Joint Budget Committee. The bill authorizes the department of heath care policy and financing (department) to continue its implementation of the medicaid care delivery system, referred to as the accountable care collaborative (ACC). The bill defines the goals of the ACC and the department's implementation of the ACC, including, in part, establishing primary care medical homes for medicaid clients, providing regional coordination and accountability, and integrating physical and behavioral health care delivery. The medical services board is required to promulgate rules implementing the ACC. The bill requires the department to submit an annual report concerning the implementation of the ACC to the joint budget committee and to the health care committees of the house of representatives and of the senate that oversee the medicaid program. Among other information listed in the bill, the report must include information on the number of medicaid clients participating in the ACC, performance results, and fiscal impacts of the ACC. The bill authorizes the department of health care policy and financing (department) to implement performance-based payments for medicaid providers. Prior to implementing performance-based payments, the department shall report to the joint budget committee concerning the performance-based payments, including whether the payments require a budget request, the amount of the payments compared to total reimbursements for the affected service, and a description of the stakeholder process and the department's response to stakeholder feedback. After implementation of performance-based payments, the department shall report to the joint budget committee and the health care committees of the house of representatives and the senate that oversee the medicaid program concerning the design of the performance-based payments, the stakeholder engagement process with respect to the payments, and other information regarding the implementation of the performance-based payments described in the bill. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill makes various changes to the laws governing access to the ballot. Section 1 prohibits a designated election official from certifying to the ballot the name of any candidate who the designated election official determines is unqualified to hold office. For a political party candidate seeking to petition onto a ballot, section 2 moves up the deadline by which the petition must be filed. Section 3 allows a petition for nominating a school district director to designate or appoint eligible electors who comprise a vacancy committee. Section 5 adds, to the laws applying to vacancies in nominations, a process by which a vacancy in a school district director nomination is filled by such vacancy committee and specifies how the coordinated election official must proceed given the timing of the original nominee's vacancy. Currently, each petition to nominate a candidate must have attached to it a notarized affidavit executed by the petition circulator. Section 4 directs the secretary of state to establish by rule a process that allows a circulator 5 days to cure a rejected affidavit. Section 5 reorganizes and amends the laws pertaining to withdrawals and vacancies in nominations and designations. Sections 6 through 12 make conforming amendments necessitated by the statutory reorganization effected in section 4.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill appropriates the following amounts from the Colorado water conservation board (CWCB) construction fund (fund) to the CWCB or the division of water resources for the following projects: $380,000 for continuation of the satellite monitoring system maintenance ( section 1 ); $500,000 for continuation of the Colorado floodplain map modernization program ( section 2 ); $200,000 for continuation of the Colorado decision support system operation and maintenance ( section 3 ); $175,000 for continuation of the weather modification program ( section 4 ); $154,000 for the support of the Colorado Mesonet, a spatially coherent network of weather stations reporting in near real-time via major data portals ( section 5 ); $800,000 for continuation of the water forecasting partnership project ( section 6 ); $1,000,000 for continuation of the alternative agricultural transfer methods grant program ( section 7 ); $500,000 for continuation of technical assistance for the federal irrigation improvement cost-sharing program ( section 8 ); $1,100,000 for implementation of the Colorado water loss control initiative ( section 9 ); $10,000,000 for continuation of the Rio Grande cooperative project ( section 12 ); $5,000,000 for continuation of the watershed restoration program ( section 13 ); and $10,000,000 for implementation of the Colorado water plan ( section 14 ). Section 10 appropriates $260,000 from the public and private utilities sector fund to the water quality control division in the Colorado department of public health and environment for updating regulations related to nonpotable water reuse and graywater usage. Section 11 authorizes the CWCB to make loans in the amount of up to $90,000,000 from the fund for the Windy Gap firming project. The bill directs the state treasurer to transfer the following amounts from the fund: Up to $500,000 to the flood and drought response fund ( section 15 ); $1,300,000 to the litigation fund ( section 16 ); $300,000 to the feasibility study small grant fund ( section 17 ); $1,500,000 to the fish and wildlife resources fund ( section 18 ); $260,000 to the public and private utilities sector fund ( section 19 ). Section 21 transfers the following amounts from the severance tax perpetual base fund to the fund: On July 1, 2017, $10,000,000 for the Rio Grande cooperative project; On July 1, 2017, $5,000,000 for the watershed restoration program; On July 1, 2017, and each July 1 thereafter, $10,000,000 for implementation of the state water plan; and On July 1, 2017, $10,000,000 to supplement the water supply reserve fund. Section 21 also transfers, on July 1, 2017, $30,000,000 from the severance tax perpetual base fund to the loan guarantee fund, which fund is created in section 20 for use by the CWCB for the purpose of guaranteeing the repayment of loans for water projects with multiple participants; except that, if, on or before June 30, 2017, the CWCB informs the state treasurer that an amount less than $30,000,000 should be transferred from the severance tax perpetual base fund to the loan guarantee fund, the state treasurer is required to transfer that lesser amount on July 1, 2017.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill requires that, before the executive board of a unit owners' association (HOA) in a common interest community brings suit against a developer or builder on behalf of unit owners based on a defect in construction work not ordered by the HOA itself, the board must: Notify all unit owners and the developer or builder against whom the lawsuit is being considered; Call a meeting at which the executive board and the developer or builder will have an opportunity to present relevant facts and arguments and the developer or builder may, but is not required to, make an offer to remedy the defect; and Obtain the approval of a majority of the unit owners after giving them detailed disclosures about the lawsuit and its potential costs and benefits. The meeting of unit owners commences a 90-day voting period during which the HOA will accept votes for or against proceeding with the lawsuit. Statutes of limitation are tolled during this period. The HOA is required to keep copies of its mailing list and maintain records of the votes received. The voting period may end in less than 90 days if sufficient votes are received to approve the lawsuit before 90 days have elapsed. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill conforms Colorado statutory language relating to the creation of a disability trust to conform to the language established in the federal '21st Century Cures Act'. Specifically, it clarifies that the individual who is the beneficiary of a disability trust can also be the person who establishes such trust. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill replaces the existing southwest chief rail line economic development, rural tourism, and infrastructure repair and maintenance commission (old commission), the current statutory authorization for which expires on July 1, 2017, with an expanded southwest chief and front range passenger rail commission (new commission). The new commission must: Assume the old commission's powers and duties and its mission of preserving existing Amtrak southwest chief rail line service in the state, extending such service to Pueblo, and exploring the benefits of extending such service to Walsenburg; and Facilitate the future of front range passenger rail and specifically develop and present by December 1, 2017, to the local government committees of the house of representatives and the senate, draft legislation to facilitate the development of a front range passenger rail system that provides passenger rail service in and along the interstate 25 corridor.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill creates the medication-assisted treatment (MAT) expansion pilot program, administered by the university of Colorado college of nursing, to expand access to medication-assisted treatment to opioid-dependent patients in Pueblo and Routt counties. The pilot program will provide grants to community- and office-based practices, behavioral health organizations, and substance abuse treatment organizations to: Assist nurse practitioners and physician assistants working in those settings to obtain training and support required under the federal 'Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016' (CARA) to enable them to prescribe buprenorphine and other FDA-approved medications and therapies as part of providing MAT to opioid-dependent patients; and Provide behavioral therapies in conjunction with medication as part of the provision of MAT to opioid-dependent patients. The general assembly is directed to appropriate $500,000 per year for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 fiscal years from the marijuana tax cash fund to the university of Colorado board of regents, for allocation to the college of nursing to implement the pilot program. Each grant recipient must submit a report to the college of nursing regarding the use of the grant, and the college of nursing must submit a summarized report to the governor and the health committees of the senate and house of representatives regarding the pilot program. The pilot program is established and funded for 2 years and repeals on June 30, 2020. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
For the purpose of determining the state income tax liability of an individual, income earned as a direct result of winning a medal while competing for the United States of America at the olympic games is excluded from state taxable income; except that such income is not excluded: For a taxpayer whose federal adjusted gross income exceeds $1,000,000 or, if the taxpayer's filing status is married filing separately, $500,000; or If the income is already excluded from federal taxable income ; except that the monetary value of a medal itself is excluded from state taxable income even if it has already been excluded from federal taxable income. 'Income earned as a direct result of winning a medal' is defined to include both the monetary value of the medal itself and any monetary award given for winning the medal from the United States olympic committee or any sport-specific national governing body or paralympic sport organization and to exclude endorsement income and nonmonetary benefits. 'Olympic games' is defined to include the summer and winter olympic games and the summer and winter paralympic games. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill creates a task force to organize county-level versions of and guidelines for child welfare caseworker resiliency programs (task force) modeled on national resiliency programs. The membership of the task force is outlined, along with its duties and reporting requirements. The task force is repealed, effective September 1, 2018. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
When a water right owner wishes to change a water right–whether a temporary loan or change approved by the state engineer or a permanent change approved by a water judge–the determination of the amount of water that can be loaned or changed relies on a calculation of the historical consumptive use of the water right. The bill directs the state engineer to promulgate rules that take into account local conditions that an applicant can use to calculate historical consumptive use. The results of the calculation carry no presumptive weight before the state engineer, water referee, or water judge. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill requires an investor-owned electric utility to file with the public utilities commission (commission) for the commission's review a comprehensive billing format that the investor-owned electric utility has developed for its monthly billing of customers. An investor-owned electric utility shall file the comprehensive billing format pursuant to a schedule determined by the commission. The comprehensive billing format must include the following: A line-item representation of all monthly charges and credits applied to the customer and an indication whether the charges have increased from the prior month as a result of increased fuel costs; For months in which tiered rates are applied, a breakdown of the tiered rates and the amount of usage to which each rate was applied for the month; The rate and usage for the current month and each of the previous 12 months, as shown in a bar graph or other visual format; and For customers to which demand rates apply, a listing of the demand charge, aggregated data about the demand during the billing period, and, if the customer is a residential customer, a calculation of the amount that the customer would have been billed had standard residential rates applied. The bill also requires each investor-owned utility to provide its customers, on a biannual basis, with an insert that indicates, as a percentage, each fuel source used in power generation and purchased for the utility. The bill sets forth procedures for the commission's review of a filed comprehensive billing format and provides that once a comprehensive billing format has been approved by the commission, the investor-owned utility need not refile it unless changes have been made to it. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill creates the useful public service cash fund (fund) in the judicial branch to facilitate the administration of programs that supervise the performance of useful public service by persons who are required to perform such service pursuant to a criminal sentence. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
