Under existing law, the 'Public School Finance Act of 1994' funds kindergarten students as half-day pupils plus the supplemental kindergarten enrollment. Under existing law, the supplemental kindergarten enrollment is an additional .08 of a full-day pupil. The bill increases the supplemental kindergarten enrollment for the 2017-18 budget year and each budget year thereafter to .15 of a full-day pupil. The bill expresses the general assembly's intent to increase funding annually for full-day kindergarten starting in the 2018-19 budget year and continuing through the 2022-23 budget year so that by the 2022-23 budget year, the general assembly is funding kindergarten students as full-day pupils. Pursuant to referendum C passed by the voters in 2005, the state is currently authorized to retain and spend up to a capped amount of revenues each year that would otherwise be refunded in accordance with the taxpayer's bill of rights. Subject to a vote of the people, the bill authorizes the state to retain and spend all additional excess revenues beginning in the 2017-18 fiscal year. The general assembly is required to appropriate the additional retained money first to fund kindergarten pupils as full-day pupils and then to fund the state's share of total program funding. The state treasurer must transfer any amount of remaining additional excess revenues to the state education fund. The director of research of the legislative council must prepare an annual report concerning how the retained excess revenues are expended. The secretary of state is directed to place the question of whether to allow the state to retain excess revenues on the ballot for the 2018 general election. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) , Read More
The bill prohibits the state or a state agency, or an employee or personnel of the state or a state agency while acting in an official capacity, from aiding or assisting a federal agency in: Arresting a Colorado citizen or person lawfully present in Colorado for committing an act in Colorado that is a Colorado constitutional right; or Violating a Colorado constitutional right of a Colorado citizen or a person lawfully present in Colorado. The bill does not prohibit the state, an agency of the state, or an employee or personnel of the state or a state agency from participating in an investigation until it is recognized that the action being investigated is a Colorado constitutional right. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) , Read More
There is currently an exemption from property tax for business personal property that would otherwise be listed on a single personal property schedule that is equal to $7,400 for the current property tax year cycle. The bill raises the exemption to $50,000 commencing in tax year 2018, and continues to adjust it for inflation for subsequent property tax cycles, so that businesses with personal property under $50,000, or the inflation adjusted amount, would not have to file the business personal property tax forms nor pay the corresponding tax. The bill also raises the value of business personal property that qualifies for an exemption for consumable property from $350, which is the value set by the property tax administrator, to $500. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) , Read More
Section 2 of the bill prohibits the Colorado oil and gas conservation commission from accepting any of the available types of financial assurance unless the operator demonstrates, by clear and convincing evidence, that the financial assurance will be sufficient to finance all reasonably foreseeable expenses related to ensuring compliance with the oil and gas law if the operator fails to meet its compliance obligations. The commission shall calculate the total financial assurance required by multiplying the number of oil and gas facilities subject to the application by the projected cost to finance every reasonably foreseeable eventuality related to ensuring compliance with regard to each type of facility. Section 4 adds reclamation requirements that are adapted from the reclamation requirements applicable to hard rock mines.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) , Read More
The bill updates the renewable energy standard to require that all electric utilities, including cooperative electric associations and municipally owned utilities, derive their energy from 100% renewable sources by 2035. The bill also: Removes recycled energy from the types of energy sources eligible for meeting the renewable energy standard; Allows a utility to obtain energy efficiency credits equal in value to renewable energy credits based on any energy efficiency upgrades made for a low-income residential customer; Removes multipliers used for counting certain renewable energy generated; and Phases out the system of tradable renewable energy credits so that renewable energy generated after 2035 is not eligible for renewable energy credits.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) Read More
Contingent on prior voter approval, if a store that meets certain criteria provides any plastic shopping bags to a customer, then the store is required to collect a tax of 25 cents from the customer. The tax is the same regardless of the number of bags provided as part of a transaction, but does not apply if the customer is enrolled in the federal supplemental nutrition assistance program. The store is required to remit the tax revenue to the department of revenue (department) after keeping 1% of the taxes to cover the store's collection and remittance expenses. The department may require a store to make returns and payments electronically. To comply with the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR), a ballot issue about the plastic shopping bag tax is referred to the voters at the November 2018 election. If the voters reject the tax, then the entire article containing the tax is repealed. If the voters approve the tax, then the tax will be imposed beginning January 1, 2019. The tax revenue is deposited in the general fund via the old age pension fund. Then, an amount equal to the department's administrative expenses is transferred to the newly created plastic shopping bag tax administration cash fund and the remainder of the tax revenue is deposited in the housing development grant fund. The division of housing in the department of local affairs is required to use the money in the housing development grant fund for the existing purposes of the fund, which is to improve, preserve, or expand the supply of affordable housing in Colorado. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) , Read More
Section 1 of the bill specifies that the short title of the act is the 'Protect Act'. Current law specifies that local governments have powers, commonly called 'House Bill 1041' powers, which are a type of land use authority, over oil and gas mineral extraction areas only if the Colorado oil and gas conservation commission has designated a specific area as an area of state interest; sections 3 and 4 repeal that limitation. Section 5 includes specific authority to regulate the siting of oil and gas facilities in counties' existing land use authority. Section 6 makes the same changes with regard to municipalities' existing land use authority. Sections 7 and 8 specify that the Colorado oil and gas conservation commission's authority to regulate oil and gas operations, including the siting of oil and gas facilities, does not exempt an oil and gas facility from a local government's siting authority and that an oil and gas operator must ensure that the location of an oil and gas facility complies with city, town, county, or city and county siting regulations. Sections 5, 6, and 8 specify that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the governing body of a municipality and a board of county commissioners may, in order to protect the public safety, health, and welfare of the citizens of the local government, plan, zone, and refuse to allow oil and gas operations. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) Read More
The bill amends the 'Colorado Food and Drug Act' to require a retailer to indicate the country of origin for beef sold to the public. The bill only applies to retailers who sell beef that has not been manufactured, cured, smoked, cooked, or processed. The bill authorizes the department of public health and environment to promulgate rules to implement the bill. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) , Read More
Under current law, the accreditation for school districts and the state charter school institute (institute) and the level of performance for public schools is based on the attainment of specified performance indicators. The bill creates an additional performance indicator that measures the degree to which a public school, a school district, or the institute provides access to courses or educational programs in dance, drama and theater, music, and visual arts. The state board of education must adopt rules by which a public school, a school district, or the institute will receive additional credit toward the accreditation or performance ratings based on the arts performance indicator.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) , Read More
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The bill prohibits an employer from requiring any person, as a condition of employment, to become or remain a member of a labor organization or to pay dues, fees, or other assessments to a labor organization or to a charity organization or other third party in lieu of the labor organization. Any agreement that violates these prohibitions or the rights of an employee is void. The bill creates civil and criminal penalties for violations and authorizes the attorney general and the district attorney in each judicial district to investigate alleged violations and take action against a person believed to be in violation. The bill states that all-union agreements are unfair labor practices. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) Read More
Current law prohibits the use of wireless telephones while driving for individuals who are younger than 18 years of age. The bill: Extends the prohibition to drivers of all ages; Increases the penalty for minor drivers from $50 per violation to $300 per violation, to match the penalty that currently applies to adult drivers; Extends the existing prohibition of the use of wireless telephones to include all mobile electronic devices; Creates an exception to the prohibition of the use of mobile electronic devices for adult drivers who use a mobile electronic device through the use of a hands-free device; and Repeals a sentence enhancement for a violation that causes a bodily injury or death.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) Read More
