The 2021 general appropriations act is amended to balance and make adjustments to the total amount appropriated to the department of revenue. The capital construction fund portion of the appropriation is increased. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act codifies the department of higher education's Colorado opportunity scholarship initiative's (initiative) displaced workers grant and extends the authority for the initiative to use a $13,050,000 appropriation received in the 2020-21 state fiscal year for the displaced workers grant to disperse grant awards to grant recipients through the 2023-24 state fiscal year. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act directs the committee on legal services (committee) to adopt its own rules of procedure. The act authorizes the committee to approve questions concerning retention of legal counsel by poll of the committee in lieu of a meeting, unless a committee member objects. If the committee approves retention of counsel by poll, the committee must give public notice of the vote to retain counsel, including the name of the legal counsel to be retained, the legal matter for which the legal counsel will provide representation, and the entity or individual that the legal counsel will represent. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
On April 1, 2022, the act transfers: $4,113,216 from the general fund to the capital construction fund; and $950,690 from the general fund to the information technology capital account of the capital construction fund.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act extends deadlines related to COVID-19 relief programs within the Colorado office of economic development and international trade that are dedicated to accelerating the recovery of negatively impacted industries and businesses. Specifically, the act extends the: COVID-19 relief programs for small businesses spending authority for technical assistance from June 30, 2022, to December 31, 2023, and the reporting deadline from November 1, 2022, to November 1, 2023, and adds another report due on November 1, 2024; Closing of the applications deadline for the small business accelerated growth program from December 31, 2022, to October 31, 2023; and Deadline for eligible events to occur under the Colorado meetings and events incentive program from December 31, 2022, to June 30, 2024, and the reporting requirement due dates through July 1, 2025.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act extends the date by which the department of health care policy and financing shall administer the reproductive health-care program from January 1, 2022, to July 1, 2022. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Under current law, money in the ARPA account in the healthcare affordability and sustainability fee cash fund as a result of fund savings and federal matching dollars must be used in accordance with the federal "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021" (ARPA) to implement or supplement the implementation of home- and community-based services. The act authorizes money in the ARPA account to be used for a purpose that is ineligible for a federal match but otherwise authorized pursuant to the ARPA if the general assembly appropriates the money for that purpose. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act makes an appropriation and requires the department of health care policy and financing to distribute the money appropriated for supplemental, state-only payments to urban Indian organizations to address health-care disparities among the urban Indian community. For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $70,825 from the general fund to the department of health care policy and financing for use for other medical services for state-only payments to urban Indian organizations. For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $48,025 from the general fund to the department of health care policy and financing for use for other medical services for state-only payments to urban Indian organizations. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Current law requires the state department of health care policy and financing to obtain a vendor to provide a comprehensive care coordination and treatment training model (model) for persons who work with persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and co-occurring behavioral health needs by January 1, 2022. The act removes that deadline. Current law requires case-management agencies, mental health centers, and other program-approved service agencies in the state to nominate providers to participate in the model training designed and provided by the selected vendor no later than March 1, 2022. The act removes that deadline and requires that providers be nominated to participate in the model training no later than 60 days after a vendor is obtained to provide the model training. Current law requires providers participating in the model training to complete the training no later than March 30, 2023. The act removes that deadline and requires that the model training be completed no later than one calendar year after a provider is nominated to participate in the model training. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act directs the state treasurer to transfer $2 million from the coal transition workforce assistance program account (account) to the just transition cash fund (fund) on March 7, 2022, and directs the general assembly to appropriate $150,000 from the fund to the department of higher education for allocation to the Colorado school of mines to expand the Carbon Ore, Rare Earth, and Critical Minerals Initiative for U.S. Basins (CORE-CM initiative) in the Greater Green river and Wind river basins. Additionally, the act modifies the account as follows: Removes the requirement that the department of labor and employment (department) expend specified percentages of money in the account by specified fiscal years; and Removes the prioritization of account expenditures first for programs that directly support coal transition workers, thereby allowing the department to also expend money in the account for programs that support coal transition workers' family members and other household members. The act also: Repeals the $7,000,000 appropriation from the account to the department, made pursuant to House Bill 21-1290, concerning funding to provide just transition for coal transition workers and coal transition communities, for the 2020-21 state fiscal year; Appropriates from the account to the department, for the coal transition workforce assistance program, $500,000 for the 2021-22 state fiscal year and $2 million for the 2022-23 state fiscal year; Appropriates from the fund to the department, for authorized investments in just transition programs for communities, $1,295,000 for the 2021-22 state fiscal year and $555,000 for the 2022-23 state fiscal year; and Appropriates $150,000 to the department of higher education for allocation to the Colorado school of mines to expand the CORE-CM initiative.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The 2021 general appropriations act is amended to balance and make adjustments to the total amount appropriated to the offices of the governor, lieutenant governor, and state planning and budgeting. The general fund portion of the appropriation is increased. Amends House Bill 21-1289, concerning broadband deployment, to extend the time in which money remains available for specific purposes. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Colorado law sets weight limits for vehicles that travel over roads. One of the factors that determines a vehicle's weight limit is whether a load is divisible, which means that the load can be divided up to lower its weight. The act deems that a load of fluid milk products carried by a vehicle is not a divisible load. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
