The act implements the recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies (department), as specified in the department's sunset review of the regulation of respiratory therapy, as follows: The act continues the regulation of respiratory therapy for 11 years, until September 1, 2035; The definition of respiratory therapy in current law includes certain treatments of patients pursuant to a prescription issued by a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or certified midwife. The act expands the definition to also include a prescription issued by a physician assistant. Current law exempts an unregistered polysomnographic technologist (technologist) who practices respiratory therapy from the state regulatory requirements for respiratory therapists if the technologist is practicing under the supervision of a respiratory therapist, physician, or certain other practitioner. The act narrows this exemption to practices that do not exceed oxygen titration with pulse oximetry and noninvasive positive pressure ventilation titration. APPROVED by Governor May 15, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Independent contractors (contractors) were previously ineligible for the federal public service loan forgiveness program (program), which forgives remaining federal student loan liability for government and nonprofit full-time employees after 10 years of qualifying service, but in 2023 the federal government made contractors who perform work for a government agency eligible for the program if the work cannot be performed by a government employee. Three independent judicial agencies, the office of the alternative defense counsel, the office of the child's representative, and the office of respondent parents' counsel (agencies) primarily use contractors to provide legal representation on behalf of the agencies because providing the same services through state employees would create ethical conflicts. To enable these contractors to qualify for the program if they otherwise meet program requirements, the act: Clarifies that state employees cannot provide the legal services that the independent contractors provide; Allows the agencies to certify that a contractor appears to be eligible for the program; and Because some contractors provide or have provided legal services on behalf of more than one of the agencies, authorizes the agencies to share contractor information to the extent necessary to certify a contractor's eligibility for the program. APPROVED by Governor May 15, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 15, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Under current law, the independent ethics commission created in article XXIX of the state constitution does not have jurisdiction over officials or employees of special districts or school districts. The bill gives the independent ethics commission jurisdiction to hear complaints, issue findings, assess penalties, and issue advisory opinions on ethics issues concerning a special district official or employee or school district official or employee. Existing law establishes ethical standards for a special district official or employee or school district official or employee. The bill incorporates those standards under the independent ethics commission's jurisdiction and expands the standards to include those described in article XXIX of the state constitution.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
This bill establishes a system for courts in Colorado to officially store and preserve wills that individuals voluntarily submit for safekeeping. It requires court clerks to keep these documents for a specific period, creating a permanent electronic record if the original is destroyed after the retention time expires. The law also updates probate procedures to recognize these court-stored electronic records as valid proof of a will, ensuring they can be used to settle estates without needing the original physical document.
The bill requires the division of labor standards and statistics in the department of labor and employment to create and make available to employers suicide prevention education posters and notices. Starting July 1, 2025, employers are required to display the suicide prevention education posters in their workplaces and certain employers are required to include the suicide prevention education notices in documents provided to employees. The office of suicide prevention within the department of public health and environment must create a website to provide information about workplace suicide prevention. The bill requires the suicide prevention education posters to include a quick response (QR) code and a website link to connect to the website.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill requires the division of insurance (division) to conduct or cause to be conducted a study of construction liability insurance for construction professionals in Colorado. The study must identify the following: All insurers offering construction liability policies in Colorado (policies); The rates charged by insurers for policies and the basis for the rates, including data for the past 5 years, if available; Risk factors, classifications, and coverage descriptions insurers use to set policy rates; A comparison of the policy rates insurers charge with rates charged by other states in the region to cover similar residential projects; Policy coverage terms; and Common limitations or exclusions from policy coverage. The bill requires that, at least 14 days prior to closing the sale of a new residence, the seller of the residence provide the purchaser and the county clerk and recorder's office for the county where the new residence is located with information regarding the insurance coverage for the property subject to the sale, including: Identification of each policy and the coverage provider that may provide coverage for a construction professional's work on the residence; The amount of the policy limits for each policy identified; The policy period for each policy identified, including whether the policy provides coverage on a claims-made basis or occurrence basis; and Identification of relevant exclusions from coverage.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill directs the state treasurer to conduct a study to evaluate the feasibility of and to make recommendations regarding the creation of a "baby bonds" program (program), through which the state deposits a specified amount of money into a public trust account and the money is invested by the state treasurer for an eligible child, who may use the money and its earnings for certain eligible uses upon turning 18 years of age. The study must: Assess the distribution of wealth in the state; Assess the landscape of existing public assistance opportunities for wealth building for: Individuals whose family income does not exceed 195% of the federal poverty line, adjusted for family size; and Individuals belonging to groups who have historically been denied access to wealth-building opportunities or who have experienced wealth stripping and exploitation, which has led to a lack of intergenerational wealth, including individuals who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color; Examine and evaluate the feasibility of creating the program in the state; Examine investment options for the program; Determine how the creation of the program could address the racial wealth gap in the state; and Examine any other area related to a baby bonds program that is deemed appropriate by the state treasurer or a third-party entity conducting the study, including any pilot project of related programs performed in the state. The state treasurer may enter into an agreement with a third-party entity to conduct all or part of the study. At the conclusion of the study and not later than April 15, 2025, the state treasurer is required to submit a report of its findings and make recommendations to the general assembly. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
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.)
Current law permits a student to apply for open enrollment in particular programs and schools within the student's district and in schools and programs in other school districts. The bill requires the state board of education (state board) to adopt a model policy on or before December 15, 2024, to promote clarity and consistency for parents, custodians, and legal guardians as they assess school enrollment options. The model policy must include timelines and processes for the school or program application, timelines for student notification of acceptance or denial determinations, and open enrollment transparency measures for student eligibility, school capacity, and transportation resources. The bill allows school districts to adopt, publicize, and implement policies and procedures for open enrollment that are consistent with the state board model policy. The bill requires the department of education to annually report to the general assembly, governor, and state board on the number and geographic location of students exercising an open enrollment option and on open enrollment application denials. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Under current law, individual and small group health benefit plans (plans) are required to cover fertility diagnosis and treatment and fertility preservation services (fertility services) in the state 12 months after the federal department of health and human services determines that coverage for fertility services does not require defrayal of costs by the state. The bill removes the language relating to state defrayal of costs and requires the division of insurance to implement the coverage for plans issued or renewed on and after January 1, 2025. In addition, the bill: Prohibits a health benefit plan from imposing any exclusions, limitations, or other restrictions on coverage of any fertility services based on a covered individual's participation in fertility services provided by or to a third party; and Amends the definition of "infertility" to include a "status" as well as a disease or condition.(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. Under current law, the department of human services (department) offers statewide access to crisis system services (services) for children and youth. The bill expands the services provided through the creation of the crisis resolution team program (program) in the department. The behavioral health administration (BHA) shall administer the program to provide community-based services to de-escalate and stabilize children or youth experiencing high-acuity behavioral health crises. The BHA shall contract with crisis resolution team providers (providers) to provide community-based de-escalation and stabilization services to children or youth. A child or youth is eligible for services provided by the program if the child or youth: Is 21 years of age or younger; Has experienced high-acuity behavioral health crises as identified by the behavioral health crisis response system or emergency departments; and Is safe to remain in the home or the community while receiving intensive, short-term stabilization interventions. Providers shall offer the following services to children or youth and their caregivers: Counseling or therapy; Case management to help meet treatment plans; Peer support or family skills coaching to foster connectedness, goal setting, and new routines to achieve positive, lasting change; Medication management; and Care coordination to provide tailored support and connection. Providers shall offer services to a child or youth a minimum of 3 days per week with a variety of services offered daily depending on the child's or youth's clinical needs. Services must be offered to the child or youth for a minimum of 4 weeks up to a maximum of 6 weeks depending on the child's or youth's clinical needs. The BHA shall: Maintain existing relationships with community partners; Conduct outreach and educate community partners regarding providers' services; Provide technical assistance to providers regarding specialized training and the use of screening and assessment tools; and Conduct an annual evaluation of the program. On or before September 1, 2025, the BHA shall submit to the general assembly a feasibility study to determine whether the program can be further expanded statewide. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill requires the department of labor and employment (department), in consultation with the department of military and veterans affairs, to create and distribute a poster that provides information on services, resources, and benefits that are available to veterans of the armed services. Each employer in this state with more than 50 employees is required to display the poster created by the department in a conspicuous and accessible area in the workplace. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
