Rep. Jonathan Singer

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 The task force is repealed, effective September 1, 2018.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.)

Section 1 of the bill directs the department of public health and environment to use marijuana taxes to make research grants regarding the medical efficacy of Colorado-grown strains of medical marijuana. Sections 2 and 3 allow a licensed medical or retail marijuana facility to transfer marijuana to a research facility for purposes of the medical research. Sections 2 and 3 also: Allow the use of medical or retail marijuana by a pesticide manufacturer in limited quantities as specified in rules promulgated by the state licensing authority that authorize a pesticide manufacturer to conduct research to establish safe and effective protocols for the use of pesticides on medical or retail marijuana; and Prohibit a state, local, or municipal agency from employing or using the results of a test of medical or retail marijuana conducted by an analytical laboratory that is not certified by the department of public health and environment and accredited to an accepted industry standard in that field of testing. The bill appropriates $62,210 from the marijuana cash fund to the department of revenue to implement the act, of which $19,010 and 0.1 FTE is reappropriated to the department of law. The act takes effect January 1, 2018. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Under current law, certain identified persons are mandated to report if they know or suspect that a child has been subject to abuse or neglect (mandatory reporters). If a mandatory reporter continues to be involved with a child who was the subject of the report, he or she is entitled to access to records and reports of the abuse or neglect. The bill adds to the list of mandatory reporters officials and employees of county departments of health, human services, or social services. Current law requires the county department of human or social services to report certain information to a mandatory reporter within 30 days after the filing of a report. The bill extends the period to 60 days. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Joint Technology Committee. The bill creates a new source selection and contract negotiation timeline that a state agency is required to follow when it plans to submit a budget request to the joint technology committee (committee) for a major information technology project (project). The office of state planning and budgeting is required to ensure that state agencies adhere to the new timeline prior to submitting a budget request to the committee as follows: On or before November 1 of the fiscal year prior to the fiscal year in which a state agency intends to submit a budget request to the committee for a project, the state agency is required to notify the committee of its intent to begin the source selection and contract negotiation process. On or before January 1 of the fiscal year prior to the fiscal year in which a state agency intends to submit a budget request to the committee for a project, the state agency is required to issue a competitive solicitation in accordance with the 'Procurement Code'. The competitive solicitation is required to specify that the terms of a contract resulting from the solicitation require the vendor to honor its contract price through the date that work on the contract commences and that vendors are directed to estimate costs accordingly for the purpose of responding to the solicitation. A state agency that has issued a competitive solicitation is required to receive and review the responses from vendors and determine whether to pursue the project and the budget request on or before April 15 of the fiscal year prior to the fiscal year in which the state agency intends to submit the budget request to the committee. If the state agency intends to pursue a budget request for the project, the state agency must award a contract to the selected vendor on or before June 30 of the fiscal year prior to the fiscal year in which the state agency intends to submit the budget request to the committee. The terms of a contract awarded for a project must specify that: The state agency will pursue a budget request for the project in the fiscal year immediately following the fiscal year in which the contract is awarded; The contract is contingent upon the state agency receiving an appropriation from the general assembly for the project; Work on the contract will not commence until the bill enacted by the general assembly that appropriates the money for the project becomes law; The vendor is required to honor its contract price through the date that work on the contract commences; The state agency may amend terms of the contract, as necessary, following the date on which the bill that appropriates the money for the project becomes law; The state agency will authorize the vendor to begin work on the contract within 30 days of the date that the bill that appropriates the money for the project becomes law; and The contract is null and void if the general assembly does not appropriate money to the state agency for the project. A state agency may include in a contract awarded any other terms or conditions related to the appropriation of money to the state agency by the general assembly as deemed necessary by the state agency. A state agency that has awarded a contract for a project is required to submit a budget request for the project to the committee in the fiscal year immediately following the fiscal year in which the contract was awarded. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill changes the name of the 'legislative oversight committee concerning the treatment of persons with mental illness in the criminal and juvenile justice systems' to the 'legislative oversight committee concerning the treatment of persons with mental health disorders in the criminal and juvenile justice systems'. The bill makes a corresponding change to the associated task force and cash fund. The bill also modernizes terminology related to mental health disorders. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

'Approval voting' is a method of voting that allows an elector to cast a vote for as many of the candidates per office as the elector chooses. The winner of each office is the candidate who receives the most votes or, for elections in which multiple candidates fill open seats, the winners are those candidates, in a number equal to the number of seats being filled, attaining the greatest number of votes. The bill authorizes cities, towns, counties, cities and counties, school districts, and special districts (collectively, 'local governments') to conduct nonpartisan elections using approval voting on and after November 1, 2017. A nonpartisan election is an election in which the political party affiliations of candidates are not printed on the ballot. The secretary of state is directed to adopt rules and provide advice to local governments regarding approval voting and to submit a report by February 15, 2020, regarding approval voting to the state, veterans, and military affairs committees of the general assembly. County clerk and recorders may decline to coordinate an election if a local government elects to employ approval voting in the election. The bill makes necessary modifications to current law occasioned by the use of approval voting, such as excluding approval voting from the definition of 'overvote' and adjusting provisions prescribing the form of ballots and automatic recount triggers. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Currently, a person who is not lawfully present in the United States may obtain a driver's license or identification card if certain requirements are met. One of the requirements is that the person present a taxpayer identification card. The bill allows a social security number to also meet this requirement. The bill also allows the license or identification card to be reissued or renewed in accordance with the process used for other licenses and identification cards. $216,000 is appropriated to the department of revenue from the licensing services cash fund to implement the bill. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Wildfire Matters Review Committee. Under current law, the borrower in a reverse mortgage transaction is relieved of the obligation to occupy the subject property as a principal residence if the borrower is temporarily absent for up to 60 days or, if the property is adequately secured, up to one year. The bill directs the wildfire matters review committee to examine, in 2017, the circumstances giving rise to the introduced version of House Bill 17-1026, including the necessity and desirability of adding a third exception to the principal-residence requirement to cover situations in which a natural disaster or other serious incident beyond the borrower's control renders the property uninhabitable.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Under current law, a public school that includes any of grades 7 through 12 is eligible to receive a grant through the behavioral health care professional matching grant program. Sections 2 to 5 of the bill add elementary schools to the list of public schools eligible to receive a grant through the program. Under current law, a public middle, junior, or high school is eligible to receive a grant through the school counselor corps grant program. Sections 6 to 10 of the bill add elementary schools to the list of public schools eligible to receive a grant through the program.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)