The bill directs the commissioner of insurance to study methods of providing health care coverage to high-risk individuals and reducing health insurance premiums in the individual market, which study is to explore the feasibility of high-risk pools, reinsurance programs, or other high-risk programs and consider requirements under applicable federal law, potential financial impacts on consumers and businesses, potential funding mechanisms to ensure financial sustainability of a high-risk or reinsurance program, and necessary procedural requirements for seeking any required federal waivers or other authorization to implement and fund such programs. The commissioner is to submit a report on the study to the joint budget committee and other specified legislative committees by October 1, 2017, and present the report to specified legislative committees during SMART Act hearings prior to the 2018 legislative session. The commissioner is authorized to seek, accept, and expend public and private gifts, grants, and donations or any federal funding to defray the study costs. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Sunset Process - Senate Health and Human Services Committee. The bill implements the recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies, as contained in the department's sunset review of naturopathic doctors, with modifications, as follows: Continues the regulation of naturopathic doctors by the director of the division of professions and occupations for 3 years, until September 1, 2020 ( sections 1 and 2 ); Requires insurance carriers to report to the director any malpractice judgments against or settlements entered into by a naturopathic doctor ( sections 5 and 6 ); Adds naturopathic doctors to the list of persons required to report child abuse or neglect ( section 8 ) and mistreatment of at-risk elders and at-risk adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities ( section 7 ); Clarifies that the naturopathic formulary that lists the medicines naturopathic doctors may use in the practice of naturopathic medicine includes prescription substances and devices authorized under the 'Naturopathic Doctor Act' ( section 3 ); and Corrects the name of the homeopathic pharmacopoeia as it appears in the act ( section 3 ). Additionally, section 4 of the bill specifies that a naturopathic doctor registered under the 'Naturopathic Doctor Act' may use the titles 'registered naturopathic doctor' or 'registered doctor of naturopathy' or the abbreviation 'R.N.D.'.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Under existing law, one of the performance indicators for determining the level of performance of a public high school, a school district, the state charter school institute (institute), or the state is the degree to which high school graduates demonstrate postsecondary and workforce readiness. The performance indicator is currently measured by the high school's graduation and dropout rates; the percentage of high school graduates who receive a diploma with a postsecondary and workforce readiness endorsement; students' scores on the state assessments administered in grades 9 through 11, including the achievement college entrance exam; and the percentages of students who graduate and matriculate in the next school year into a postsecondary education option. The bill adds as an additional measure for determining attainment of the postsecondary and workforce indicator the percentage of students enrolled in high school who demonstrate college and career readiness, based on the demonstration options available to the students enrolled in each public high school, at a level that indicates that the student is prepared to enroll in postsecondary general education core courses in reading, writing, and math without needing remediation. The bill defines the demonstration options as those adopted by the state board of education in adopting the high school graduation guidelines. The state board must set achievement standards for each demonstration option that indicate the minimum achievement level required for high school graduation and a higher achievement level that indicates that the student is prepared to enroll in postsecondary general education core courses in reading, writing, and math without needing remediation. The bill requires each school district and the institute to report to the department of education the graduation requirements that the school district, each charter high school of the school district, and each institute charter high school adopts, including the options available to high school students for demonstrating college and career readiness. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Legislative Audit Committee. The bill clarifies the criteria and requirements in connection with the assignment of a state-owned motor vehicle (vehicle) to a state agency or to an officer or employee of a state agency. Assignment of vehicles to a state agency. Current law permits the division of central services in the department of personnel (division) to permanently assign a vehicle to a state agency. The bill clarifies that the assignment of a vehicle to a state agency is authorized only when the state agency's use of the vehicle is likely to meet the minimum required mileage for the vehicle's intended work function or if the state agency can justify the need for permanent assignment of the vehicle because of its unique use. The bill also clarifies the conditions under which the division must revoke the assignment of the vehicle to a state agency. Assignment of vehicles to an officer or employee of a state agency. Current law also permits a state agency to assign a vehicle to an officer or employee of the state agency under certain circumstances. The bill specifies that for purposes of the assignment of a vehicle to an officer or employee of a state agency, 'state agency' does not include the judicial and legislative branches of state government, any state institution of higher education, or the Auraria higher education center, and that 'state agency' does include the state board of stock inspection commissioners. Pursuant to current law, a state agency may assign a vehicle to an officer or employee when the executive director of the state agency determines that it would promote a legitimate nonpartisan state interest, promote the efficient operation of the state motor vehicle fleet, and is cost-effective to the state agency. The bill eliminates the current criteria and specifies that a state agency may assign a vehicle to an officer or employee of the state agency for business and commuting only if: Assignment of the vehicle is necessary to conduct official and legitimate state business; The vehicle meets the federal internal revenue service (IRS) definition of qualified nonpersonal use, or assignment of the vehicle is the most cost-efficient means of transportation to the state agency; and Assignment of the vehicle complies with any additional criteria established in rules adopted by the department of personnel. The bill requires the executive director of a state agency or their designee to authorize the assignment of a vehicle in writing and submit the authorization and any supporting documentation to the director of the division for review. The bill requires the director of the division or the state controller, as applicable, to review any assignment of a vehicle to an officer or employee of the state agency. The director of the division or the state controller is required to verify that the state agency's assignment of a vehicle complies with state and federal law. If the review establishes that the assignment of a vehicle does not comply with state and federal law, the division is required to revoke the assignment of the vehicle. Currently, any state officer or employee who has an assigned vehicle is required to reimburse the state for the use of the vehicle at a rate computed by the division. The bill eliminates the reimbursement provision and specifies that when an officer or employee is assigned a vehicle because it is the most cost-efficient means of transportation to the state agency, the officer or employee is required to pay income tax on the value of the fringe benefit of the vehicle. The bill requires the state controller to calculate and report as income the value of the vehicle's fringe benefit in accordance with IRS regulations. The division is required to establish a program and adopt rules providing for annual verification by the director of the division or the state controller that the assignment of each state-owned motor vehicle to an officer or employee of a state agency still complies with the requirements of state and federal law. The review is required for all assigned vehicles, regardless of when they were assigned. If the verification process establishes that the assignment of a vehicle does not comply with state and federal law, the division is required to revoke the assignment of the vehicle. On or before September 1, 2019, the department of personnel is required to report to the legislative audit committee regarding the implementation and enforcement of the bill. The department may make recommendations regarding further modifications to the criteria and requirements for the assignment of vehicles to officers and employees of state agencies for business and commuting purposes. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill requires the department of health care policy and financing, with assistance from the department of human services' office of behavioral health, to prepare a written report for committees of the general assembly relating to residential and inpatient substance use disorder treatment options under the medicaid program, the cost of treatment, and the potential impact on other state and county programs and services if residential and inpatient substance use disorder treatment options were effective. The departments' report shall also include recommendations relating to the implementation of residential and inpatient substance use disorder treatment, better coordination of substance use disorder services among state agencies, and necessary changes to state law to implement treatment. The bill authorizes the department of health care policy and financing to access the prescription drug use monitoring program data to identify clients who may be at-risk of opioid overdose or who may benefit from increased care coordination. The bill makes an appropriation. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill sets the statewide base per pupil funding amount for the 2017-18 budget year at $6,546.20, which is an inflationary increase of 2.8%, and establishes the minimum amount of total program funding for the 2017-18 budget year. The bill requires that the sum of the total program funding for all schools for the 2017-18 budget year is not less than $6,634,600,182. The bill authorizes the state board to approve supplemental assistance from the contingency reserve fund for a district that experiences an unusual financial burden that results from implementing a new program or school or expanding a program in the district that results in a 20% or greater increase in the district's pupil enrollment from the pupil enrollment used to calculate the district's total program funding for the applicable budget year. The district must reimburse the contingency reserve fund at the time funding is adjusted for actual pupil enrollment for the applicable budget year. The bill changes the terminology used in the school finance act to describe the reduction in the state's share of total program funding from the phrase 'negative factor' to 'budget adjustment'. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Joint Budget Committee. The bill updates the department of health care policy and financing's (state department) annual reporting on efforts to detect and prosecute medicaid client fraud and the attorney general's annual reporting on medicaid provider fraud. The bill requires the state department to annually submit a single, comprehensive report on client and provider fraud in the medicaid program, including information received annually from the attorney general. The bill adds the joint budget committee to the legislative committees receiving the report and requires that the report include additional cost and savings information. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Current law allows an accredited hospital, a prescription drug outlet operated by a health maintenance organization, and the state department of corrections to distribute compounded and prepackaged medications, without limitation, to pharmacies under common ownership of the entity. The bill allows these entities to distribute such medications to other outlets under common ownership of each entity as well. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Sunset Process - Senate Judiciary Committee. Sections 1 and 2 of the bill continue the regulation of professional cash-bail agents and cash-bonding agents until September 1, 2026. Section 3 authorizes the commissioner of insurance to release a lien in real estate after 3 years if the bail bonding agent does not release the lien within 3 years. The property owner must petition the commissioner for the release.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill requires the division of criminal justice (division) within the department of public safety (department) to report annually to the general assembly certain data relating to substance-affected driving citations that occurred in the previous year. For the purpose of producing the report, the division shall collect certain data from: The state judicial branch; Forensic toxicology laboratories; The department of public health and environment; and The division of probation services. The bill creates a $2 surcharge for persons convicted of substance-affected driving. Money collected as such surcharges must be deposited in the substance-affected driving data-analysis cash fund, which is created in the bill. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill requires the governing board of each institution of higher education to adopt, make public, and implement a prior learning assessment policy for awarding academic credit for college-level learning acquired while in the military. The policy adopted by the governing board must require each campus to use the American Council on Education's recommendations on the joint services transcript and, at its discretion, assign appropriate credit. Further, the institutions shall provide specific guidance to active duty and veteran military members in selecting a program of study and optimizing prior learning assessment credit. Finally, the institutions shall accept in transfer from other state institutions prior learning assessment credit awarded for courses with guaranteed-transfer designation. During the 2018 legislative session, the department of higher education shall report to certain committees of the general assembly concerning the policies adopted by the institutions. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Sunset Process - Senate State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee. The bill implements the recommendations of the sunset review and report on the Colorado board of commissioners of veterans community living centers by eliminating the repeal date of the board and extending the board indefinitely.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
