The act: Clarifies that every prescriber must query the prescription drug monitoring program (program) prior to filling a prescription for an opioid or benzodiazepine; Requires each prescriber and pharmacist to attest that they have registered and are maintaining a user account with the program and that they are aware of the penalties for noncompliance; Allows a practitioner or pharmacist who is registered with the program to authorize an unlimited number of designees to access the program on the practitioner's or pharmacist's behalf if the designees meet the eligibility criteria and to register those designees in a group designee user account. The practitioner or pharmacist is required to approve, maintain, and track the identifying information of each authorized designee in the group designee user account. Requires the division of professions and occupations (division) to solicit applications from public and private integration organizations and, on or before January 1, 2023, approve qualified integration organizations that practitioners and pharmacists may use to integrate the program with patient electronic medical records; and Subject to available funding, requires the division to implement a process whereby practitioners and pharmacists may apply for and receive reimbursement from the division for all or a portion of the costs of integrating the program with electronic medical records. $2,016,475 is appropriated from the prescription drug monitoring fund to the department of regulatory agencies for use by the division of professions and occupations. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act provides juvenile court jurisdiction over an unaccompanied child in the custody of the federal office of refugee resettlement who is housed in a facility in Colorado and who has been subjected to parental abuse or neglect. A child may file a petition asking the court to determine that the child is dependent on the court. The petition must: Set forth the facts that bring the child under the court's jurisdiction; State the child's name, age, and country of birth; and Identify the facility where the child is housed in Colorado in the custody of the federal office of refugee resettlement. The petition must not name the child's parent as a respondent. The petition must state clearly that parental rights may not be terminated through the proceedings. The act requires the court to schedule a hearing after the petition is filed. If the court finds at the hearing that the statements in the petition are supported by a preponderance of the evidence, the court shall declare the child dependent on the court. A child declared dependent is eligible for oversight and services by the office of the child protection ombudsman. Upon request, the court may also issue an order establishing the child's eligibility for classification as a special immigrant juvenile under federal law. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Current law provides that, for bills introduced pursuant to the sunset review process: The speaker of the house of representatives shall assign the proposed bill to a representative for sponsorship in the house of representatives in odd-numbered years; and The president of the senate shall assign the proposed bill to a senator for sponsorship in the senate in even-numbered years. The act requires that before assigning bill sponsors, the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate must consult with their respective minority leaders and receive permission from the sponsor to be named to the sunset bill. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
In the capital financing context generally and as defined in section 2 of the act: A security token is a digital, liquid contract made verifiable and secure through the use of blockchain technology that establishes its holder's right to a fraction of a financial asset such as a stock, bond, or certificate of participation; and A security token offering is a capital financing method in which security tokens representing fractional interests in a financial asset are sold to investors in lieu of selling the actual financial asset to investors. Section 2 also requires the state treasurer to study the feasibility of using security token offerings for state capital financing and determine the extent to which the use of security token offerings of state capital financing would be in the best interest of the state. The state treasurer is required to complete the study and report the study findings to the finance committees and joint budget committee of the general assembly by March 1, 2023, and to post the study findings on the department of the treasury's website. If the state treasurer determines, after completing the feasibility study, that the use of security token offerings for state capital financing is in the best interest of the state, the state treasurer may recommend as part of the report that the general assembly enact legislation to authorize such use. Section 1 authorizes the state treasurer to spend up to $125,000 from the state public financing cash fund to fund the completion of the feasibility study. Section 3 broadens the definition of "eligible state facility" used for purposes of identifying the types of state-owned assets that may be used as collateral for state capital financing used to finance capital construction and transportation projects to include any financially unencumbered state-owned asset that is not part of the state emergency reserve. Section 4 makes an appropriation of $100,000 to the department of the treasury for implementation of the act, of which $70,000 is for use by the administration division for operating expenses and $30,000 is for the purchase of legal services. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The Colorado disability funding committee (committee) auctions Colorado motor vehicle license plate configurations to raise money for grants to assist persons with disabilities in accessing disability benefits and to fund new and innovative ideas that improve the quality of life and independence of persons with disabilities. Sections 1 through 5 and 13 of the act correct technical issues, consolidate statutory provisions, clarify the grant process, and clarify the license plate sales process in connection with the committee. Section 6 exempts the disability support fund, which supports the activities of the committee, from the limit on uncommited reserves in cash funds. Section 7 modifies the existing income tax credit for purchases of uniquely valuable motor vehicle registration numbers to specify that the amount of the credit allowed is 20% of the purchase price of the motor vehicle registration number. Sections 8 and 9 specify that the committee is authorized to spend money from the disabled parking education and enforcement fund (fund) for the existing purposes of the fund and to provide education regarding parking for persons with disabilities. Section 10 allows a person to reserve a license plate for which no motor vehicle has ever been registered if the person purchased the license plate configuration from the committee. Section 11 authorizes the department of motor vehicles to sell multiple historical license plate backgrounds to benefit the committee. In addition, section 11 makes clarifying changes regarding the administration of historic license plate background sales. Section 12 modifies the rehabilitation services that the department of labor and employment is currently required to provide at public cost without consideration of financial need. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires each child care center, each family child care home, and each public school that serves any of grades preschool through fifth grade, on or before May 31, 2023, to test its drinking water sources by having a state-certified laboratory measure the lead content of water drawn from each drinking water source. Subject to available appropriations, each public school that serves students in sixth, seventh, or eighth grade shall satisfy this requirement on or before November 30, 2024. Within 30 days after receiving the results of a test, a child care center, family child care home, or public school that serves any of grades preschool through eighth grade (P-8 school) must make the results, as well as any associated lead remediation plans, publicly available on the child care center's, family child care home's, or P-8 school's website, if applicable, and report the results to the water quality control commission (commission). The commission shall post the results on its public website within 30 days after receiving them. If the results of a test of a drinking water source show that water from the drinking water source contains lead in an amount of 5 parts per billion or more, a child care center, family child care home, or P-8 school must notify all employees and parents and guardians of students, discontinue use of the drinking water source, and take specific measures to address and remediate the drinking water source. The act requires each child care center, family child care home, and P-8 school to create and maintain, for at least 5 years, records of its filter replacement activities, including when a filter is removed and when a new filter is installed, and any remediation efforts, including faucet replacements. The act requires the department of public health and environment (department) to provide training to each child care center, family child care home, and P-8 school regarding water filter maintenance, flushing protocols, testing for lead, reporting processes for sampling reports, and other activities relevant to compliance with the act's new requirements. The act allows a family child care home established before March 31, 2023, to opt out of the duty to comply with the act's requirements so long as the authorized representative of the family child care home provides written notice of such decision to the department on or before March 31, 2023. A family child care home established on or after March 31, 2023, may opt out of the duty to comply so long as the authorized representative provides written notice of such decision to the department within 6 months after the date upon which the family child care home is established. A child care center or P-8 school is not required to satisfy the act's requirements if the child care center or P-8 school is classified as a public water system under the "Lead and Copper Rule" of the federal environmental protection agency and the child care center or P-8 school is in compliance with the requirements of the federal rule. However, the child care center or P-8 school is required to report annually to the commission the results of the testing of the center or P-8 school's drinking water sources pursuant to the federal rule. The act creates the school and child care clean drinking water fund (fund) in the department and requires the department to expend money from the fund only to: Help child care centers, family child care homes, and P-8 schools comply with the act's requirements; and Reimburse child care centers, family child care homes, and P-8 schools as needed for costs associated with complying with the act's requirements. The act prohibits the department from reimbursing a child care center, family child care home, or P-8 school for such costs if the child care center, family child care home, or P-8 school has already received reimbursement money from the fund and: None of the results of the required testing showed the presence of lead in an amount of at least 5 parts per billion; or If the results of such testing showed the presence of lead in an amount of at least 5 parts per billion, the child care center, family child care home, or P-8 school has also received reimbursement for any associated remediation efforts and a confirmation test of each drinking water source. The act requires the commission, on or before December 1, 2023, and on or before each December 1 thereafter, to submit a report concerning the act's requirements to legislative committees of reference. The act also requires the department, on or before February 28, 2024, to report to the legislative committees of reference: The remaining balance in the fund as of the date of the report; and The department's determination as to whether the money remaining in the fund is sufficient to require public schools that serve any of grades 6 through 8 to comply with the requirements of the act. The act's requirements are repealed, effective June 30, 2026. For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $2,648,019 from the general fund to the department to be used as follows: $673,286 for use by the drinking water program for personal services; $1,469,235 for use by the drinking water program for operating expenses; and $505,498 for the purchase of information technology services, which amount is reappropriated to the office of the governor for use by the office of information technology to provide information technology services for the department. For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $21,000,000 from the general fund to the fund, which money is reappropriated to the department to pay operating expenses. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act creates the statewide equity office (office) in the department of personnel. The office is charged with providing best practices, resources, and guidance for state agencies in offering equitable services to the residents of Colorado as well as providing an accepting and diverse environment for state employees. The act outlines the duties and responsibilities of the office. For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, the act makes the following general fund appropriations: $1,793,072 to the department of personnel for use by the executive director's office, of which: $324,064 is reappropriated to the department of human services; $194,878 is reappropriated to the department of revenue; $61,845 is reappropriated to the department of regulatory agencies; and $74,990 is reappropriated to the department of health care policy and financing, which amount is based on an assumption that the department of health care policy and financing will receive $74,990 in federal funds for the act's implementation.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act makes the following changes to health insurance coverage for low-income pregnant people and children in low-income families: Provides full health insurance coverage for Colorado pregnant people who would be eligible for medicaid and the children's basic health plan (CHIP) if not for their immigration status and continues that coverage for 12 months postpartum at the CHIP federal matching rate; Provides comprehensive health insurance coverage for all Colorado children who would be eligible for medicaid and CHIP if not for their immigration status; Requires the state department of health care policy and financing (department) to create an outreach and enrollment strategy for enrolling eligible groups into new coverage options; Requires the department to report to the joint budget committee in its 2024 presentation, as well as in its "State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act" reports, beginning in January 2026, information concerning the state-funded health and medical care program, the state children's basic health plan, and its plans and progress in implementing the coverage expansion for lawfully residing persons; Allows the state controller to allow the department to make an expenditure in excess of the amount authorized if the amount is for the state medical assistance program or the state children's basic health plan; Provides comprehensive lactation support services, lactation supplies and equipment, and maintenance of multi-use loaned equipment. Removes the annual enrollment fee for a family whose income is at or below one hundred fifty percent of the federal poverty line or an enrollee who is a pregnant person. Draws down federal funds to improve perinatal and postpartum support and requires that priorities for the funds be determined through a stakeholder process; Creates a special enrollment period for health insurance coverage due to pregnancy so that an eligible person can sign up for insurance as soon as the person becomes pregnant; and Improves the quality of health insurance coverage available through the health insurance affordability enterprise. For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, the following appropriations are made for the purpose of implementing this act: $730,573 is appropriated to the department of health care policy and financing from the general fund; $423,626 is appropriated to the department of public health and environment from the general fund for use by the center for health and environmental information; The 2022 long bill cash funds appropriation from the children's basic health plan trust for children's basic health plan medical and dental costs was decreased by $340,727; The 2022 long bill cash funds appropriation from the healthcare affordability and sustainability fee cash fund for children's basic health plan medical and dental costs was decreased by $564,678; The 2022 long bill appropriation to the department of health care policy and financing from the general fund for children's basic health plan medical and dental costs was increased by $144,229; and The 2022 long bill was adjusted as a result of an assumption by the general assembly that the department of health care policy and financing will receive $761,176 in federal funds for children's basic health plan medical and dental costs to implement this act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Colorado law requires retail establishments to accept United States currency. One of the exceptions to the requirement is for security deposits. The act: Exempts from the requirement to accept United States currency a retail establishment in which the primary method of selling goods or services is through an automatic renewal contract; and Defines "retail establishment" and "security deposit" for purposes of these exceptions. The attorney general is authorized to bring a civil and criminal action to enforce the provision. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Current law requires the department of health care policy and financing (state department) to establish a schedule for a review of provider rates paid under medicaid so that each provider rate is reviewed at least every 5 years and to provide the schedule to the joint budget committee (JBC). Beginning July 1, 2023, the act requires the state department to establish a schedule so that each provider rate is reviewed at least every 3 years and to provide the schedule to the medicaid provider rate review advisory committee (advisory committee) in addition to the JBC. Current law authorizes the advisory committee or the JBC, by a majority vote, to direct the state department to conduct a review of a provider rate that is not scheduled for review during that year. Effective July 1, 2023, if the state department determines the request for an out-of-cycle review cannot be conducted, the act requires the state department to provide written notification to the advisory committee and the JBC within 30 days after the request is made stating the reasons the out-of-cycle request cannot be conducted. Effective July 1, 2023, the act requires the state department to conduct a public meeting at least quarterly to inform the state department's review of provider rates. Current law requires the advisory committee consist of 24 members. Effective December 1, 2022, the act decreases the advisory committee to 7 members and requires the members to have proven expertise related to medicaid in one or more specific areas. The advisory committee is currently scheduled to sunset September 1, 2025. The act moves the sunset to September 1, 2036. On or before December 1, 2023, and each December 1 thereafter, the act requires the advisory committee to present to the JBC an overview of the provider rate review process, a summary of the provider rates that were reviewed, and the strategies for responding to the findings of the provider rate review. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act allows a taxpayer who operates in a strategic industry disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and who experienced significant financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic to apply to the economic development commission (commission) for a 5-year extension of the allowable carry-forward period for unused Colorado job growth incentive tax credits and unused enterprise zone tax credits that would otherwise expire between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2025; except that the tax credit for contributions to enterprise zone administrators to implement economic development plans is not eligible for the 5-year carry-forward extension. The act requires the commission, in consultation with the office of economic development, to establish a process for accepting, reviewing, and approving one-time applications by taxpayers for the extended carry-forward period on a first come, first served, rolling basis subject to taxpayers meeting certain eligibility requirements, which, in the commission's discretion, may include additional economic development commitments to the state. The act caps the total amount of tax credits allowed to be carried forward in the extended period at zero dollars for the first 2 years in the 5-year period, $10 million for the third year, and $15 million per year for the fourth and fifth years. $18,412 is appropriated from the general fund for the 2022-23 state fiscal year to the office of the governor for use by economic development programs. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires the department of human services (DHS) and the department of health care policy and financing (HCPF), in consultation with county departments of human and social services (county departments), to develop a scope of work for a comprehensive assessment of the best practices related to the administration of public and medical assistance programs. The act requires DHS to enter into an agreement with a third party to conduct the comprehensive assessment, evaluate existing practices for the administration of public and medical assistance programs, and make recommendations related to administration of public and medical assistance programs and ongoing evaluation of the public and medical assistance program system. On or before July 1, 2023, DHS is required to submit the results of the comprehensive assessment to HCPF, county departments, and the joint budget committee. On or before November 1, 2023, DHS is required to submit a fiscal impact analysis of implementing the third party's recommendations to the joint budget committee. Following completion of the comprehensive assessment, and no later than January 1, 2024, DHS is required to enter into an agreement with an outside entity to develop a public and medical assistance programs funding model (funding model) to determine the amount of money necessary to fund county administration of certain public assistance programs overseen by DHS and HCPF. On or before November 1, 2024, DHS is required to deliver the results of the funding model for fiscal year 2025-26 to HCPF, county departments, and the joint budget committee. The act requires DHS to enter into an agreement with an outside entity to annually update and modify the funding model and requires DHS to submit the results of the funding model to HCPF, county departments, and the joint budget committee by November 1 of each year. Beginning with fiscal year 2025-26, the joint budget committee shall use the results of the funding model to inform its decisions regarding the amount of the appropriation to DHS and HCPF to fund county administration of public assistance programs. DHS and HCPF shall allocate money to counties for public assistance program administration in accordance with the results of the funding model. The act requires DHS and HCPF to submit an annual report to the joint budget committee on the funding model. The act appropriates $80,000 to HCPF for administration related to office of economic security - medicaid funding, of which $48,120 is from the general fund and $31,880 is from the healthcare affordability and sustainability fee cash fund. The act also appropriates $280,000 to DHS for administration, of which $120,000 is from the general fund and $160,000 is from reappropriated funds received from HCPF. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
