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
The bill creates the school leadership pilot program (program) to provide professional development for public elementary, middle, and high school principals. During the 2018-19 budget year, the department of education (department) is directed to design and implement the program or contract with a nonprofit entity to design and implement the program. The program must include identification of high-quality school principals who will interact with the school principals selected to receive professional development through the program. The program must also include professional development in distributive and collaborative leadership skills with the goal of improving educator retention, school climate and culture, and student outcomes. School principals may apply to receive professional development through the program during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 budget years. The department or the contracted entity must review the applications and recommend participants to the state board of education (state board), who shall select the participants. Subject to available appropriations, the state board must provide grants to the employing entities of the school principals who participate in the program either as high-quality school principals or to receive professional development. The grants are paid from money appropriated to the school leadership pilot program fund created in the bill. By March 15, 2019, the department must report to the education committees of the general assembly concerning the design of the program. By January 15, 2021, the department must report to the education committees concerning implementation of the program, including recommendations for whether the program should be continued. The program is repealed, effective July 1, 2021. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Currently, in a county with a population of less than 70,000, the board of county commissioners consists of 3 members from 3 separate districts, with one commissioner elected from each district by the voters of the whole county. The bill allows the voters of a county to change the method of election so that a commissioner is elected only by voters residing in the district from which the commissioner runs for election. The change can be made either by the board of county commissioners referring a question to the voters or by the qualified electors filing a petition to have the question placed the ballot. Terms of current commissioners are not affected and the change only affects newly elected commissioners. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) Read More
On and after January 1, 2019, the bill exempts a motor vehicle from state sales and use tax if: A certificate of title has previously been issued in the state for the motor vehicle; and The taxable value of the motor vehicle is twenty thousand dollars or less. The exemption does not apply to any other political subdivision that levies a sales and use tax that is based on the state sales and use tax. The department of revenue is permitted to disclose information about prior state sales and use tax paid as is necessary to administer the new exemption. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) Read More
