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
Under current law, a school district (district) can only transport students from an adjacent district to its schools or reimburse a parent for transporting such students to its schools if the adjacent district consents to the transportation. The bill allows a school district to transport a student to its district even if the student does not reside in an adjacent district and without seeking the consent of the student's resident district. Under current law, a district shall adopt policies and procedures to implement school of choice enrollment for students that allow a student to attend a school within the student's resident district other than his or her assigned school or to attend school in another school district. The bill requires that the school of choice enrollment application policies and procedures include: An enrollment application period of at least 4 weeks; An enrollment application period that does not close before February 15 of each year; The ability to apply to at least 5 schools within the district using a standardized application for each school; and In-person or online submission of the applications. The bill requires the district to notify students each year of the school of choice enrollment policies and procedures, including the relevant deadlines, and to post the policies and procedures on the district's website. In addition, the department of education shall include on its website an outline of the laws relating to school of choice enrollment and a link to each district's school of choice website provisions. For a student attending school in a district other than the student's resident district, the bill allows the student to remain in the nonresident district school through the highest grade level served in the school. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) Read More
Water Resources Review Committee. The bill codifies rules promulgated by the water quality control commission of the Colorado department of public health and environment concerning allowable uses of reclaimed domestic wastewater, which is wastewater that has been treated for subsequent reuses other than drinking water. Section 3 of the bill defines 3 categories of water quality standards for reclaimed domestic wastewater, sets forth the allowable uses for each water quality standard category, and adds marijuana cultivation as an allowable use for reclaimed domestic wastewater. Section 3 also authorizes the commission to establish new categories of water quality standards and to recategorize any use of reclaimed domestic wastewater to a less stringent category of water quality standard. The commission may develop more stringent standards by rule if it determines that existing standards and categories are not protective of public health and identifies a specific health risk posed by the use of reclaimed domestic wastewater under the existing standards. Section 3 also authorizes the water quality control division, after conducting a public stakeholders' process, to develop policy, guidance, or best management practices for use of reclaimed domestic wastewater. Finally, section 3 authorizes the division of administration in the department of public health and environment to grant variances for uses of reclaimed domestic wastewater. Sections 1, 2, and 4 make conforming amendments.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill defines in statute an 'individual residential services and supports provider' (individual provider) as an individual who provides residential services and supports in his or her home to one or more persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities who receive comprehensive services and who are not related to the individual provider. The bill grants authority to the department of health care policy and financing to promulgate rules and adopt the federal department of housing and urban development housing quality standards for individual providers. The bill also grants the department of health care policy and financing, together with the division of housing, the authority to inspect individual providers for compliance with standards, as well as permissible corrective actions. The state housing board is granted authority to establish the amount of a fee to be charged to a host home provider or an individual residential services and supports provider to cover the direct and indirect costs incurred by the division of housing in performing inspections of such residences. A cash fund is created for the deposit of the fees and any other appropriations as necessary. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
As part of the Colorado oil and gas conservation commission's (commission) authority to regulate oil and gas operations to prevent and mitigate significant adverse environmental impacts to protect public health, safety, and welfare, the commission requires oil and gas production facilities and wells to be located at least 1,000 feet from school buildings and other high occupancy buildings. The bill clarifies that the minimum 1,000-foot distance from which newly permitted oil and gas production facilities and wells must be located from any school applies to the school property line and not the school building. The bill further clarifies that the minimum distance requirement does not apply if a school commences operations near oil and gas facilities or wells that are already actively in use or permitted; except that the minimum 1,000-foot distance applies to real property owned by a school district on which a future permanent or temporary school building is planned to be constructed within 5 years. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Current law authorizes 'forced' or 'statutory' pooling, a process by which any interested person–typically an oil and gas operator–may apply to the Colorado oil and gas conservation commission for an order to pool and develop oil and gas resources located within a particularly identified drilling unit absent consent from the mineral owner. The bill exempts school districts that own mineral rights and mineral rights owners that are located on open space designated by a local government if the local government acquired the mineral rights before the application was filed from being forced pooled but maintains their ability to engage in voluntary pooling. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill creates the 'Diabetes Drug Pricing Transparency Act of 2018'. The state board of health is responsible for implementing the act. Drug manufacturers, pharmacy benefit managers, insurers, and pharmacies must submit annual reports to the state board regarding prescription insulin drugs used to treat diabetes. The state board analyzes the submitted information and publishes a report. The state board may impose penalties on drug manufacturers or pharmacy benefit managers who do not comply with reporting requirements. Nonprofit organizations advocating for patients with diabetes or funding diabetes medical research that receive contributions from certain diabetes drug manufacturers must annually report those contributions. $287,602 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of public health and environment to implement the act. $10,656 of this amount is reappropriated to the department of law for legal services to the department of public health and environment. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill makes it an unfair employment practice for an employer to seek wage or salary history information, including compensation and benefits, about an applicant for employment, unless the employer notifies the applicant of the wage or salary range for the current employment opening or the applicant agrees to discuss his or her wage or salary history. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
If property taxes are levied erroneously or illegally on oil and gas leaseholds and lands and a taxpayer has not protested the valuation within the time permitted by law, then the taxpayer has 2 years from the start of the property tax year to file a petition for an abatement or refund. The board of county commissioners is required to abate the taxes, and the taxpayer is entitled to a refund for the incorrect amount and refund interest equal to 1% per month from the date a complete abatement petition is filed. The bill eliminates the refund interest related to a property tax abatement if the property tax was erroneously levied and collected as a result of an error made in an oil and gas owner or operator statement and if the taxpayer receives the abatement or refund on or before the date six months after the date that the complete abatement petition is filed. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill establishes the state access to resources and training grant program for persons experiencing homelessness (START grant program) in the department of local affairs (department). The purpose of the START grant program is to make grant money available to public safety, social services, or nonprofit agencies that have contact with persons experiencing homelessness. A grant recipient shall use grant money only to provide personnel and resources to persons experiencing homelessness. The START grant program is also designed to develop and institute community-centered programs with proactive solutions to provide assistance to persons experiencing homelessness and may include, but need not be limited to, training, work programs, housing vouchers, transportation, counseling or therapy, and food assistance. The department is responsible for establishing procedures, timelines, and criteria for the START grant program. A public safety, social services, or nonprofit agency may apply for a grant, provided it clearly demonstrates a plan for collaboration with municipal or county courts, local law enforcement, local human or social services agencies, and nonprofit agencies that have contact with persons experiencing homelessness. The general assembly is authorized to make an appropriation from the marijuana tax cash fund to fund the START grant program. Each START grant recipient is required to provide a report to the department on activities and outcomes related to the START grant, and the department is required to provide a summary of the outcomes of the START grant program in its annual report to the general assembly. The bill establishes the state access to resources and training grant program for persons experiencing homelessness (START grant program) in the department of local affairs (department). The purpose of the START grant program is to make grant money available to public safety, social services, or nonprofit agencies that have contact with persons experiencing homelessness. A grant recipient shall use grant money only to provide personnel and resources to persons experiencing homelessness. The START grant program is also designed to develop and institute community-centered programs with proactive solutions to provide assistance to persons experiencing homelessness and may include, but need not be limited to, training, work programs, housing vouchers, transportation, counseling or therapy, and food assistance. The department is responsible for establishing procedures, timelines, and criteria for the START grant program. A public safety, social services, or nonprofit agency may apply for a grant, provided it clearly demonstrates a plan for collaboration with municipal or county courts, local law enforcement, local human or social services agencies, and nonprofit agencies that have contact with persons experiencing homelessness. The general assembly is authorized to make an appropriation from the marijuana tax cash fund to fund the START grant program. Each START grant recipient is required to provide a report to the department on activities and outcomes related to the START grant, and the department is required to provide a summary of the outcomes of the START grant program in its annual report to the general assembly. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) Read More
