The act clarifies the scope of the high-performance transportation enterprise's (transportation enterprise) powers and duties to expand its capacity to execute its charge and more explicitly prioritize mitigation of traffic congestion and traffic-related pollution through the completion of multimodal surface transportation infrastructure projects as follows: Section 13: Authorizes the transportation enterprise to impose a congestion impact fee, as a new user fee, in maximum amounts of up to $3 per day that is subsequently adjusted for inflation, and, in conjunction with section 12, requires the fee to be collected and administered in the same manner as an existing state daily vehicle rental fee; Clarifies that providing diverse multimodal transportation options, including rail projects, that reduce traffic congestion and degradation of existing surface transportation infrastructure is part of the transportation enterprise's statutory charge; Requires the transportation enterprise to develop a new multimodal strategic capital plan that aligns with the 10-year transportation plan of the Colorado department of transportation (CDOT) and statewide greenhouse gas pollution reduction goals and priorities, complies with specified environmental standards adopted by the transportation commission, and prioritizes benefits to user fee payers and the reduction of adverse impacts on highways; Requires the transportation enterprise to complete an initial assessment of opportunities available through 2030 to leverage federal money made available to the state and to thereafter assess such opportunities on an ongoing basis; and Requires the transportation enterprise to detail its work to reduce traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions and support the expansion of public transit in its annual report to the legislative committees with oversight over transportation; and Section 11 modifies an existing definition of "surface transportation infrastructure" to explicitly include multimodal transportation options and transportation of freight. Section 11 also modifies an existing definition of "user fee" to include the new congestion impact fee. Section 4 authorizes the regional transportation district (RTD) to extend construction and operations of its northwest rail fixed guideway corridor beyond its boundaries if all capital and operating expenses outside the RTD are fully accounted for and already reimbursed to the RTD by a public body. Section 6 requires the front range passenger rail district (rail district), in cooperation with RTD, CDOT, and the transportation enterprise, to provide to the transportation legislation review committee and the governor: A report containing an implementation plan, which must include, among other things, identification and evaluation of options for creating a separate legal entity or intergovernmental agreement as a business model, for construction and operations of the corridor and may also consider the creation of a Colorado rail authority to house some or all passenger rail services under one entity; and A report, which must also include the cooperation of any separate legal entity created, concerning a plan to begin providing front range passenger rail service no later than January 1, 2029. Sections 5, 7, 8, and 13, respectively and in conjunction with section 2, provide specific, explicit authorization to the RTD, the rail district, CDOT, and the transportation enterprise, in accordance with an implementation plan developed as required by section 6, to enter into a standalone intergovernmental agreement with or create a separate legal entity with each other to implement the completion of construction and operation of the RTD's northwest fixed guideway corridor, including an extension of the corridor to Fort Collins as the first phase of front range passenger rail service. Section 10 requires CDOT and the rail district to annually report to the transportation legislation review committee and the governor regarding the status of the service development plan for front range passenger rail service between Trinidad, Pueblo, and Fort Collins and requires the plan to include descriptions of steps taken to maximize the chances of securing federal grant assistance and of how the project will create good-paying, high-quality, and safe jobs. Section 9 requires CDOT's transit and rail division to submit a report containing a development plan for rocky mountain rail service to the legislative committees that oversee transportation and the governor not later than December 31, 2024. Section 15 appropriates $42,399 from the general fund to the department of revenue to implement the act. APPROVED by Governor May 16, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 16, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The statewide transit pass exploratory committee (committee) is created in the department of transportation (department) to produce a viable proposal for the creation, implementation, and administration of a statewide transit pass (proposal). The committee is required to meet as necessary to produce a viable proposal by July 1, 2026, with the goal of implementing a statewide transit pass by January 1, 2028. The committee consists of members, appointed by the executive director of the department, who represent specified types of organizations and have specified knowledge or experience. In conducting its work, the committee is required to consider specified issues and to solicit input from subject matter experts and interested parties across the state. The committee is required to submit its proposal, including recommendations for any necessary legislation in connection with the proposal, to the executive director of the department and the members of the transportation legislation review committee of the general assembly on or before July 1, 2026. The existing ozone season transit grant program is combined with a new program to provide youth fare free transit grants and together are created as the zero fare transit grant program in the Colorado energy office (office). The zero fare transit grant program is created to provide grants to: The Colorado association of transit agencies (CASTA) for the purpose of providing grants to eligible transit agencies to offer either free transit services for a minimum of 30 days during ozone season or fare free year-round transit services for individuals who are 19 years of age or younger; and The regional transportation district (RTD) for the purpose of providing fare free year-round transit services for individuals who are 19 years of age or younger. To receive a grant, CASTA or the RTD must submit an application to the office in accordance with the act and policies established by the office. An eligible transit agency that receives a grant from CASTA may use the grant money to either cover the costs associated with providing new or expanded free transit services within its service area during ozone season or to provide operating support for its transit operations and general transit programs so long as the eligible transit agency provides uninterrupted fare free year-round transit services to youth riders. The RTD may use the grant money to provide operating support for its transit operations and general transit programs, so long as the RTD provides uninterrupted fare free year-round transit services for youth riders. The RTD is required to report to the office and an eligible transit agency that receives a grant from CASTA is required to report to CASTA regarding its use of the grant money. CASTA is required to submit to the office a summary of the reported information for all eligible transit agencies that received a grant through CASTA. The office is required to establish policies governing the zero fare transit grant program and to report to the house of representatives transportation, housing, and local government committee and the senate transportation committee, or their successor committees, by December 31 of each year of the program. The zero fare transit fund (fund) is created in the treasury. The fund consists of money transferred to the fund from the ozone season transit grant program fund, money transferred to the fund from the multimodal transportation options fund, any other money that the general assembly appropriates or transfers to the fund, and any gifts, grants, or donations credited to the fund. The money in the fund is continuously appropriated to the office for the zero fare transit grant program. The state treasurer is directed to transfer any money remaining in the ozone season transit grant program fund on June 30, 2024, to the fund. In addition, the state treasurer is directed to transfer $10 million from the multimodal transportation and mitigation options fund to the fund on July 1, 2024. A regional transportation authority is allowed to derive up to one-half, rather than one-third, of its total revenue from a visitor benefit tax and, unlike in the past, to levy such a tax at a rate greater than 2%. The department is authorized to use money that was previously transferred to the state highway fund for a designated purpose in connection with the development of the Burnham Yard rail property for new purposes including site preparation, site enhancements, planning, and facilitating a track alignment that preserves buildable land while promoting transit and rail capacity and increasing safety in connection with the development of the Burnham Yard rail property. APPROVED by Governor May 16, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 16, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Section 2 of the act requires the division of administration (division) in the department of public health and environment (department) to propose rules to the air quality control commission (commission) to reduce certain emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) generated by upstream oil and gas operations in certain areas of the state by 50% by 2030 relative to 2017 NOx emission levels. Section 3 requires the division to prepare an annual air quality enforcement benchmark report to summarize the division's statewide enforcement actions, including civil penalties assessed. Section 3 also provides that a compliance order issued by the division may include, in addition to civil penalties, a requirement to perform one or more projects to reduce the potential for a recurrence of a violation. Under current law, the division or commission, in an enforcement action, cannot obtain a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction if there is probable cause that the temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction would cause serious harm to the person affected by the temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction or to another person or if the source to which the enforcement action pertains has obtained a renewable operating permit and continues operations in compliance with that permit. Section 4 repeals those limitations on temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions. Section 4 also authorizes a district attorney or the attorney general to seek injunctive relief to reduce the potential for a recurrence of a violation. Sections 5 and 6 clarify that the division has authority to impose civil penalties for violations of requirements related to toxic air contaminants, fenceline and community-based monitoring, and, if enacted in House Bill 24-1338, petroleum refinery emissions monitoring. Section 7 authorizes the division, in considering permit applications for new sources of NOx emissions in disproportionately impacted communities in an ozone nonattainment area, to consider more stringent methods of regulating the sources. Section 9 authorizes the director of the energy and carbon management commission (ECMC) to hire at least 2 community liaisons to serve as dedicated resources for disproportionately impacted communities, and section 13 authorizes funding of the community liaison positions from the energy and carbon management cash fund. Under current law, an oil and gas operator (operator) is required to obtain a permit from the ECMC to commence oil and gas drilling operations. Section 10 requires the operator to also obtain from the ECMC a license to conduct oil and gas operations. Section 10 also requires operators to take actions in accordance with ECMC rules to reduce certain emissions of NOx generated from oil and gas production and preproduction operations. The ECMC is also required, in consultation with the department, to adopt rules to require enhanced systems and practices to avoid, minimize, and mitigate emissions of ozone precursors from oil and gas operations at newly permitted oil and gas locations in certain parts of the state. Section 11 limits a court's authority to postpone the effective date of an ECMC order suspending or revoking an operator's license to conduct oil and gas operations or a certificate of clearance, requiring the court to first consider various factors, including whether the moving party would face real, immediate, and irreparable injury if the effective date is not postponed and the effect that such postponement would have on the public interest. Section 12 expands the ECMC's enforcement authority to include revoking an operator's license to conduct oil and gas operations and expands the types of violations that are subject to suspension of all of the operator's permits and certificates of clearance and the operator's license to conduct oil and gas operations to include violations resulting in a penalty of $1,000,000 or more; violations that cause a major adverse impact, as defined by the ECMC by rule; and violations that cause death or serious bodily injury. Section 14 expands the scope of the orphaned wells mitigation enterprise to help finance the plugging, reclamation, and remediation of marginal wells that are at the highest risk of becoming orphaned. Section 15 appropriates $753,157 in state fiscal year 2024-25 from the general fund to the department for expenses related to regulating stationary sources and for legal services. APPROVED by Governor May 16, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 16, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires the clean transit enterprise (enterprise) to impose a production fee for clean transit (production fee for clean transit) to be paid quarterly by every producer of oil and gas in the state (producer). The production fee for clean transit applies to all oil and gas produced by the producer in the state on and after July 1, 2025. No later than one week after October 1, 2025, and no later than one week after the first day of each calendar quarter thereafter, the energy and carbon management commission (commission) must calculate the average Henry Hub natural gas spot price reported by the United States energy information administration (average gas spot price) and average west Texas intermediate spot price reported by the United States energy information administration (average oil spot price) for the previous quarter and publish the average gas spot price and average oil spot price on the commission's website. No later than one month after the commission publishes the average gas spot price and average oil spot price on the commission's website, the enterprise must set the production fee amounts for the previous calendar quarter, which are determined by the enterprise based on the average gas spot price and average oil spot price calculated by the commission; notify the executive director of the department of revenue (executive director) of the production fee amounts set; and publish the production fee amounts on the enterprise's website. Prior to adopting the production fee amounts, the enterprise must consult with the commission on the production fee amounts. On or before the last day of the second month following the previous calendar quarter, every producer must file a return with and pay the production fee for clean transit for the previous calendar quarter to the executive director in accordance with applicable department of revenue procedures. The state treasurer must first credit the costs to the department of revenue for administering the production fees for clean transit, which money is credited to the oil and gas production fees collection fund created in the act, and then credit the remaining production fees for clean transit in the following manner: 70% to the local transit operations cash fund to be used for expanding local transit service and prioritizing transit improvements in certain communities; 10% to the local transit grant program cash fund to be used for providing competitive grants to certain eligible entities for expenses associated with providing public transportation; and 20% to the rail funding program cash fund to be used for passenger rail projects and service. No later than March 1, 2030, and every fifth March 1 thereafter, the enterprise must complete an analysis of the production fee amounts and post the analysis on the enterprise's website. The act also requires the regional transportation district to prioritize completion of the northwest rail line to Longmont and the north lines of the transportation expansion plan adopted by the regional transportation district board (plan). On or before July 1, 2025, the regional transportation district is also required to submit a report to the governor and the general assembly that demonstrates how the regional transportation district will fulfill certain commitments made in the plan. The act also requires the division of parks and wildlife (division) to impose a production fee for wildlife and land remediation (production fee for wildlife and land remediation) to be paid quarterly by every producer. The production fee for wildlife and land remediation applies to all oil and gas produced by the producer in the state on and after July 1, 2025. No later than one month after the commission publishes the average gas spot price and average oil spot price on the commission's website, the division must set the production fee amounts for the previous calendar quarter, which are determined by the division based on the average gas spot price and average oil spot price calculated by the commission; notify the executive director of the production fee amounts set; and publish the production fee amounts on the division's website. Prior to adopting the production fee amounts, the division must consult with the commission on the production fee amounts. On or before the last day of the second month following the previous calendar quarter, every producer must file a return with and pay the production fee for wildlife and land remediation for the previous calendar quarter to the executive director in accordance with applicable department of revenue administrative procedures. The state treasurer must credit the production fees for wildlife and land remediation in the following manner: First, the costs to the department of revenue for administering the production fees for wildlife and land remediation are credited to the oil and gas production fees collection fund for use by department of revenue; and Second, the remaining amount of production fees for wildlife and land remediation are credited to the climate resilient wildlife and land cash fund to be used for certain wildlife and land remediation purposes. No later than March 1, 2030, and every fifth March 1 thereafter, the division must complete an analysis of the production fee amounts and post the analysis on the division's website. Along with publishing the average gas spot price and average oil spot price on the commission's website, the commission is required to routinely provide written guidance to the enterprise and the division on factors relevant to the production fee amounts for the production fee for clean transit and the production fee for wildlife and land remediation. The act also establishes: Certain department of revenue administrative procedures, including certain registration and return filing requirements, for the collection of the production fees for clean transit and the production fees for wildlife and land remediation; A petty offense and civil penalty for a producer's failure to register with the department of revenue; and The accrual of interest and penalties for a producer's failure to pay or correctly account for any production fees for wildlife and land remediation or production fees for clean transit or to keep complete and accurate records. If a constitutional amendment is adopted at the 2024 statewide general election that requires voter approval of fees assessed for the purpose of funding mass transportation, the act creates certain definitions that apply to the constitutional amendment. If a constitutional amendment is adopted at the 2024 statewide general election that defines a "fee" for the purposes of state constitutional law, the act clarifies what fees and fee increases the constitutional amendment applies to and creates certain definitions that apply to the constitutional amendment (fee definition provision). Provisions of the act are contingent upon Senate Bill 24-184 being enacted and becoming law. APPROVED by Governor May 16, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 16, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
This bill aims to improve transparency by requiring employers to make certain documents related to workplace harassment complaints available to the public. It directly affects businesses and organizations that handle such complaints, mandating that they disclose specific records upon request. The key provision establishes a clear process for accessing these documents, ensuring that information about harassment investigations is not kept entirely private. By setting these rules, the legislation seeks to increase accountability and allow the public to review how harassment cases are managed in the workplace.
The act prohibits knowingly leaving a handgun in an unattended vehicle unless the handgun is stored in a locked hard-sided container that is placed out of plain view and the container is in a locked vehicle, the locked trunk of the locked vehicle, or a locked recreational vehicle. The act prohibits knowingly leaving a firearm that is not a handgun in an unattended vehicle unless the firearm is stored in a locked hard-sided or soft-sided container that is placed out of plain view and the container is in a locked vehicle, the locked trunk of the locked vehicle, or a locked recreational vehicle. A firearm that is not a handgun that is stored in a soft-sided container must have a locking device installed on the firearm while stored in the soft-sided container. A person who is considered to have a disability who stores a firearm in a locked soft-sided container does not violate the requirement to store a firearm in a hard-sided container. The act includes exceptions from the storage requirement for storing antique firearms, storing a firearm that is a not a handgun in a vehicle being used for farm or ranch operations, a person who lives in a vehicle or in a recreational vehicle, peace officers and active members of the armed forces, and certain activities related to lawful hunting. Unsafe storage of a firearm in a vehicle is a civil infraction. APPROVED by Governor May 15, 2024 EFFECTIVE January 1, 2025(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act authorizes the Colorado bureau of investigation (bureau) to investigate particular illegal activity involving firearms statewide. The bureau shall communicate with the appropriate local law enforcement agency in such an investigation to deconflict investigative operations and determine investigative responsibilities prior to taking investigative or enforcement action and shall collaborate with the local district attorney in the beginning stages of the investigation. An agent or other employee of the bureau who is a peace officer shall wear and activate a body-worn camera when conducting any public-facing part of an investigation authorized in the act. The act appropriates $1,477,127 from the general fund to the department of public safety for the bureau to conduct the investigations. APPROVED by Governor May 15, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Under the "Colorado Common Interest Ownership Act" (CCIOA), every common interest community must be formed by the execution and recording of a declaration. The CCIOA does not state who is required to execute the declaration. The act clarifies that: A declaration that forms a common interest community must be executed by or with the express written authorization of the owner or owners of the real estate that is to be included in the common interest community; and Any amendment to a declaration that adds real estate to a common interest community must be executed by or with the express written authorization of the owner or owners of the real estate to be added. APPROVED by Governor May 15, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act makes the following updates to the "Crime Victim Compensation Act" (act): Changes terminology concerning an award of compensation to approval of compensation for consistency with how crime victim compensation programs operate; Revises language to be gender neutral; Changes the terminology for court administrator to court executive to reflect the accurate position title as changed by the state court administrator's office; Includes state offenses specified in the "Victim Rights Act" under the definition of compensable crime; Includes as property damage expenses incurred for a motor vehicle determined by law enforcement to be where a compensable crime was committed; Modifies the requirement to notify appropriate law enforcement officials to be eligible to receive compensation under the act by removing the 72-hour requirement. The requirement is met if the victim or applicant provides documentation that a forensic examination was conducted by a licensed or registered nurse or medical providers. Modifies the requirement to fully cooperate with law enforcement officials to be eligible to receive compensation under the act to requiring the applicant to have reasonably cooperated with law enforcement officials; Removes the requirement that an application be submitted within one year of the date of injury to the victim; Removes outpatient care and homemaker and home health services and adds replacement services losses, which is defined in the act, funeral expenses, certain travel expenses, dependent care services, and certain relocation services as losses compensable under the act; Adds as compensable losses towing or impound fees for a motor vehicle that is determined to be where a compensable crime was committed and prosthetic or medically necessary devices were damaged or stolen as a result of a compensable crime; Excludes property damage expenses and motor vehicle expenses as losses compensable under the act except as otherwise provided under the act; Allows for emergency approvals to be made in a maximum amount according to a judicial district's crime victim compensation board's policies instead of $2,000; Increases the amount that district attorneys may retain from money deposited in the judicial district's crime victim compensation fund for administrative costs from 12.5% to 22.5%; and Levies a cost of $33 on each criminal action that results with placement in an alternative sentencing program to be credited to the crime victim compensation fund established in the judicial district where the offense occurred. APPROVED by Governor May 15, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 15, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act repeals the requirement for a defendant to pay to the Colorado bureau of investigation (bureau) any costs related to sealing the defendant's criminal justice records in the bureau's custody. The act requires the bureau to, on or before June 30, 2026, waive the costs for a person whose records are in the bureau's custody but are not yet sealed. The act reduces a cash fund appropriation made in the general appropriation act for the 2024-25 state fiscal year to the department of public safety (department) for the bureau's biometric identification and records unit by $159,220. The act appropriates $441,529 to the department for the bureau's biometric identification and records unit. APPROVED by Governor May 15, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act changed the requirements to be issued an instruction permit by requiring, on or after January 1, 2027: Minors who are 15 years of age or older and under 18 years of age to complete a 30-hour driver education course, which may include an online course, approved by the department of revenue (department); and Minors who are 18 years of age and older to either complete a 30-hour driver education course, which may include an online course, approved by the department or a 4-hour prequalification driver awareness program approved by the department. The act requires a minor who is under 21 years of age to successfully complete an instruction program in motorcycle safety that is approved by the Colorado state patrol before being issued an instruction permit to drive a motorcycle. The act authorizes the following individuals who hold a valid Colorado driver's license to supervise a minor's driving under a permit: The minor's parent or stepparent; The minor's grandparent with power of attorney; An individual who is 21 years of age or older and who signed the affidavit of liability; The minor's foster parent who signed the affidavit of liability; An approved driver education instructor; An alternate permit supervisor who is 21 years of age or older and is appointed by the person who signed the affidavit of liability; and If the minor is a foster child, an individual authorized to supervise the foster child. The act authorizes the issuance of a temporary driver's license or temporary minor driver's license, which temporary license is valid for up to one year unless extended by the department of revenue and which immediately becomes invalid upon issuance of a permanent driver's license or upon refusal for good cause. The act prohibits a person who has been convicted of certain violent or sexual crimes from providing behind-the-wheel driving instruction to minors and at-risk adults. A commercial driving school is prohibited from employing such a driving instructor to provide behind-the-wheel driving instruction to minors and at-risk adults. Each instructor employed by a commercial driving school must obtain a fingerprint-based criminal history record check to verify that the instructor has not committed a disqualifying crime. APPROVED by Governor May 15, 2024 EFFECTIVE April 1, 2026(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Current law allows employees in the state personnel system and state employees that are covered under the "State Employee Group Benefits Act" to participate in a group benefit plan that includes any group benefit coverages contracted for or administered by the state personnel director (director). Such group benefit coverages include but are not limited to medical, dental, life, and disability benefits. The act expands the definition of group benefit plans to include voluntary and flexible benefits. The act also defines voluntary benefit to mean a variety of benefit plans of products and services contracted for or administered by the director for which an employee may select voluntary payroll deductions that may be matched by a state contribution. The act requires the director to complete a fiscal analysis of the cost and outcome of any such voluntary benefit, which includes a determination by the department of the number of potential state employees retained as a result of offering the benefit, before a state contribution match can become effective. The act also excludes a contribution or donation to a candidate committee, political committee, political party, small donor committee, small-scale issue committee, or any other political entity from the definition of group benefit plans. APPROVED by Governor May 15, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
