The bill requires the Colorado commission on higher education (commission) to conduct a review of and report on an analysis of program costs and student outcomes for undergraduate and graduate degree programs offered by the university of Colorado and Colorado state university. The bill sets forth the components of the degree program review and analysis, including information concerning the cost of the degree program to the student and to the institution of higher education (institution), the average time to complete the degree program, and employment and earnings outcomes for graduates. As part of its review, the commission shall identify the highest-cost degree programs to students and to the institution and the lowest performing degree programs with respect to graduate employment and earnings, and shall analyze the return on investment for those degree programs to graduates and to the institution. Two years after the date of the first report, the commission shall complete the review and analysis required in the bill for all state institutions that were not included in the first report. Every 2 years thereafter, the commission shall update the review and analysis of undergraduate and graduate degree programs for all state institutions. The commission's report shall be submitted to certain committees of the general assembly. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
In the 2016 legislative session, the general assembly enacted Senate Bill 16-197, which changed the system for licensing establishments that are authorized to sell alcohol beverages in sealed containers to customers for consumption off the licensed premises, referred to as the 'retail sale' or 'sale at retail' of alcohol beverages. Some of the changes made by the 2016 legislation include: Authorizing persons licensed to sell at retail on or before January 1, 2016, to obtain multiple retail licenses, subject to a tiered schedule, to restrictions based on proximity to another retail licensed premises, and to other requirements and limitations; Allowing retail liquor stores to sell a broad array of nonalcohol products, subject to a 20% limit on gross sales revenue from the sale of nonalcohol products; Requiring retail licensees to check the identification of consumers purchasing alcohol beverages to verify that they are at least 21 years of age; Prohibiting employees of certain alcohol beverage licensees who are under 21 years of age from selling malt, vinous, or spirituous liquors; and Changing the hours during which fermented malt beverages may be sold from between 5 a.m. and 12 midnight to between 8 a.m. and 12 midnight. The bill modifies portions of the 2016 legislation as follows: Modifies the definition of a liquor-licensed drugstore to specify that the licensee need not be a drugstore but must have a licensed drugstore within its premises ( section 1 ); Excludes revenues from the sale of cigarettes, tobacco products, nicotine products, and lottery products from the calculation of the cap on a retail liquor store's gross revenues from the sale of nonalcohol products ( sections 1 and 3 ); Imposes the proximity restrictions on a retail liquor store that is seeking permission to relocate its premises to ensure the new location is not within 1,500 feet of another business licensed to sell at retail, or, if in a small town, within 3,000 feet of another business with a retail sales license ( section 2 ); Allows a liquor-licensed drugstore that applied for a new liquor-licensed drugstore license before October 1, 2016, to obtain multiple retail licenses, subject to the schedule established in the 2016 legislation ( section 4 ); Allows a corporation member of a controlled group of corporations that owns or has an interest in a liquor-licensed drugstore to obtain interests in additional liquor-licensed drugstores in the same manner as any other member of the controlled group, but the entire group is subject to the limits on the total number of multiple licenses allowed under current law; ( section 4 ) Restores the hours for permitted sales of fermented malt beverages to between 5 a.m. and 12 midnight ( section 5 ); Clarifies that employees of a licensed tavern or lodging and entertainment facility that regularly serves meals, which employees are under 21 years of age, are not prohibited from selling alcohol beverages ( section 5 ); Repeals the requirement that retail sales licensees check customers' identification to verify their age ( sections 4 and 5 ); and Exempts liquor-licensed drugstores from the prohibition against having an automated teller machine on the premises from which individuals enrolled in public assistance programs administered by the department of human services may obtain cash benefits through the electronic benefits transfer service ( section 6 ).(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill extends the amount of time that elections officials may review candidate petitions by making a concomitant reduction in the amount of time that candidates may circulate such petitions. The bill also increases the number of signers needed to qualify petitions for candidates for certain partisan public offices. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Signed by the Speaker of the House
The bill enacts the 'Regulatory Relief Act of 2017'. The bill includes a legislative declaration about the importance of small businesses to the Colorado economy and acknowledges the difficulty these types of businesses have in complying with state rules that are not known or understood by these businesses. The bill requires a state agency (agency) to give a small business (which is defined in the 'State Administrative Procedure Act' as a business with fewer than 500 employees) a period of time to cure a first-time minor violation of a rule instead of enforcing the rule by imposing a fine. When an agency determines that a small business has committed a minor violation of a rule, instead of imposing a fine, the agency is required to notify the small business in writing of the violation, including the steps to cure the violation, and give the small business 30 business days to cure the violation. Upon a showing of good cause, the business owner may request additional time to cure the violation. If the small business owner fails to cure the minor violation within the stated time period, the agency may impose the fine on the small business. This does not apply in cases where an agency is required by statute to assess a fine for noncompliance. The bill defines 'minor violation' as a violation that includes operational or administrative matters, such as record keeping, retention of data, or filing of reports, and that is enforced by a fine; except that 'minor violation' does not include any matter that places the safety of the public, employees, or others at risk. The bill provides exceptions from the definition of 'minor violation' for certain types of rules or violations and includes an exception for rules adopted by the secretary of state relating to the regulation of lobbyists. Under current law, agencies are required to convene stakeholder groups to give input about proposed rules. The bill amends the stakeholder provision to direct agencies to make diligent attempts to notify and solicit input from representatives of small businesses about proposed rule-making, if the agency's proposed rule-making has a potential negative impact on small businesses. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill creates a marijuana consumption club (club) license. The license is subject to the same licensing requirements as other retail marijuana licenses. The license may be issued to a person who operates an establishment where retail or medical marijuana may be sold and consumed. The club's sales are limited to the same limits as a retail marijuana store or a medical marijuana center. The club may not serve food prepared on site or alcohol. Entry to the club is restricted to those persons at least 21 years of age. A club shall purchase its marijuana, marijuana concentrate, or marijuana products from a licensed marijuana business or get a cultivation license and sell its own marijuana. A club may not permit outside marijuana, marijuana concentrate, or marijuana products. All marijuana, marijuana concentrate, or marijuana products must be consumed or disposed of on site. A club and its employees shall successfully complete a responsible vendor program annually. A club has the same immunity to a lawsuit for an injury caused by a club patron that a bar enjoys. The bill allows a local government to permit clubs in its jurisdiction. If a local government permits clubs, it may require the clubs to be licensed. In order to operate as a club, the club must comply with the local and state licensing regulations. A club is exempt from the 'Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act' for marijuana consumption purposes if it is fully ventilated. Public display, consumption, or use in a club is not a criminal offense. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Joint Budget Committee. The bill authorizes the use of money in the Colorado state titling and registration account to be appropriated to purchase and issue license plates, decals, and validating tabs. $2,435,572 is appropriated to the department of revenue for use by the division of motor vehicles. $202,327 is from the general fund, $2,043,976 is from the Colorado state titling and registration account in the highway users tax fund, and $189,269 is from the license plate cash fund. This money is further reappropriated for use by the Colorado correctional industries. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Supplemental appropriations are made for capital construction projects. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill clarifies that a construction professional has the right to receive notice from a prospective claimant concerning an alleged construction defect; to inspect the property; and then to elect to either repair the defect or tender an offer of settlement before the claimant can file a lawsuit seeking damages. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Supplemental appropriations are made to the department of personnel. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Supplemental appropriations are made to the department of public safety. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Supplemental appropriations are made to the department of revenue. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
