Rep. Regina English

The act establishes and modifies requirements related to the practice of veterinary medicine by a veterinary professional associate (VPA). In November 2024, voters in Colorado approved Proposition 129, which established the role of VPAs and permits VPAs, starting on January 1, 2026, to practice veterinary medicine under certain circumstances. The act specifies how an individual can register as a VPA in Colorado and clarifies the circumstances under which a VPA can practice veterinary medicine. The act clarifies that a VPA is only permitted to practice veterinary medicine under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. A licensed veterinarian shall supervise no more than 3 VPAs who are practicing veterinary medicine at any one time. The act requires a licensed veterinarian and a VPA to enter into a mutual supervisory agreement before the licensed veterinarian and the VPA begin working together. The supervising licensed veterinarian may delegate the practice of veterinary medicine to the VPA if: The aspects of the practice are within the training, experience, and competency of the VPA; The practice of veterinary medicine delegated to the VPA is permitted under requirements of state law and board of veterinary medicine (board) rules; and The supervising licensed veterinarian and VPA are located at the same veterinary premises while practicing veterinary medicine, unless the VPA meets certain indirect supervision requirements. The act instructs the board to adopt rules regarding the practice of veterinary medicine by VPAs, including rules that: Require a VPA to practice veterinary medicine under an appropriate level of supervision by a licensed veterinarian; Determine clinical benchmarks that a VPA must meet in order to practice veterinary medicine under indirect supervision by a licensed veterinarian; Approve a nationally recognized VPA credentialing organization that requires a VPA to complete a university-approved VPA program that is approved by the board or a university-approved VPA program that is accredited by the nationally recognized credentialing organization, pass a VPA examination, and complete continuing education requirements; Provide guidance to supervising licensed veterinarians in their delegation of tasks to and supervision of VPAs; Determine a scope of practice for VPAs; Establish a registration fee for the registration of VPAs; and Determine continuing education requirements for VPAs. The board may also adopt rules establishing an equivalent registration pathway for a veterinary technician specialist to register as a VPA, which pathway considers the veterinary technician specialist's experience, education, and training as a substitute for the education requirements needed to register as a VPA and requires the veterinarian technician specialist to pass the same national credentialing exam as a VPA. The act requires a VPA to identify themself as a VPA to a client before practicing veterinary medicine on a patient. The act requires a licensed veterinarian to comply with certain restrictions when prescribing opioids and benzodiazepines. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act creates the work-based learning consortium pilot program (pilot program) in the department of higher education (department). The purpose of the 3-year pilot program is to: Demonstrate the value of work-based learning in postsecondary curricula by studying the impact of industry-sponsored projects on course objectives and learning outcomes; Promote the adoption of work-based learning in higher education by working with faculty at institutions of higher education (institutions) that participate in the pilot program (participating institutions) to embed project-based learning opportunities into credit-bearing programs; Provide broader access to collegiate work-based learning for students; Measure the impact of work-based learning on participating students; and Learn how institutions can increase the value of postsecondary education through career exposure and preparedness. Pending the receipt of sufficient funds, the department shall convene a consortium (consortium) of representatives from participating institutions, the commission on higher education (commission), the department of labor and employment, the department of education, and a subject matter expert with experience implementing work-based learning. The consortium shall: Work with each participating institution's faculty to embed industry-sponsored projects in course curriculum that meet the work-based learning quality standards; Work with the department to determine the impact of industry-sponsored projects; Work with a third-party platform to connect faculty from participating institutions to employers for the purpose of developing high-quality, project-based learning opportunities for classroom instruction; Advise the commission on strategies to improve student access to high-quality, work-based learning opportunities for students based on participating faculty members' experience embedding industry-sponsored projects into curriculum; Develop best practices for institutions to expand access to work-based learning in the classroom through industry-sponsored projects; and Develop findings and recommendations. Subject to available appropriations, at the end of the pilot program, the act requires the consortium to complete and submit a report to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate, or their successor committees. The report must include: A description of the consortium's findings and recommendations; Details on the consortium's impacts on participating institutions and the effects of creating additional work-based learning activities on students, faculty, and employers; and Recommendations for statutory changes, financial resources, department policy changes, and policy changes in institutions that are necessary to improve successful work-based learning opportunities for students in institutions. The department may seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations from private or public sources for the pilot program. The department shall transmit all gifts, grants, or donations to the state treasurer, who shall credit the money to the higher education work-based learning consortium fund (fund). If, by June 30, 2028, the money in the fund has never reached or exceeded $2 million dollars, the state treasurer shall return each grantor's or donor's gift, grant, or donation. On or before November 1, 2026, the commission shall recommend a list of terms used by institutions related to work-based learning to the Colorado workforce development council for inclusion in the talent development glossary (glossary). The purpose of the list of terms is to: Augment the glossary so that collegiate work-based learning activities are accurately reflected in statewide efforts to promote work-based learning; and Demonstrate to institutions relevant opportunities to participate in statewide efforts to promote work-based learning. On or before July 1, 2026, the commission shall work with institutions, the Colorado workforce development council, the department of education, the consortium, nonprofit organizations, industry associations, and businesses to develop recommendations on how to best embed work-based learning opportunities into current degree pathways. On or before December 31, 2026, the department shall work with institutions to identify which work-based learning activities are measurable and how to best report work-based learning activities. Institutions that are eligible for the work-study program may use work-study program money to cover the costs of work-based learning credits for students who are required to complete credit-bearing work-based learning requirements to graduate from an institution. The office of economic development (office) administers the universal high school scholarship program (program). The act allows the office to spend unexpended or unencumbered money appropriated in the 2023-24 state fiscal year through the 2025-26 state fiscal year without further appropriation. The act requires that expenditures for the administrative costs of the program not exceed $1.5 million. The act extends the date for the state treasurer to transfer all unexpended and unencumbered money in the universal high school scholarship cash fund from December 30, 2026, to June 30, 2027. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Beginning January 1, 2027, the act: Allows a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) to earn income derived from the assessment of a flat-dollar service fee for the provision of a prescription drug; Prohibits a PBM from earning income based on the price or cost of a prescription drug; Prohibits a PBM from designing a formulary to favor a certain branded pharmaceutical or biologic; Requires a PBM to be reimbursed by a health benefit plan for lowering the plan's prescription drug spending over a given period of time and for the direct services the PBM provides to the plan; Sets the amount that a PBM shall reimburse an unaffiliated pharmacy or a PBM-affiliated retail, mail order, or specialty pharmacy for a prescription drug; and Requires a contract between a PBM and a health benefit plan to contain a provision where the PBM discloses prescription drug cost information to the health benefit plan and a provision authorizing the health benefit plan to execute an audit to validate compliance with the contract.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act changes the term "epinephrine auto-injector" to "emergency-use epinephrine" in order to encompass alternatives to injecting epinephrine as a means to treat anaphylaxis in school settings. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Current law requires the department of corrections (department) to assess a copayment for inmate-initiated visits to providers of medical, dental, mental health, and optometric care services. Current law permits a waiver or reduction of the copayment under a range of circumstances. The department's current administrative regulations assess fees when an inmate fails to attend or refuses a scheduled health-care appointment. The act eliminates the copayment and prohibits the department from assessing a fee when an inmate fails to attend or refuses a health-care appointment. The department is required to report during its 2026 "SMART Act" hearing on the number of times in the previous year that an inmate failed to attend a scheduled health-care appointment or requested an appointment when the request was not relevant to an actual medical condition. The act reduces appropriations to the department by a net of $165,682, which includes an increase of $157,179 appropriated from the general fund and a decrease of $322,861 from cash funds. VETOED by Governor 5/29/2025(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Current law requires a court to vacate any court costs and fees assessed to a juvenile under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court prior to July 6, 2021, however, this requirement repeals on June 30, 2025. The act removes the June 30, 2025 repeal. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Under current law, a sheriff may allow an individual to choose to stay in jail overnight after release when extenuating circumstances exist. The act makes facilitation of a connection to a service provider an extenuating circumstance. If an individual chooses to remain in jail overnight, the individual must be released by 10 a.m. the next morning. Under current law, to qualify for special needs parole, there is a distinction between inmates who are 55 years of age or older and those who are under 55 years of age. The act changes that distinction. The act makes an inmate eligible for special needs parole if the inmate suffers from a diagnosed severe cognitive impairment or serious impairment that limits the person's ability to function. If the inmate is under 55 years of age, the act provides for special needs parole if the inmate has served at least 25% of the inmate's sentence and is eligible for parole after serving 50% of their sentence including earned time; has served at least 35% of the inmate's sentence and is eligible for parole after serving 75% of their sentence including earned time; has served at least 40% of the inmate's sentence and is eligible for parole after serving 75% of the sentence; or has been diagnosed by a licensed health-care provider as having a terminal illness that is irreversible, unlikely to be cured, and likely to cause death; and has not incurred a class I code of penal discipline violation within the 12 months before the date of the application for special needs parole. An inmate who is 64 years of age or older and has served at least 20 years of their sentence and was not convicted of a class 1 or class 2 felony, unlawful sexual behavior, a crime that includes domestic violence, or stalking is eligible for special needs parole. The act makes a person eligible for special needs parole if the person has a condition such as advanced or metastatic cancer; end-stage renal disease; end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder; end-stage heart disease; end-stage liver disease; progressive neurodegenerative disease such as Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; intractable seizure disorder; severe dementia; or Alzheimer's disease. The act provides that when a health-care provider who is providing care or recently provided care to the person makes a determination that the person's medical condition meets the standard for special needs parole, then a referral must be made to the parole board. The department of corrections is required to include in each contract with a licensed health-care provider involved in providing inmate care a requirement that the provider screen for eligibility for special needs parole. The act requires legislative council staff to conduct a study of options for releasing aging and seriously ill offenders from secure custody to appropriate care or placing offenders in alternative programs that can better provide the offender's needed medical care. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act prohibits the sale or distribution for consideration of an algorithmic device if: The algorithmic device is sold or distributed with the intent that it will be used by 2 or more landlords in the same market or a related market to set or recommend the amount of rent, level of occupancy, or other commercial term associated with the occupancy of a residential premises; and The device sets or recommends the amount of rent, level of occupancy, or other commercial term associated with the occupancy of a residential premises based on data or a formula that is similar for each landlord. The act also prohibits the use of an algorithmic device by a person to set or recommend the amount of rent, level of occupancy, or other commercial term associated with the occupancy of a residential premises if: The person knew or should have known that another person used the algorithmic device to set or recommend the amount of rent, level of occupancy, or other commercial term associated with the occupancy of a residential premises; and The circumstances suggest that the person adhered to or participated in a scheme to fix the amount of rent, level of occupancy, or other commercial term associated with the occupancy of a residential premises. The act also prohibits a person engaged in the business of providing algorithmic device services or products that are used to set or recommend the amount of rent, level of occupancy, or other commercial term associated with the occupancy of a residential premises from using nonpublic competitor data pertaining to residential properties in Colorado in setting or recommending the amount of rent, level of occupancy, or other commercial term associated with the occupancy of a residential premises for residential properties in Colorado. A violation is deemed to be an illegal restraint of trade or commerce and is punishable in accordance with the "Colorado State Antitrust Act of 2023". VETOED by Governor 5/29/2025(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act requires the state board of education (board) to adopt high school health education standards regarding drug overdose risks, identification of a drug overdose event, and drug overdose prevention and response. The act authorizes the board to seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations for the purpose of adopting these standards. The board must adopt the standards on or before July 1, 2028, if, the board receives by July 1, 2026, $20,000 from gifts, grants, or donations to adopt the standards. If sufficient money is not received, the board is required to adopt the standards on or before July 1, 2032, pursuant to the general standards schedule. Under current law, a school district, the state charter school institute (institute), or the governing board of a nonpublic school may adopt and implement a policy allowing an employee or agent of the school to furnish an opioid antagonist to any individual, including a student, but only if the student has received appropriate school-sponsored training. The act repeals the required condition that a student must receive appropriate school-sponsored training. The act authorizes a school district, the institute, a public school, or a nonpublic school to seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations for purposes related to acquiring, maintaining, and providing training for administering opioid antagonists. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act creates the American Indian affairs interim committee (committee). The purpose of the committee is to examine issues and challenges that impact American Indian Tribal Nations. The committee consists of 6 voting members of the general assembly who serve for the duration of the committee unless they resign, are removed, or are no longer in office and 2 nonvoting members, one from the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and one from the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. The act allows the committee to meet up to 6 times and recommend up to 5 bills during each interim, but the committee does not meet or recommend legislation during the 2025 interim. On or before January 15, 2031, the act requires the committee to submit a report to the executive committee of the legislative council summarizing the work of the committee during the preceding 5 years. The committee is repealed, effective June 30, 2031. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)