The bill mandates funding instruction in public schools of history and civil government of the United States and Colorado, including but not limited to the history, culture, and contributions of American Indians, Hispanic Americans, African Americans, and Asian Americans. Current law requires school districts to convene community forums to discuss the content standards in history and civil government at least once every 10 years. The bill requires the forums to be held at least every 2 years. The history, culture, and civil government in education commission is established to make recommendations to the state board of education when the state board performs its scheduled 6-year review of education standards so those standards and programs accurately reflect the history, culture, and civil government of the United States and Colorado, including the contributions and influence of American Indians, Hispanic Americans, African Americans, and Asian Americans. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Pursuant to current law, when a person, company, firm, corporation, or contractor (contractor) enters into a contract with certain governmental entities or governmental bodies to perform work in connection with certain projects, the contractor is required to execute performance bonds and payment bonds. The bill specifies that these bonding requirements apply to all construction contracts situated or located on public real property using public or private money, public or private financing, or public real property; except that the bonding requirements do not apply in the case of contracts for the development, restoration, or enhancement of wildlife habitat. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Section 1 of the bill establishes a child care savings account, which is an account with a financial institution from which an individual uses money to pay a child care facility for the care of a dependent who is less than 6 years old (account). To be eligible to create an account, an individual must have federal taxable income of less than $90,000, or, in the case of individuals filing a joint return, $180,000. A taxpayer may claim a credit that is equal to 10% of the amount that the taxpayer contributes to an account. The maximum credit allowed for an income tax year for a contribution to a single account is $250. A taxpayer may contribute to multiple accounts but cannot claim more than $25,000 of credits in an income tax year. A credit for a contribution to one's own account is refundable. All other credits are not refundable, but unused credits may be carried forward up to 5 years. Money in the account may only be used for payments to the child care facility or bank fees. If an individual uses money for an unauthorized purpose, then any credit given for such amount is subject to recapture in the year it is withdrawn and there is a penalty equal to 10% of the credit recaptured. The department of revenue is required to establish forms that an individual must annually file related to an account. Section 2 allows an account holder to subtract an amount equal to the interest or income earned during the income tax year from the money in an account from his or her federal taxable income.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) , Read More
The bill requires the oil and gas conservation commission to promulgate rules as soon as practicable to ensure proper wellhead integrity of all oil and gas production wells. The bill requires an oil and gas operator to give electronic notice of the location of each flow line and gathering pipeline installed, owned, or operated by the operator to each local government within whose jurisdiction the subsurface facility is located. The commission promulgated several rules in 2016 to implement 2 of the recommendations of the governor's oil and gas task force. The bill also codifies some of the essential elements of one of the 2 recommendations, with the following modifications: The rules require operators to share their development plans with municipalities within whose jurisdictions the proposed operations will occur; and the bill adds counties within whose jurisdictions the proposed operations will occur. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill prohibits state agencies from imposing a personal qualification requirement in order to engage in a profession or occupation unless the agency can show that the requirement is demonstrably necessary and narrowly tailored to address a specific, legitimate public health, safety, or welfare objective. On or before July 1, 2019, every agency is required to review occupational regulations and determine whether the regulation should be repealed or amended. Any person may file a petition with an agency requesting that an occupational regulation be repealed or amended. Regardless of whether a petition is filed with an agency, any person may file a civil suit requesting the court enjoin an occupational regulation. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) Read More
Sunset Process - House Transportation and Energy Committee. The bill implements the recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies in its sunset review of the certification of conservation easement holders by: Continuing the certification of conservation easement holders by the conservation easement oversight commission (commission) for 7 years until 2025 (Recommendation 1); and Authorizing the director of the division of real estate (director), in consultation with the commission, to share conservation easement information with a third-party vendor to develop a registry of conservation easements in the state for which conservation easement holders have received tax credits (Recommendation 4) and to annually report on the information as part of its 'State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Act' presentation.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill establishes a test for determining whether a marketplace contractor is considered an 'employee' under the 'Workers' Compensation Act of Colorado' and whether services provided by a marketplace contractor are considered 'employment' under the 'Colorado Employment Security Act'. The bill defines a 'marketplace contractor' as a person that enters into a written agreement with a marketplace platform to use the platform's online-enabled application, software, website, or system to receive services requests from third parties seeking the types of services offered by the contractor. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) Read More
The bill: Prohibits a pharmaceutical manufacturer or wholesaler from price gouging on sales of essential off-patent or generic drugs; Makes the practice of price gouging a deceptive trade practice under the "Colorado Consumer Protection Act"; and Requires the state board of pharmacy and the executive director of the department of health care policy and financing to report suspected price gouging to the attorney general. The attorney general is authorized to seek subpoenas and file lawsuits with the appropriate district courts.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) , Read More
The bill creates the emergency completion and retention grant program (grant program) in the department of higher education (department). The Colorado commission on higher education implements the grant program by annually distributing an amount to each state institution of higher education (institution) to use in awarding emergency assistance grants to eligible students who are experiencing qualifying fiscal emergencies. The bill describes minimum procedures an institution must adopt for the financial aid director at the institution to award the emergency assistance grants. The commission is required to include in the annual financial aid report submitted to the joint budget committee a summary of the implementation of the grant program and an evaluation of its effect in increasing the retention and completion rates at institutions. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill authorizes a school district, board of cooperative services, or charter school (local education provider) or group of local education providers to create local, student-centered pilot accountability systems (pilot accountability system) for measuring the performance of the public school systems operated by the participating local education providers. A pilot accountability system must be designed to assess student learning, professional culture, and resource allocation within a participating local education provider. The bill describes the minimum requirements for a pilot accountability system proposal, including the manner in which the participating local education providers will determine whether the pilot accountability system is successful. A local education provider that participates in a pilot accountability system must continue to comply with the accountability and accreditation statutes. A local education provider or group of local education providers may receive a grant to operate the pilot accountability system by submitting the proposal to the department of education (department), agreeing to allow the department to monitor implementation of the pilot accountability system, and agreeing to submit to the department its evaluations of the success of the pilot accountability system. Subject to available appropriations, the participating local education provider or group of local education providers will receive an annual grant so long as they comply with the monitoring and reporting requirements. For each year in which the department distributes a grant, the department must prepare a report of the implementation of the pilot accountability systems; submit it to the governor, the state board of education, and the education committees of the general assembly; and post it on the department website. The authorization for the pilot accountability system grants repeals in 5 years. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill creates a 3-year pilot program in the division of employment and training (division) in the department of labor and employment (department) to provide emergency employment support services to rural and nonrural counties in the state. The bill requires the division to contract with an administering entity to operate the pilot program to provide reimbursement for emergency employment support services provided to eligible individuals in the eligible counties. In order to be eligible for services for which a service provider may be reimbursed under the pilot program, an individual must be 16 years or older, eligible to work in the United States, have an income at or below 200% of the federal poverty line, and be actively pursuing employment or job training. The bill sets forth a list of services that are eligible for reimbursement. The bill requires the administering entity to report to the division at the end of the pilot program. The division is required to devise a formula for poverty reduction, employment, and workforce development programs for the distribution of money within the program area. The bill establishes the emergency employment support services pilot program cash fund to consist of gifts, grants, and donations, and any other money that the general assembly may transfer to the fund. The pilot program is subject to sunset review at the end of the 3-year period. The division is required to promulgate rules to implement and set parameters for the operation of the pilot program. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Statutory Revision Committee. The bill repeals part 5 of article 7 of title 18, Colorado Revised Statutes, concerning sexually explicit materials harmful to children to reflect a 1985 decision made by the Colorado supreme court that held that the entire part was unconstitutional. Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the bill make conforming amendments.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) Read More
