The bill makes several modifications and clarifications to the application of the "Colorado Open Meetings Law" (COML) to any state public body of the general assembly. The bill clarifies that a meeting of any political party caucus, which are the caucuses associated with each major political party in each chamber of the general assembly, is subject to the provisions of the COML if the meeting relates to the public business of the general assembly and excludes any other type of caucus made up of members of the general assembly from the provisions of the COML. Additionally, the bill establishes that serial meetings, which are a series of meetings between 2 or more members of a state public body that individually do not constitute a meeting of a quorum of the body but collectively constitute a meeting of a quorum of the body, are a violation of the COML. The bill modifies the provisions of the COML concerning written electronic communication between members of a state public body of the general assembly by excluding such communication, regardless of the length of time the communication is available for, from the requirements of the COML unless the communication occurs contemporaneously between a quorum of a state public body of the general assembly during a meeting of the body and is concerning public business and unless the communication constitutes a serial meeting. In both instances, such communication is a violation of the COML. The bill clarifies that written electronic communication may be subject to the provisions of the "Colorado Open Records Act". The bill also modifies certain requirements for notice and minutes required for meetings of state public bodies of the general assembly. Notice must specify any applicable statutory provisions for the notice. Minutes must include the names of all members of the general assembly in attendance, whether their attendance was in-person, virtual, or a hybrid of both, and note if a recording of the meeting was made. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The new twenty-third judicial district exists beginning January 7, 2025. The act makes changes so that the crime victim compensation board and the victims and witnesses assistance and law enforcement board may provide compensation and services once the new judicial district exists. APPROVED by Governor April 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE April 4, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The bill requires the general assembly, the secretary of state, and each political party to ensure that the caucus process or any future alternative process by which candidates may access the ballot that is accessible to persons with disabilities remains an option in the state. The bill specifies that the petition process is not a means of ballot access that is accessible to persons with disabilities. In addition, the bill requires that, within 6 months of the effective date of the bill, any person, upon request, must be able to participate in a precinct caucus or a party assembly with the use of a video conferencing platform that is accessible to persons with disabilities unless the precinct caucus or party assembly is held in a geographic location that lacks broadband internet service. When a precinct caucus or party assembly occurs in a geographic location that lacks broadband internet service, participation must be allowed by an alternative means such as a telephone conference. Any alternative means used by a political party must be accessible to persons with disabilities. The failure of a political party to make a reasonable effort to comply with the requirements in the bill constitutes discrimination on the basis of disability in violation of current law. Action taken pursuant to the bill does not limit or preclude any other available legal remedy. (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 act defines "seasonal outdoor adventure day camp program" (program) as a type of children's resident camp for licensing purposes or to ensure the programs are licensed. Programs serve children who are 5 years of age or older. APPROVED by Governor April 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE April 4, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act prohibits training for law enforcement personnel, emergency medical service providers, or other first responders from including the term "excited delirium"; except that in an emergency medical service provider training the term may be used in teaching the history of the term. A peace officer is prohibited from using the term "excited delirium" to describe a person in an incident report. A coroner or other person authorized to determine a cause of death shall not register "excited delirium" as the cause of death on a death certificate. APPROVED by Governor April 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act authorizes the driver of a 2-wheeled motorcycle to overtake or pass another motor vehicle in the same lane if: The traffic is stopped; The road has lanes wide enough to pass safely; The motorcycle is moving at 15 miles per hour or less; and Conditions permit prudent operation of the motorcycle while overtaking or passing. A motorcycle driver overtaking or passing under the act must not overtake or pass: On the right shoulder; To the right of a vehicle in the farthest right-hand lane if the highway is not limited access; or In a lane of traffic moving in the opposite direction. The authorization to overtake or pass is repealed, effective September 1, 2027. Before the repeal, the Colorado department of transportation will analyze safety data on the act and issue a report to the general assembly. APPROVED by Governor April 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act permits, subject to conditions, concurrent legislative jurisdiction between the state of Colorado and the United States over specified United States military installation property. APPROVED by Governor April 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE April 4, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Under current law, the state distributes its share of a school district's total program funding in 12 approximately equal monthly payments during the budget year. The act changes this distribution schedule so that unless a school district opts out, the state distributes its share of a school district's total program funds in a pattern over the course of the budget year that considers the projected timing of when the district will receive the property tax component of its local share of its total program funding and is as equal as possible each month when combined with the property tax component of its local share. APPROVED by Governor April 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE April 4, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Under current law, manufacturers and distributors of fuel products in the state are required to pay a fee each calendar month to the department of revenue (department). The fee is deposited in the petroleum storage tank fund. The department also collects another fee (PFAS cash fund fee) to fund the perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances cash fund, support the department of transportation, support the Colorado state patrol, and pay the costs to the department for administering the fee. The act clarifies the fee amounts that the department is required to collect for the petroleum storage tank fund. The act also repeals outdated provisions regarding the PFAS cash fund fee and clarifies that the department must annually transmit the collected fee to the state treasurer. APPROVED by Governor April 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act modifies provisions governing the Colorado health benefit exchange (exchange) by: Eliminating the requirement for the board of directors of the exchange (board) to submit a report on the development of the exchange to the governor and the general assembly by January 15 and instead requiring the report to be submitted annually and to address open enrollment; Requiring the board to also present an open enrollment update to specified legislative committees during each legislative session; Requiring the exchange, rather than the board, to annually present to the Colorado health insurance exchange oversight committee (committee) the exchange's financial and operational plans and the major actions taken by the board; and Modifying the number of meetings of the committee during the interim. APPROVED by Governor April 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Current law requires the department of health care policy and financing (department) to offer to enter into a direct contract with the managed care organization (MCO) operated by or under the control of the Denver health and hospital authority (Denver health) until Denver health ceases to operate a medicaid managed care program or until June 30, 2025. The act removes the option for the department to enter into a direct contract until June 30, 2025, and instead requires the department to enter into the contract from July 1, 2025, until June 30, 2032, as long as the MCO meets all MCO criteria required by the department. If the department designates a managed care entity (MCE) other than the MCO operated by Denver health to manage behavioral health-care services, the act requires Denver health to collaborate with the MCE during the term of the contract. The act prohibits the MCO from reimbursing contracted medicaid providers at rates that are higher than the department's medicaid fee for service rates unless the provider enters into a quality incentive agreement with the MCO. For the 2023-24 state fiscal year, the department distributed money appropriated for a supplemental state payment to Denver health. The act authorizes the department to continually distribute any money appropriated for payment to Denver health. APPROVED by Governor April 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE April 4, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act allows an enrollee in the state medicaid program or with a private health insurance carrier whose coverage has been terminated or not renewed to receive continued care with the enrollee's same health-care provider or health-care facility under the enrollee's new health benefit plan at the in-network level under the enrollee's new health benefit plan for specified time periods if certain conditions exist. APPROVED by Governor April 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE January 1, 2025(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
