The act defines critical infrastructure material as any component or part used in covered infrastructure that is made of or contains a commodity metal, the theft of which poses an imminent threat to life or the physical safety of a person, including through serious harm to the basic supply of covered infrastructure to the population or to the exercise of a core function of covered infrastructure. The act adds critical infrastructure materials to regulations in existing law on the sale and possession of commodity metals. The act prohibits an owner, keeper, or proprietor (owner) of a junk shop, junk store, salvage yard, or junk cart or other vehicle, and every collector of or dealer in junk, salvage, or other secondhand property who buys a critical infrastructure material (buyer) from paying cash for the critical infrastructure material unless the seller is paid by means of any process in which a picture of the seller is taken or the transaction is worth less than $300. The act prohibits a buyer from possessing critical infrastructure material without an affidavit from the seller or donator of the commodity metal. Unlawful possession of critical infrastructure materials is a class 2 misdemeanor if the amount is less than $1,000, a class 2 misdemeanor if the amount is $1,000 to $2,000, and a class 6 felony if the amount is $2,000 or more. A buyer who unknowingly takes possession of critical infrastructure material as part of a load of otherwise noncritical infrastructure materials with an affidavit stating they can transfer the noncritical infrastructure material has a duty to notify the appropriate law enforcement agency or municipal code enforcement agency. Failure to report stolen critical infrastructure materials is a class 2 misdemeanor if the amount is less than $1,000, a class 2 misdemeanor if the amount is $1,000 to $2,000, and a class 6 felony if the amount is $2,000 or more. An owner of a junk shop, junk store, salvage yard, or junk cart must make their book or register available to a law enforcement agency or municipal code enforcement agency upon request. The act modifies existing criminal penalties related to the theft of commodity metals so that it is a class 6 felony for any amount that is $2,000 or more.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The bill creates a special purpose authority (investment performance authority) that is authorized to invest certain public money from certain special funds, enterprise funds, and funds held by other special purpose authorities. State and other governmental entities (eligible entities) may choose to have the investment performance authority invest their money instead of the state treasurer or other authorized investor, under certain conditions. The investment performance authority is governed by a board of directors made up of the following 7 members:The state treasurer or the state treasurer's designee, who serves as chair of the board;The director of the office of state planning and budgeting or the director's designee;An individual with professional experience in managing federal, state, or local government money or managing the money of an institution of higher education or other endowment fund, appointed by the governor;2 individuals with professional experience in investment consulting or investment management, with one individual appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and one individual appointed by the majority leader of the senate;An individual employed in the child care field, appointed by the minority leader of the senate; andAn individual working with a child care advocacy organization, appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives. The investment performance authority uses the earnings from the investment of eligible entities' money:To quarterly disburse to eligible entities on a pro rata basis;To pay the reasonable administrative costs and expenses of the investment performance authority;To create a reserve; and To disburse to counties for child care assistance to families with low incomes according to a formula established in coordination with the child care assistance program allocation committee and the department of early childhood.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
In current law , the 'Colorado Employment Security Act' excludes services performed by certain individuals engaged in the trade or business of delivering or distributing newspapers or shopping news from the definition of 'employment' . The bill adds the same exclusion to the 'Workers' Compensation Act of Colorado', the 'Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act', and provisions concerning wages repeals that exclusion and adds clarifying language regarding how the independent contractor test should be applied to determine whether such individuals are employees. The bill adds the same clarifying language to the provisions concerning wages.(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.)
When a peace officer has reasonable suspicion that a crime of domestic violence has occurred, the peace officer is required to search the national crime information center database to determine whether a military protection order has been issued against one of the parties. If a military protection order has been issued against a party, the peace officer shall notify the military law enforcement agency that entered the protection order into the database. The act includes the existence of a military protection order as relevant evidence that the court shall consider when determining whether to issue a temporary civil protection order.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The bill requires the department of education to:Ensure that standardized summative assessments are administered to students to the minimum extent possible; andApply for a federal waiver for federal assessment requirements, if necessary.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Current law establishes a statewide integrated system of early childhood councils (councils) to improve and sustain the availability, accessibility, capacity, and quality of early childhood services. The act expands the powers, functions, and responsibilities of a council in implementing a comprehensive system of early childhood and family support programs and services (programs and services) within the council's community. Current law establishes local coordinating organizations (LCOs) to increase access to, coordinate, and allocate funding for programs and services through work with the families, program and service providers, and local governments in a community and with the department of early childhood (department). Effective July 1, 2026, the act repeals provisions authorizing the creation and operation of LCOs and transfers the LCO rights, powers, duties, functions, and obligations concerning supporting access to and delivery of programs and services to the councils (transfer). If the transfer requires the consolidation, reassignment, or material modification of the duties of a council or LCO, the department may authorize a one-time extension of the transition period for up to 3 years. Current law requires a council to develop a community strategic plan based upon an assessment of the early childhood needs in the council's designated service area (community strategic plan). The act requires a community strategic plan to address specified issues, including:Assisting families in applying for programs and services;Coordinating outreach efforts with other local entities and tribal agencies;Recruiting and coordinating providers to form a mixed delivery system that promotes family choice; andSupporting increased recruitment and retention of individuals in the early care and education workforce. The act requires a council, in partnership with the department, to create, review, and revise a scope of work that reflects the community strategic plan and accurately represents the programs and services within the community, meets families' needs, and aligns with available appropriations and the department's statewide strategic planning process. Associated accountability metrics must also be reviewed and revised to align with the scope of work. The act specifies a council's new obligations regarding improving access to high-quality programs and services, early childhood workforce development, data-sharing agreements, outreach for holistic family services, and auditing. The act establishes requirements for an agreement that sets forth the respective duties of a council and the department in implementing a community strategic plan (agreement). The act identifies the department's responsibilities for the coordinated distribution of public funding for programs and services; council training and technical assistance; dissemination of information about successful council strategies and innovations; and standards for communication, resolution of disputes, and contracting protocols. The act modifies the process for the department to approve or facilitate a waiver of the rules for the implementation of council projects. The act requires the department to implement an annual performance review process for each council and solicit community feedback about a council's performance at intervals ranging from 3 to 5 years. If the department determines that a council is not meeting the requirements of the scope of work and accountability metrics contained in the agreement, the department may require the council to implement a performance improvement plan. If a council fails to make substantial progress toward addressing the issues raised in the performance improvement plan, the department may terminate the council's agreement. The act makes substantive and technical conforming amendments to address the reallocation of responsibilities and functions from LCOs to councils, including administrative and funding provisions related to the Colorado child care assistance program and the Colorado universal preschool program.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The bill makes appropriations for matters related to the legislative department for the 2026-27 state fiscal year.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
This bill establishes new educational requirements for individuals seeking to become licensed school counselors in Colorado. To qualify for an initial school counselor license, applicants must now hold a master's degree or higher specifically in school counseling from an accredited institution, with the program requiring at least 48 graduate semester credit hours. The legislation aims to ensure that school counselors entering the profession have comprehensive graduate-level preparation in counseling practices, student development, and strategies to support students facing behavioral and academic challenges. This change directly affects current and future school counselor candidates in Colorado who must meet these updated academic standards to obtain their professional license.
The act continues the regulation of cash-bonding and professional cash-bail agents for 8 years, until 2034.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires each school district or, for an institute charter school or nonpublic school, the school, (local education provider) to install an exterior key box that contains keys and other access control devices necessary for law enforcement agencies to access each building and room located on the school grounds. A local education provider is not required to install an exterior key box at a school if:The school has a key box that does not satisfy the requirements in the act and has an alternative plan and procedures to provide emergency access for local law enforcement; orThe local education provider applied for but does not receive a disbursement from the school security disbursement program that may be used to install an exterior key box at the school. The contents of an exterior key box and the information contained therein are not a public record for the purposes of the 'Colorado Open Records Act'.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act prohibits a person who possesses a record or report (record) of child abuse or neglect from releasing identifying data or information contained in the record to a person who is not authorized to receive the information or data. The act clarifies what constitutes identifying data in a record. The act adds an assigned designee of a person named in a record who is acting on the person's behalf as a person who may have access to child abuse or neglect records if the assigned designee presents a valid release of information signed by an authorized person. The act allows a person named in a record as an alleged abused or neglected child who is in possession of a record in which they are named or, with the person's consent, the person's attorney or guardian ad litem, to disclose and make use of the record, including for the purpose of litigation or to obtain treatment or services. Except as expressly authorized in law, a criminal defendant may only access a record after an in camera review by the court in which the court finds that access to the record is necessary for the resolution of an issue. The act requires each county department of human or social services to establish and submit to the state department of human services a process current and former clients may use to obtain access to their case records. The act repeals the penalties associated with a person who improperly releases or willfully permits or encourages the release of data or information contained in the records to a person not permitted to access the information and makes it a petty offense for the department of education or a school district, charter school, or nonpublic school to release data or information contained in a record to a person not permitted to access the information.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The bill makes changes to death-care related practices, including changes to:The practices of professionals licensed and establishments registered pursuant to the 'Mortuary Science Code';The licensure options for professionals seeking licensure pursuant to the 'Mortuary Science Code';The powers and duties of the director of the division of professions and occupations in connection with regulating professionals licensed and establishments registered pursuant to the 'Mortuary Science Code';The provisions concerning nontransplant tissue banks and the discipline of a person that has an interest in a nontransplant tissue bank;The abuse of a corpse as a criminal offense in regard to transporting human remains ;The timeline for regulatory review of certain death-care related entities and provisions; andThe process by which a licensed individual initiates, completes, responds to, or files a death certificate.(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.)
