The bill creates the student educator stipend program. The purpose of the student educator stipend program is to award stipend money to an eligible student to reduce the financial barriers of participating in required clinical practice as a student educator. An eligible student placed as a student educator in a 16-week academic residency may receive a stipend of $11,000, and an eligible student placed as a student educator in a 32-week academic residency may receive a stipend of $22,000. The bill also creates the educator test stipend program. The purpose of the educator test stipend program is to award stipend money to approved programs of preparation to reduce financial barriers for eligible students preparing for the assessment of professional competencies for licensure and each required endorsement area. The approved program of preparation shall distribute the stipend money to an eligible student to pay the fees and costs associated with the assessment of professional competencies, which may include travel and lodging costs. The bill creates the temporary educator loan forgiveness program. The purpose of the program is to pay the qualified loans of an educator who is hired for a hard-to-staff educator position. To qualify for the program, an educator must meet licensure requirements, enter the educator workforce on or after the 2019-20 state fiscal year and contract for a qualified position no later than the end of the 2021-22 state fiscal year, and be liable for an outstanding balance on a qualified loan. An educator who qualifies is eligible for up to $5,000 in loan forgiveness. The bill requires the department of education (department), in collaboration with the department of higher education, and institutions of higher education, the state board for community colleges and occupational education, and school districts, to create a recommend to the state board of education the standards and procedures necessary to implement the multiple measures approach to measure the professional competencies of an applicant for an initial teacher license, in addition to the assessments currently approved by the state board of education. The state board of education shall promulgate rules to establish the standards and procedures to measure professional competencies through the multiple measures approach.Current law allows the department to issue a temporary educator eligibility authorization to a person enrolled in an approved program of preparation for a special education educator license who has not yet met the requirements for the applicable initial educator license. The bill allows the department to issue a temporary educator eligibility authorization an interim authorization to a person enrolled in an approved alternative teacher preparation program who is seeking an alternative teacher license and meets the requirements for an alternative teacher license, except that the person has not yet met the requirements for the applicable initial educator license.For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, $52 million is appropriated to the department of higher education from the economic recovery and relief cash fund to be distributed to the following programs: $39 million for the student educator stipend program; $3 million for the educator test stipend program; and $10 million for the temporary educator loan forgiveness program. For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, $720,612 is appropriated to the department from the general fund to implement the purposes of the bill. (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.)
Under existing law, a pawnbroker is a person who regularly engages in the business of making contracts for purchase or purchase transactions in the course of his or her business. The act amends the definition of pawnbroker so that a person who is regularly engaged in the business of making purchase transactions is a pawnbroker only if the person also engages in the business of making contracts for purchase. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Current law requires a peace officer to be a bona fide Colorado resident. The act removes that requirement. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act expands the grant program administered by the Colorado bureau of investigation (CBI) that assists counties in implementing recovery programs for persons who wander (grant program). A recovery program for persons who wander (recovery program), currently known as a lifesaver program, is a program under which a participant has a device that may be used to assist in attempting to electronically locate the participant. The act expands the grant program to apply to recovery programs established or maintained by counties and municipalities (local governments) or local government designees. The act also removes a limit on the amount of any single grant and a nonbinding intent statement regarding the maximum amount of money that the general assembly should spend on the grant program. Further, the act allows the executive director of the department of public safety to award grants to assist in maintaining and implementing recovery programs. The act also requires the CBI to establish a website that lists those local governments and local government designees that have a recovery program, describes how to contact those local governments and local government designees, lists resources for caretakers of persons with medical conditions that cause wandering, provides procedures to follow when a participant of a recovery program is determined to be missing, describes how the technology used by the various local governments and local government designees for recovery programs works, and provides any other information the CBI may conclude is necessary to better explain and publicize recovery programs. $100,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the recovery program for persons who wander cash fund for use by the CBI for operating expenses related to the Colorado crime information center and related personal services. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act establishes a number of new programs concerning postsecondary career and education options for students, including: Establishing the postsecondary, workforce, career, and education grant program in the department of education (CDE) to provide grants to local education providers to improve the training of school educators and administrators, to support students and families in developing career and education plans for after high school, and to increase the number of students for whom applications for free financial aid are completed; Creating regional postsecondary and workforce readiness coordinators in CDE to train educators concerning financial aspects of postsecondary options; Updating the financial literacy resource bank to include more information and training concerning postsecondary financial aid; Creating $500 stipends for teachers who successfully complete financial aid training; Adding a requirement that public schools ensure students and families receive communication about available state and federal financial aid; Requiring the department of higher education (CDHE) to develop a tool kit and training to help schools and nonprofit organizations support students and families in completing postsecondary state and federal financial aid applications and to increase the number of students completing the financial aid forms; and Requiring CDHE to make certain improvements to streamline the Colorado application for financial aid. The act appropriates to CDE from the general fund: $1,150,000 for the postsecondary, workforce, career, and education grant and readiness program; and $475,000 for financial aid training stipends and resource bank. The act appropriates to CDHE from the general fund: $680,000 for a financial aid toolkit; $320,000 for financial aid assessment tool improvements; and $250,000 for Colorado commission on higher education and higher education special purpose program administration.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires the department of education (department) to collect and compile data and create reports based on information received from school districts and charter schools (schools) related to chronic absenteeism rates, the number of in-school and out-of-school suspensions, the number of expulsions, the number of students handcuffed or restrained, the number of referrals to law enforcement, and the number of school-related arrests. The department shall to annually update and post such data and reports on its website. The department shall ensure all student-level data is kept confidential and complies with federal reporting requirements. The act requires the department to create and post easily accessible and user-friendly school district profiles relating to school climate, including school climate surveys. The act increases restrictions concerning the use of restraints on students. If a physical restraint is used for more than one minute but less than five minutes, the student's parent must be notified on the day of the restraint. The written notice must include the date, the name of the student, and the number of restraints. If a physical restraint is used for five minutes or more, the school administration shall mail, fax, or email a written report of the incident to the parent or legal guardian of the student not more than five calendar days after the use of the restraint on the student. The written report must be placed in the student's confidential file. A school resource officer or a law enforcement officer acting in the officer's official capacity on school grounds, in a school vehicle, or at a school activity or sanctioned event shall not use handcuffs on any student, unless there is a danger to themselves or others or handcuffs are used during a custodial arrest that requires transport. If a school uses a seclusion room, there must be at least one window for monitoring when the door is closed. If a window is not feasible, monitoring must be possible through a video camera. A student placed in a seclusion room must be continually monitored. The room must be a safe space free of injurious items. The seclusion room must not be a room that is used by school staff for storage, custodial, or office space. The department has enforcement authority over restraint investigation decisions and must follow the procedures outlined for state complaints under the federal "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" and the department's state-level complaint procedures. The act requires the peace officers standards and training (P.O.S.T.) board, with respect to the hiring, training, and evaluation of school resource officers and professionalizing a school-police partnership, to create a model policy for selecting school resource officers. The P.O.S.T. board shall consult with school board members, school resource officers, K-12 advocates, and other relevant stakeholders, including student groups, in the development of the model policy. The department shall post the model policy on its website and distribute the policy to schools for consideration and possible adoption. The model policy may be used by schools and police departments. For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $516,451 to the department of education from the general fund for information technology services and the office of dropout prevention and student reengagement. An additional $30,000 is appropriated to the department of law for use by the peace officers training board from the P.O.S.T board cash fund to implement the provisions of the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act allows a hospital employee or agent to dispense a 7-day to 28-day supply of drugs for prophylaxis of sexually transmitted infections to an emergency room patient who is a victim of sexual assault. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act makes changes to the acupuncturists' practice act, including the changes recommended by the department of regulatory agencies' (department) sunset review and report on the licensing of acupuncturists, by: Continuing the licensing requirements for 11 years, until September 1, 2033; Authorizing the director of the division of professions and occupations (director) in the department to impose administrative fines as a disciplinary action; Requiring final actions of the director to be appealed directly to the court of appeals; Modernizing the definition of "acupuncturist" so that it includes only persons licensed under the acupuncturists' practice act and modernizing the titles and designations protected for use by licensed acupuncturists; Authorizing an acupuncturist to supervise unlicensed acupuncture aides in the performance of specific tasks as determined by rule of the director and directing the director to adopt rules specifying the tasks that may be performed by acupuncture aides, the training and supervision required, and the number of acupuncture aides that an acupuncturist may supervise; Replacing the term "oriental", in references to the methods and concepts of acupuncture, with more modern terminology; Requiring each acupuncturist to devise a plan for the safe storage, security, and disposal of patient records; Requiring each applicant for acupuncturist licensure to pass an examination approved by the director; Repealing the reference to the specific national organization that establishes standards for auricular acudetox training and allowing the director to designate a national organization; Making it a unlawful act for a person to use the term "medical acupuncturist" or other similar term unless the person is practicing in accordance with medical practice act; Updating the grounds for discipline of an acupuncturist relating to the use or abuse of alcohol, habit-forming drugs, and controlled substances to align with other regulated professions; Adding as a grounds for discipline the failure to respond to a complaint filed against the acupuncturist in an honest, responsive, and timely manner; and Authorizing the director to adopt rules to establish the appropriate use of telehealth to provide acupuncture services.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act continues the regulation of conveyances and conveyance mechanics, contractors, and inspectors by the director of the division of oil and public safety within the department of labor and employment for 9 years, until September 1, 2031. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act creates the Pikes Peak international hill climb special license plate. In addition to the standard motor vehicle fees, the plate requires 2 one-time fees of $25. One of the fees is credited to the highway users tax fund and the other to the licensing services cash fund. For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, $41,734 is appropriated to the department of revenue for use by the division of motor vehicles to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act creates the epilepsy awareness license plate for motor vehicles. The department of revenue must designate a nonprofit organization to qualify applicants for issuance of the license plate. The organization must: Be headquartered in Colorado; Have been in existence for at least 5 years; Be a nonprofit organization; Provide education to the public about epilepsy; Offer programs for youth and adults with epilepsy; and Fund services and support for those affected by epilepsy. An applicant qualifies for issuance of the license plate if the applicant makes a donation to the organization and pays all required taxes and fees. In addition to the standard motor vehicle fees, the applicant must pay 2 one-time fees of $25 for issuance of the license plate. One fee is credited to the highway users tax fund and the other to the licensing services cash fund. For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, $29,671 is appropriated for use by the division of motor vehicles in the department of revenue (department) to implement the act, of which amount $3,168 is reappropriated to the office of the governor for use by the office of information technology to provide information technology services for the department. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The executive director of the department of personnel (executive director) is required to: Create requirements regarding the authority for state public entities to initiate requests for proposals or bids or to review any private partner-initiated proposals for public projects to be completed through public-private partnerships; Create requirements regarding the authority for state public entities to execute public-private partnership agreements for public projects; Further define any relevant terms defined in the act; and Develop cost thresholds for public projects that qualify as a public-private partnership or a public-private agreement. The public-private collaboration unit is established in the department of personnel (department). The unit is required to: In coordination with relevant state public entities, identify, prioritize, and advance potential public projects that may be best delivered through a public-private partnership; Facilitate collaboration between state public entities and private partners in connection with public projects; Provide technical assistance and expertise to state public entities in connection with any aspect of proposed or approved public-private partnerships; Create best practices that incorporate lessons learned from other public-private partnerships for every stage of the life cycle of a public-private partnership; Conduct public and stakeholder engagement to encourage transparency, accountability, and information sharing regarding public-private partnerships; Track proposed, ongoing, and completed public-private partnerships; Attract private investments for public projects; and In coordination with the department of early childhood, distribute funding to help increase the supply of child care facilities using public buildings or other appropriate public assets. For the 2023-24 state fiscal year and for each state fiscal year thereafter, money is appropriated from the general fund to the department for the standard operating expenses of the public-private collaboration unit, including personal services and related costs. A state public entity is authorized to initiate solicitations, review any private partner-initiated proposals, execute public-private partnership agreements, or execute public-private agreements to develop or operate a public project subject to the requirements of the act. Any public-private agreement entered into pursuant to the act must comply with applicable state laws and processes developed by the executive director. Nothing in the act prohibits, limits, or otherwise modifies the specific statutory authority of state public entities to enter into a public-private partnership, a public-private agreement, or other agreement or to use a statutory mechanism as authorized by any other provision of law. Public-private partnerships authorized by the act are exempt from the state "Procurement Code". The Colorado economic development commission is required to establish a public-private partnership subcommittee (subcommittee) to review proposed contracts, sales, and leases of state property. The subcommittee consists of at least 3 members of the commission as selected by the commission. A state public entity that intends to enter into a contract, sale, or lease of state property is required to submit the proposed contract, sale, or lease of state property to the subcommittee for review before entering into the contract, sale, or lease of state property. The state public entity, in coordination with the Colorado economic development commission staff, is required to submit a report to the subcommittee regarding the anticipated use of the state property. The subcommittee is required to review the report and make any recommendations it deems necessary to the state public entity. The executive director is required to annually report on the implementation and use of public-private partnerships pursuant to the act at its presentation to its committee of reference at a hearing held pursuant to the "State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act". The executive director is also required to submit the report to the joint budget committee. The existing definition of "unused state-owned real property" is modified to require that the unused state-owned real property be identified in the inventory list of unused state-owned real property maintained by the department and that the property is not being used at its optimal or best use. Money in the existing unused state-owned real property fund is continuously, rather than annually, appropriated to the department for existing purposes and for public-private agreements and any associated costs of the agreements. The state, by and through the division of employment and training the department of labor and employment, is authorized to dispose of a parcel of real property in Summit County. The proceeds must be credited to the employment support fund. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
