Water Resources Review Committee. This bill amends the 1921 irrigation district law to: Remove inconsistencies and update antiquated provisions; Clarify the definition of landowners entitled to receive water, vote in district elections, and serve on the board of directors; Update dollar figures and, in subsequent years, adjust for inflation; Define 'agricultural land'; Update election procedures; Clarify how irrigation district assessments are collected and held; and Modernize procedures for selling surplus property. The bill also clarifies that water acquired in excess of an irrigation district's own needs can be leased for all beneficial purposes, rather than only for domestic, agricultural, and power and mechanical purposes, and that the provisions of the 1921 irrigation district law are in addition to powers conferred on irrigation districts in other statutes. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
The bill repeals the Colorado family support loan fund and transfers any money remaining in that fund to a new fund created in the family support services program. The new family support services fund may be used for expenses relating to the termination and wind up of the Colorado family support loan fund, and to provide services under the family support services program to support families caring for a family member with intellectual and developmental disabilities. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill permits the governing body of a municipality, as applicable, to provide in an urban renewal plan that the valuation attributable to the extraction of mineral resources located within the urban renewal area is not subject to the division of taxes between base and incremental revenues that accompanies the tax increment financing of urban renewal projects. In such circumstances, the taxes levied on the valuation will be distributed to the public bodies as if the urban renewal plan was not in effect. The bill defines the terms 'mineral resources' and 'valuation attributable to the extraction of mineral resources.' (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill clarifies that high occupancy vehicle lanes are lanes on which a vehicle carrying 2 or more individuals, including the driver, may travel and that high occupancy toll lanes are lanes on which a vehicle carrying fewer than 2 individuals, including the driver, must pay a toll. The bill also raises the priority of currently unfunded projects to expand the capacity of interstate highway 25 between the town of Castle Rock and the town of Monument and between state highway 14 and state highway 66 (high priority projects) by: Requiring the department of transportation (CDOT) to put the high priority projects above all other unfunded projects on its priority list for project funding; Requiring all federal money received by CDOT that the federal government does not require to be allocated for other projects and that CDOT has not previously allocated for other projects to be used to fund the high priority projects before being used to fund other projects; and Requiring any environmental studies or other studies required to be completed before the high priority projects may begin to be completed no later than 6 months following the effective date of the bill and prohibiting study findings from being used to prevent the high priority projects from being undertaken.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill excludes information relating to violations of the requirement for a single point of contact or dual tracking from the published notice that precedes a foreclosure sale. The bill also clarifies: That the deadline for a public trustee or sheriff (officer) conducting a foreclosure to continue a foreclosure sale is the scheduled date and time of the sale; and What happens if a foreclosure sale violates an automatic stay under the federal bankruptcy code, depending on whether full payment of the successful bid amount is received by the officer. The procedures that apply if a foreclosure sale is set aside by court order are established to mirror the procedures that follow a rescission of a public trustee sale. In addition, a person rescinding a foreclosure sale is no longer required to send envelopes along with their rescission paperwork. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Statutory Revision Committee. Pursuant to section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I), Colorado Revised Statutes, any report that is required to be made to the general assembly by an executive agency or the judicial branch on a periodic basis expires on the day after the third anniversary of the date on which the first report was due, unless the general assembly, acting by bill, continues the requirement. The bill addresses reporting requirements of the department of local affairs. Sections 1, 2, and 6 repeal reports that were scheduled to repeal according to section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I). Currently there are no repeal dates listed in the organic statutes. Sections 3, 4, and 5 continue indefinitely the reporting requirements contained in those statutory sections. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Under current law, felony murder, a death resulting during the commission of a specifically listed felony, is a class 1 felony. The bill makes felony murder a class 2 felony subject to crime of violence sentencing and modifies the affirmative defense. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill allows an employee or agent to purchase alcohol beverages on behalf of a: Hotel and restaurant licensee; Tavern licensee; or Lodging and entertainment facility licensee.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill prohibits engaging in a nuisance exhibition of motor vehicle exhaust, which is the act of knowingly blowing black smoke through one or more exhaust pipes attached to a motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 14,000 pounds or less in a manner that would harass another driver, a bicyclist, or a pedestrian and obstruct or obscure the view of another driver, a bicyclist, or a pedestrian. A person who violates the prohibition commits a class A traffic infraction, punishable by a fine of $100. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Statutory Revision Committee. The general assembly formerly drew the boundaries of state senate and house of representative districts but was divested of this power upon the creation, via a ballot initiative in the 1974 general election, of the Colorado reapportionment commission. The bill repeals obsolete laws pertaining to: Districts drawn by the general assembly following the 1970 federal census; and The 6 house of representatives districts that were redrawn by the general assembly in 1998 to achieve compliance with the 'Voting Rights Act of 1965' following Sanchez v. State of Colorado, 97 F.3d 1303 (10th Cir. 1996) (cert. denied May 19, 1997). The repeal effected by the bill results in the removal of over 20,000 words from the Colorado Revised Statutes. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Police Officers' and Firefighters' Pension Reform Commission. Current law specifies that an employer in a statewide pension plan administered by the fire and police pension association may modify its status in the plan through a vote of the members of the plan. In some cases, a modification must be approved by 65% of the members employed by the employer, and in other cases, a modification must be approved by 65% of the members employed by the employers who vote in the election for the modification. The bill creates a uniform approval standard by requiring that any modifications be approved by 65% of the members employed by the employer who vote in the election for the plan modification. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
