, and a local education provider may require a qualified student to repay the tuition amount if the qualified student earns a failing grade for a concurrent enrollment course. The bill repeals these provisions. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill requires all state departments to spend at least 50% of the money they spend on advertising to Colorado residents in a fiscal year on advertising through local newspapers. The bill further requires all departments to report on their advertising spending during their annual "State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act" presentations. The bill also creates an income tax credit for supporting local newspapers. For income tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2023, but before January 1, 2033: A taxpayer is allowed a credit against their income taxes in an amount equal to 50%, not to exceed $250, of the total amount paid by the taxpayer for local newspaper subscriptions or memberships for the personal use of the taxpayer and of the contributions made by the taxpayer to nonprofit local newspapers; and A small business is allowed a credit against their income taxes, not to exceed $2,500, in an amount equal to the amount paid by the eligible small business for local newspaper advertising. If the amount of the credit allowed exceeds the amount of income taxes otherwise due in the income tax year for which the credit is being claimed, the bill permits the amount of the credit not used in the income tax year to be carried forward as a credit against subsequent years' income tax liability for a period not to exceed 10 years. Any amount of the credit that is not used after such period is not refunded to the taxpayer. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
For 5 income tax years beginning in 2022, the bill creates a refundable state income tax credit for a Colorado teacher or classroom paraprofessional (eligible educator) for their classroom expenses. An eligible educator cannot claim the credit for an expense that the educator claims as a federal educator expense deduction for purposes of the educator's federal income tax, and the maximum amount of the credit per income tax year is $500.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
