Multi-district online schools - enrollment data - accountability. The act directs the online division in the department of education (department) to prepare an annual report concerning students who withdraw from enrollment in an online school after the annual count date. The report must include the date on which the student withdrew from enrollment, the grade level at which the student was enrolled at the beginning of the school year and when the student withdrew, and, to the extent known, whether during the same school year the student enrolled in another school or graduated or completed high school. The department must submit the report to the state board of education and the education committees of the general assembly. Before passage of the act, the statute required a school district, a group of school districts, a board of cooperative services, or the state charter school institute that seeks to authorize a multi-district online school to first obtain certification for the multi-district online school from the department. Under the act, if an existing multi-district online school changes authorizers, the new authorizer must obtain a new certification of the multi-district online school. An online school is subject to the same accountability requirements as apply to other public schools. The act states that if an online school is on performance watch and changes authorizers, either in its original form or as a successor school, or if the online school is created as a successor school with the same authorizer, the online school remains on performance watch. If an online school is closed because of actions taken as a result of accountability, the online school must apply for a new certification before it can operate again either as the original online school or as a successor school, regardless of whether the online school changes authorizers. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More
Intrastate air carriers - reports to aeronautics division. The act removes the requirement that air carriers providing intrastate air service within Colorado file semiannual reports with the aeronautics division regarding the on-time performance and the number of passengers denied boarding on intrastate flights by the air carrier.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More
Currently, state law preempts local governments from restricting or mandating containers for any consumer products. The bill allows a local government to set a standard for a retail food establishment's use of ready-to-eat food containers that may be discarded through recycling or composting.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) Read More
The bill authorizes the board of county commissioners of any county, by duly enacted ordinances, resolutions, or other forms of binding law, to establish and create a program that implements voluntary housing agreements within an unincorporated area of the county. The bill defines "voluntary housing agreement program" to mean a program adopted by a county government that enables agreements between the county and a developer that increase the supply of housing stock within the county that is priced as affordable for low- and moderate-income households. Nothing in the bill is intended to challenge or affect the legal status of any such program implemented and in effect prior to the effective date of the bill. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) Read More
The bill requires the board of trustees (board) of the public employees' retirement association (PERA) to retain an organization with experience in public sector pension plans to conduct a study to analyze any climate-related financial risk to the total assets of PERA (fund). The board is required to administer a competitive selection process to solicit unbiased and independent third-party organizations with the necessary credentials to bid for the study and to enter into a contract with the selected organization. The organization selected by the board is required to include the following in its study: A comprehensive analysis of the climate-related financial risk of PERA's portfolio and the exposure of the fund to long-term risks; A summary of climate-related financial risk-related engagement activities undertaken; and A description of additional action that should be taken, or planned to be taken, by the board to address climate-related financial risk, including a list of proxy votes and shareholder proposals initiated by the board. The board is required to deliver a report to the general assembly detailing the findings of the organization's analysis. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) Read More
Hazardous materials - routing for transport. The act authorizes a public highway authority or a governmental partner in a public-private partnership to apply to the Colorado state patrol (CSP) for a new or modified hazardous materials route designation for a road or highway that it directly or indirectly maintains. The act also requires the department of transportation (CDOT) to conduct a study to assess the feasibility of allowing the transportation of hazardous materials through the Eisenhower-Edwin C. Johnson Memorial Tunnel and prepare a study report no later than December 1, 2020, that includes findings and recommendations as to whether and under what conditions the transportation of hazardous materials through the tunnel should be allowed. CDOT must solicit input from representatives of specified counties, towns, communities, ski resorts, industries, organizations, and emergency services providers and from the department of public safety, including representatives of the division of fire prevention and control and the CSP, regarding the scope of the study and must consider specified information and criteria and conduct specified types of analysis when conducting the study.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More
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Health insurance - required contract provisions between a carrier and a health care provider - payment of premiums - provision of benefits. The act requires a contract for a health benefit plan between a carrier and a policyholder to state, as an alternative to existing premium payment requirements, that a policyholder must pay premiums to the carrier through the date that the individual covered under the policy is no longer eligible or covered if the policyholder notifies the carrier within 10 business days after the date of ineligibility or noncoverage because the individual left employment without notice to the employer or the employee was terminated for gross misconduct. The act also clarifies that: If the policyholder notifies the carrier within the 10-day period, the carrier is not required to provide benefits to the individual after the date that the individual is no longer eligible or covered; and A carrier and a policyholder may agree to a different date where premium payments are not required.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More
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Prescribing health care practitioners - electronic prescribing of controlled substances - exceptions. The act requires health care practitioners with prescribing authority to prescribe schedule II, III, or IV controlled substances only via a prescription that is electronically transmitted to a pharmacy unless a specified exception applies. The requirement to electronically prescribe starts on July 1, 2021, for podiatrists, physicians, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, and optometrists, and on July 1, 2023, for dentists and practitioners serving rural communities or in a solo practice. Prescribing practitioners are required to indicate on license renewal questionnaires whether they have complied with the electronic prescribing requirement. Pharmacists need not verify the applicability of an exception to electronic prescribing when they receive an order for a controlled substance in writing, orally, or via facsimile transmission and may fill the order if otherwise valid under the law. Specifies that certain sections take effect only if HB 19-1172 becomes law. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More
Limitations on damages - adjustment for inflation every 2 years. The limitations on the amount of damages for unlawfully serving alcohol, for noneconomic loss or injury, and for wrongful death were last adjusted for inflation on January 1, 2008. The act adjusts those damage limitations for inflation on January 1, 2020, and each January 1 every 2 years thereafter.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More
Uniform civil remedies for unauthorized disclosure of intimate images act. The act creates the "Uniform Civil Remedies for Unauthorized Disclosure of Intimate Images Act". An individual whose body is shown in whole or in part in an intimate image and who has suffered harm from a person's intentional disclosure or threatened disclosure of that intimate image without the depicted individual's consent has a cause of action against that person if the person knew: The depicted individual did not consent to the disclosure; The intimate image was private; and The depicted individual was identifiable. The act provides an exception to the civil action if the disclosure is made in good faith under various circumstances or if the person disclosing the image is a parent or guardian and has not disclosed the image for purposes of sexual arousal, sexual gratification, humiliation, degradation, or monetary or commercial gain. A successful plaintiff may recover: The greater of: Economic and noneconomic damages proximately caused by the defendant's disclosures or threatened disclosures, including damages for emotional distress whether or not accompanied by other damages; or Statutory damages not to exceed $10,000 against each defendant found liable for all disclosures or threatened disclosures by the defendant; An amount equal to the gain made by the defendant from disclosure of the intimate image if applicable; Punitive damages; Reasonable attorney fees and costs; and Additional relief, including injunctive relief. The civil action has a 6-year statute of limitation. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More
