The act implements the recommendation of the department of regulatory agencies' sunset review and report concerning the domestic violence offender management board (board). The act extends the board until September 1, 2027. The act requires the board to conduct compliance reviews on at least 10% of the treatment providers who provide services to domestic violence offenders every 2 years beginning no later than July 1, 2023. The act conforms the fingerprint-based background check process for treatment providers to current law and practice. The act requires the board to develop a data collection plan and requires providers to begin data collection pursuant to the plan by January 1, 2023. The act requires the board to produce an annual report that includes: The number of people who received domestic violence offender treatment in the preceding year, the number of those who successfully completed the treatment, the number of those who did not complete the treatment, and the number of those who reoffended and were removed from treatment; The number of treatment providers who provided domestic violence offender treatment in the preceding year; The number of treatment providers who applied to be placed on the list of approved treatment providers and the number of treatment providers placed on the list; The best practices for the treatment and management of domestic violence; and Any other relevant information, including any board recommendations for legislation to carry out the purpose and duties of the board to protect the community. The act appropriates $70,232 from the general fund to the department of public safety for use by the division of criminal justice to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
No later than July 1, 2023, the act requires each administrative unit to adopt a policy that addresses how a student who has a prescription from a qualified health-care provider for medically necessary treatment receives such treatment in the school setting as required by applicable federal and state laws. The act requires the administrative unit to make the policy publicly available on the administrative unit's website and available to the student's parent or legal guardian upon request. Beginning July 1, 2024, and each July thereafter, the act requires each administrative unit to compile and provide to the department of education (department) the total number of requests for access to a student by a private health-care specialist and whether the access was authorized or denied. Beginning January 2025, and each January thereafter, the act requires the department to make the information reported available on the department's website and report the information to specified committees of the general assembly. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act creates the mandatory reporter task force (task force). The purpose of the task force is to analyze best practices and recommend changes to training requirements and reporting procedures for people required by law to report child abuse or neglect. The task force shall analyze issues, including, but not limited to: The effectiveness of mandatory reporting and its relationship with systemic issues, including the disproportionate impact of mandatory reporting on under-resourced communities, communities of color, and persons with disabilities; The definition of "immediately" and how reporting time frames affect mandatory reporters from different professions; Reporting time frames for mandatory reporters who are creating a safety plan for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking to ensure the safety of the victim and the victim's family members while creating the safety plan; Medical child abuse and the process to report medical child abuse; Whether mandatory reporters should report incidents observed outside of a mandatory reporter's professional capacity; A reporting process for 2 or more mandatory reporters to report child abuse or neglect when they have joint knowledge or joint reasonable cause to make a report of child abuse or neglect; Whether institutions that employ mandatory reporters may develop procedures to assist mandatory reporters in meeting reporting requirements; and The benefits of an electronic reporting platform for the state. The task force is required to analyze national best practices and consult with additional stakeholders as necessary to finalize its findings and recommendations. The task force may propose clarifications to the law to help implement its recommendations. The task force operates for 2 years. The task force shall submit a final report on its findings and recommendations on January 1, 2025, to the house of representatives public and behavioral health and human services committee and the senate health and human services committee, or their successor committees; the governor; and the department of human services. The act appropriates $97,500 from the general fund to the judicial department for use by the office of the child protection ombudsman for program costs. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act establishes the financial literacy and exchange program (program) within the division of housing (division). The program allows the division to create FLEX accounts for certain persons who sign FLEX agreements and participate in eligible housing assistance voucher programs. The division is required to establish policies and procedures as necessary for the administration of the program and to annually report to the general assembly on the status of the program. The division is required to contract with for-profit and nonprofit entities to provide financial literacy support to eligible program participants. The act also creates the continuously appropriated FLEX fund, which may be used for the direct and indirect costs of implementing the program, and appropriates $103,355 to the FLEX fund from the general fund. The department of local affairs is responsible for the accounting related to this appropriation. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires the director of the Colorado energy office (office) and the executive director of the department of local affairs to appoint an energy code board (board) that will develop for adoption by counties, municipalities, and state agencies 2 sets of model codes. The director of the office and the executive director of the department shall also appoint an executive committee for the board. The board shall develop a model electric and solar ready code on or before June 1, 2023, and a model low energy and carbon code on or before July 1, 2025. The office shall, independent of the board, identify model green code language for adoption by counties, municipalities, and state agencies. Every element of either model code adopted by the board must be approved by two-thirds of the board. If two-thirds of the board fail to adopt an element required by statute for either model code, the executive committee must vote on that element. An element of either model code must be approved by the majority of the executive committee to be adopted. In the event of a conflict between the 2021 international energy conservation code, the 2024 international energy conservation code, the model electric ready and solar ready code, or any other model codes adopted by either a local government or divisions in the executive branch and either the Colorado plumbing code or the national electric code, the Colorado plumbing code or the national electric code prevails. The act establishes when the office of the state architect, the division of housing, and the division of fire prevention and control must adopt and enforce codes that achieve equivalent or better energy performance than the codes adopted by the board as follows: On or before January 1, 2025, the office of the state architect, the division of housing, and the division of fire prevention and control shall adopt and enforce an energy code that achieves equivalent or better energy performance than the 2021 international energy conservation code and the model electric and solar ready code developed by the board; and On or before January 1, 2030, the office of the state architect, the division of housing, and the division of fire prevention and control shall adopt and enforce an energy code that achieves equivalent or better energy and carbon emissions performance than the model low energy and carbon code developed by the board. Likewise, the act establishes when municipalities and counties must adopt and enforce codes that achieve equivalent or better energy performance than the codes adopted by the board as follows: On or after July 1, 2023, and before July 1, 2026, municipalities and counties that update a building code shall adopt and enforce an energy code that achieves equivalent or better energy performance than the 2021 international energy conservation code and the model electric and solar ready code developed by the board; and On or after July 1, 2026, municipalities and counties that update a building code shall adopt and enforce an energy code that achieves equivalent or better energy performance than the model low energy and carbon code language developed by the board. However, rather than either the model electric and solar ready code or the model low energy and carbon code, a rural county that applies for and is not awarded a grant that significantly assists in energy code adoption and enforcement training is instead required to adopt and enforce an energy code that achieves equivalent or better energy performance than one of the 3 most recent editions of the international energy conservation code. The act also creates 2 primary grant programs that will be administered by the office: The building electrification for public buildings grant program to provide grants to local governments, school districts, state agencies, and special districts for the installation of high-efficiency electric heating equipment; and The high-efficiency electric heating and appliances grant program to provide grants to local governments, utilities, nonprofit organizations, and housing developers for the installation of high-efficiency electric heating equipment in multiple structures within a neighborhood and the purchase of electrical installations and upgrades necessary to support the installation of high-efficiency electric equipment. The clean air building investments fund, a continuously appropriated cash fund, is established by the act to fund the creation, implementation, and administration of both of these grant programs. Lastly, the act also requires the following transfers from the general fund: $3 million to the energy fund created for the office to issue grants and provide training related to the 2021 international energy conservation code, electric and solar ready codes, and low energy and carbon codes; $150,000 to the energy fund created for the office for the costs associated with administering the board; $10 million to the clean air building investments fund for the creation, implementation, and administration of the building electrification for public buildings grant program; and $10,850,000 to the clean air building investments fund for the creation, implementation, and administration of the high-efficiency electric heating and appliances grant program.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Section 1 of the act creates the industrial and manufacturing operations clean air grant program (clean air grant program) through which the Colorado energy office (office) awards grant money to private entities, local governments, tribal governments, and public-private partnerships for voluntary projects to reduce air pollutants from industrial and manufacturing operations. Voluntary projects eligible for grant money include: Energy efficiency projects; Renewable energy projects; Beneficial electrification projects; Transportation electrification projects; Projects producing or utilizing clean hydrogen; Projects involving carbon capture at industrial facilities and direct air capture projects; Methane capture projects; Projects producing or utilizing sustainable aviation fuel; and Industrial process changes that reduce emissions. Starting in 2025, the office is required to report annually on the progress of the clean air grant program, submit the report to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over energy matters, and post the reports on the office's website. On June 30, 2022, the state treasurer shall transfer $25 million from the general fund to the industrial and manufacturing operations clean air grant program cash fund, which fund is created in the act. The fund may also consist of money from federal sources and from gifts, grants, and donations. The money in the fund is continuously appropriated to the office for its administration of the clean air grant program. The office may use up to 9% of the money in the fund for its administrative costs in implementing the clean air grant program. The clean air grant program is repealed on September 1, 2029. Section 1 also creates the cannabis resource optimization cash fund, which fund the office is required to administer to provide financial incentives for energy and water use conservation and sustainability practices in cannabis operations. The state treasurer is directed to transfer $1.5 million from the general fund to the cannabis resource optimization cash fund on July 1, 2022. Section 2 creates the community access to electric bicycles grant program (electric bicycles grant program) through which the office awards grant money to local governments, tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations that administer or plan to administer a bike share program or an ownership program for the provision of electric bicycles in a community. Section 2 also creates the community access to electric bicycles rebate program (rebate program) through which the office provides rebates for purchases of electric bicycles and equipment used for commuting purposes to individuals in low- and moderate-income households, businesses, or nonprofit organizations (program participants) or bicycle shops that sell electric bicycles to program participants at discounted prices. Starting in 2025, the office is required to report annually on the progress of the electric bicycles grant program and the rebate program, submit copies of the report to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over transportation matters, and post the report on the office's website. On June 30, 2022, the state treasurer shall transfer $12 million from the general fund to the community access to electric bicycles cash fund (fund), which fund is created in the act. The fund may also consist of money from federal sources and from gifts, grants, and donations. The money in the fund is continuously appropriated to the office for its administration of the electric bicycles grant program and the rebate program. The office may use up to 9% of the money in the fund for its administrative costs in implementing the electric bicycles grant program and the rebate program. The electric bicycles grant program and the rebate program are repealed on September 1, 2028. Section 3 creates the electrifying school buses grant program (school buses grant program) through which the department of public health and environment (department), with technical assistance from the office, awards grant money to school districts, including schools operated by tribal governments, and charter schools, or nonprofit partners acting on behalf of a school district or charter school, to help finance the procurement and maintenance of electric-powered school buses, the conversion of fossil-fuel-powered school buses to electric-powered school buses, charging infrastructure, and upgrades for electric charging infrastructure and the retirement of fossil-fuel-powered school buses. The department of education is authorized to provide assistance to school districts and charter schools in applying for or implementing a project funded with grant money. Starting in 2025, and every odd-numbered year thereafter, the department is required to report on the progress of the school buses grant program, submit copies of the report to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over education, energy and environment, and transportation matters, and post copies of the report on its website. On June 30, 2022, the state treasurer shall transfer $65 million from the general fund to the electrifying school buses grant program cash fund (electric school buses fund), which fund is created in the act. The electrifying school buses fund may also consist of money from federal sources and from gifts, grants, and donations. The money in the electrifying school buses fund is continuously appropriated to the department for its administration of the school buses grant program. The department may use up to 8% of the money in the electrifying school buses fund for its administrative costs in implementing the electrifying school buses grant program. The school buses grant program is repealed on September 1, 2034. Section 4 updates the definition of "federal act" regarding the reference to the federal "Clean Air Act". Section 4 also updates the definition of "issue" with respect to an order, permit, determination, or notice issued by the division of administration in the department (division), to remove certified mail and add electronic mail as options to issue such order, permit, determination, or notice. Section 5 clarifies that the statutory fee caps for fees collected by the air quality enterprise apply only to the annual stationary source emission fees. The statutory fee caps are $1 million for state fiscal year 2021-22, $3 million for state fiscal year 2022-23, $4 million for state fiscal year 2023-24, and $5 million on and after July 1, 2024. Section 6 removes the requirement that the division make the forms on which a person provides details necessary for filing an air pollution emission notice available at all of the air pollution control authority offices. Section 7 authorizes a person to seek judicial review of the division's failure to grant or deny a renewable operating permit until the division grants or denies the permit and authorizes the division to contract with third parties to perform permit application reviews, air quality monitoring reviews, or other work to support the division's air quality permit programs. Section 8 extends the time within which the air quality control commission must grant or deny a request for a hearing from within 15 days after the request was made to within 30 days after the request was made and, if granted, requires the commission to set the hearing no later than 90 days after its first regularly scheduled meeting following receipt of the hearing request. Existing law authorizes the commission to submit any additions or changes to the state implementation plan (SIP) to the administrator of the federal environmental protection agency (administrator) for conditional or temporary approval pending legislative council review of the additions or changes. Section 9 authorizes the commission to submit the changes or additions to the administrator as a provisional submission, pending possible introduction and enactment of a bill to modify or delete all or a portion of the commission's additions or changes to the SIP. Section 11 appropriates from the general fund: $750,000 to the department of personnel for the costs of issuing free annual eco passes to state employees; and $7,000,000 to the department to finance the aerial surveying of pollutants, $90,725 of which is reappropriated to the office of information technology in the governor's office to provide information technology services to the department. Section 11 also appropriates $44,365 from the electrifying school buses grant program cash fund to the department of education to provide technical assistance to school districts and charter schools applying for grant money from the school buses grant program and implementing projects awarded grant money. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act creates the geothermal energy grant program (grant program) in the Colorado energy office (office) within the office of the governor. The grant program offers 3 types of grants: The single-structure geothermal grant, which is awarded to applicants that are constructing new buildings and that are installing a geothermal system as the primary heating and cooling system for the building; The community district heating grant, which is awarded to support ground-source, water-source, or multisource thermal systems that serve more than one building; and The geothermal electricity generation grant, which is awarded to support the development of geothermal electricity generation and hydrogen generation produced from geothermal energy. The act sets qualifications, limits, and standards for awarding the grants. A grantee is prohibited from using the money for any purpose not specified in statute or in the grant application. Using the grant money for another purpose subjects the grantee to a civil action seeking repayment. The act creates the geothermal energy grant fund (fund).The grant money in the fund is allocated in the following percentages: Up to 40% of the total money in the fund may be awarded in grants for to support the development of geothermal electricity generation and resource development, which may include hydrogen generation produced from geothermal energy; Up to 80% of the total money in the fund may be awarded in grants for constructing new buildings using geothermal heating, and one-fourth of the money must be awarded to eligible entities from or projects in low-income, disproportionately impacted, or just transition communities; and Up to 25% of the total money in the fund may be awarded in grants to support the development of community district heating systems in new construction or to retrofit existing buildings. The money in the fund is continuously appropriated to implement the grant program. The state treasurer will transfer $12 million from the general fund to the fund. The office administers the grant program and, in doing so, must develop and apply criteria for evaluating and awarding grant applications that: Prioritize projects in low-income, disproportionately impacted, or just transition communities; and Maximize the number of additional projects that would otherwise not occur without grant money. Each grantee must submit an annual report to the office for 2 years following receipt of a grant award. By February 1, 2024, and each year thereafter through February 1, 2026, the office must submit a report to the transportation and energy committee of the senate and the energy and environment committee of the house of representatives. The report must include for the preceding calendar year: The total amount of grant money awarded; The total number of grants awarded and the amount of each grant; The total amount of grant money awarded to each grantee; The percentage of the total amount of grant money awarded for each type of grant; The total amount of matching funds that grantees provided to receive a grant; The percentage of the total amount of grant money awarded to and for projects in low-income, disproportionately impacted, or just transition communities; and To the extent available, the effects of the grants on gas use, electricity use, emissions, and energy costs.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Currently, "United States Mountain Standard Time" (MST), defined in federal law as coordinated universal time minus 7 hours, is the standard time within Colorado. During the period of daylight saving time (i.e., the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November) time is advanced one hour. Federal law allows a state to stay on standard time year round, but does not currently allow a state to adopt daylight saving time year round. The act makes daylight saving time, defined as coordinated universal time minus 6 hours, the year-round standard time within the state. The change takes effect only if a federal law is enacted to allow states to remain on daylight saving time year round and at least 4 states in the MST zone, in addition to Colorado, enact legislation making daylight saving time the state's standard time throughout the year. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Subject to federal authorization and federal financial participation, on or after July 1, 2024, medicaid reimbursement is available for therapy using equine movement when provided by a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, or a speech-language pathologist. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act authorizes the use of an emergency stationary engine if: The emergency stationary engine is providing electric power to or mechanical work for military facilities or facilities under the control of the United States department of defense; The emergency stationary engine is in compliance with federal regulations governing emergency stationary engines; The emergency stationary engine's air pollution control and monitoring equipment is installed, operated, and maintained in compliance with the manufacturer's standards; and The emergency stationary engine is undergoing routine maintenance or testing or providing primary electrical power or mechanical work during an emergency situation under federal regulations. A person that operates an emergency stationary engine as authorized by the act is required to: Minimize the use of emergency stationary engines as much as practicable, consistent with the health, safety, and welfare of the people of Colorado; Report each emergency event that causes the engine to be operated within the later of 48 hours after or noon on the business day following the emergency event; Record information about each emergency event; and Submit compliance reports detailing the operation of the engine, the reason for the operation, deviations, and corrective actions. The governor will submit the act for inclusion in Colorado's state implementation plan. The act will take effect only if the act's inclusion in the state implementation plan is approved by the administrator of the United States environmental protection agency. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act prohibits the department of health care policy and financing (state department) from requiring prior authorization for any repair of complex rehabilitation technology (CRT). No later than October 1, 2023, the act requires the medical services board to promulgate rules establishing repair metrics for all CRT suppliers and CRT professionals. Prior to promulgating rules, the act requires the state department to engage in a stakeholder process. Beginning January 2024, the act requires the state department to report on the metrics and compliance with the metrics. Beginning 3 years after the date the repair metric rules are established, the act authorizes the state department to engage in a stakeholder process to determine the need for additional accountability of a qualified CRT supplier through penalties, audits, or similar tools, for violations of the metric rules. Beginning December 1, 2024, the act requires the state department to reimburse labor costs at a rate that is 25% higher for clients residing in rural areas than urban areas. The act appropriates $112,668 from the general fund to department of health care policy and financing to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires the department of public health and environment (department), as part of its duty to disseminate public health information, to: Collect public health information from data sources and data provided to the department, including information concerning race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity, to the extent permissible under applicable federal and state data privacy laws, rules, and regulations and federal contracts; and Provide direction and technical assistance relating to public health information. The act clarifies that no person is required to provide demographic information concerning race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The act requires the state board of health to promulgate rules, which rules apply to all state and county, district, and municipal public health agencies, public health directors, and other persons required to collect and report data, concerning the requirements for collecting data, and the manner and time frame for reporting and disaggregating data in compliance with applicable federal and state privacy laws, rules, and regulations and federal contracts to protect sensitive medical information and personally identifying information. For required health equity commission (commission) reports that do not include complete demographic information, the act requires state agencies that are represented on the commission to publish a supplemental report to address the social determinants of health and the strategies used to address health disparities and inequities based on race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity. To assist with the department's assessment of health disparities and inequities, the act requires the commission to convene a data advisory working group (working group) to advise the commission concerning collecting and aggregating nonidentifying demographic data and information from Colorado residents about race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity as part of public health programs and from information acquired by or submitted to the department. The act includes the selection of members for the working group. The act removes the requirement that a birth certificate include the person's gender as male or female at birth, but requires a report of birth filed with the state registrar to be completed in compliance with federal law. For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $360,000 from the general fund to the department to implement the act, including: $40,000 for use by administration and support for operating expenses related to health statistics and vital records; and $320,000 for use by disease control and public health response for immunization operating expenses related to general disease control and surveillance.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
