The bill requires health insurers that issue individual and group sickness and accident policies, contracts, or plans that are required under current law to provide contraception coverage to reimburse participating providers or in-network dispensing entities for: Dispensing prescription contraceptives in a 3-month supply for the first dispensing to the insured person and for a 12-month supply for subsequent dispensings of the same prescription contraceptive to the insured person; or Dispensing to the insured person a prescribed vaginal contraceptive ring intended to last for 3 months. 'Prescription contraceptive' is defined as a medically acceptable oral drug or contraceptive patch that is used to prevent pregnancy, that requires a prescription, and that is covered under the terms of the policy, contract, or plan issued by a health insurer subject to regulation by the state. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
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Current law requires any licensed physician, physician assistant, or anesthesiologist assistant (licensee) who attends or treats any of certain injuries, including injuries resulting from domestic violence, to report the injury at once to the police of the city, town, or city and county or the sheriff of the county in which the licensee is located. The bill states that a licensee is not required to report an injury that the licensee has reason to believe involves an act of domestic violence if: The victim of the injury is at least 18 years of age and indicates his or her preference that the injury not be reported; The injury is not an injury that the licensee is otherwise required to report; and The injury is not a serious bodily injury. When a licensee declines to report an injury that he or she has reason to believe resulted from domestic violence pursuant to the victim's expressed preference, the licensee shall document the victim's request in the victim's medical record. Before a licensee reports an injury that he or she has reason to believe resulted from domestic violence, the licensee shall make a good-faith effort, confidentially, to advise the victim of the licensee's intent to do so. If a licensee has reason to believe that an injury resulted from domestic violence, then, regardless of whether the licensee reports the injury to law enforcement, the licensee shall either refer the victim to a victim's advocate or provide the victim with information concerning services available to victims of abuse. A licensee who, in good faith, refers a victim to a victim's advocate or provides a victim with information concerning services available to victims of abuse is not civilly liable for any act or omission of the victim's advocate or of any agency that provides such services to the victim. Under current law, any licensee who, in good faith, makes such a report of an injury is immune from any liability, civil or criminal, that might otherwise be incurred or imposed with respect to the making of the report. The bill states that a licensee who does not make a report under the new conditions described in the bill is also immune to such liability. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill clarifies that the 'Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act' (PACFA) does not apply to the boarding or pet handling of 3 or less pet animals. The bill further clarifies that a pet animal care technology platform is not a 'pet animal facility' as defined in PACFA and thus exempts those businesses from the licensing requirements for pet animal care facilities. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill creates the family caregiver support fund (fund) in the state treasury. A voluntary contribution designation line for the fund will appear on the state individual income tax return form (form) for the 5 income tax years following the year that the executive director of the department of revenue (department) certifies to the revisor of statutes that: There is a space available on the form; and The fund is next in the queue. Once the fund is placed on the form, the department is directed to determine annually the total amount contributed to the fund and report that amount to the state treasurer and the general assembly. The state treasurer is required to credit that amount to the fund, and the general assembly appropriates from the fund to the department the costs of administering moneys designated for the fund. After that amount is deducted, the moneys remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year are transferred to Easter Seals Colorado, a nonprofit organization. Following the statutory 2-year grace period for new tax check-offs, the fund is required to achieve the minimum contribution amount of $50,000 per year to remain on the form. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Interim Study Committee on Communication Between the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) and Medicaid Clients. The bill requires the department of health care policy and financing (department) to engage in an ongoing process to improve medicaid client communications, including client letters and notices, that concern eligibility for or the denial, reduction, suspension, or termination of a benefit. Among other requirements included in the bill, the department shall ensure that client communications are accurate, readable, and understandable, clearly conveying the purpose of the letter or notice and the specific action or actions that the client must take in response to the letter or notice. The bill requires the department to include in certain notices a specific and plain language explanation of the basis for the denial, reduction, suspension, or termination of a benefit; and a description of necessary information or documents that the client has not provided. If sufficient state and federal appropriations are available, on and after July 1, 2018, the department shall make available electronically a client's information concerning household composition, assets, and income sources and amounts, if relevant to the determination for which the client correspondence was issued. The department may test new or significantly revised client communications against the requirements included in the bill with a representative sample of medicaid clients, advocacy organizations, and counties prior to implementing the client communications. The department shall also develop a process to consider feedback from stakeholders and counties prior to implementing significant changes to correspondence. The department shall also ensure that letters and notices affecting clients with disabilities, seniors, and other vulnerable populations are appropriately prioritized for improvement consistent with the requirements in the bill. The department shall receive feedback from the workgroup established to provide customer and community partner feedback regarding client communications as part of the department's involvement in state-level decision-making relating to computer system changes and training. The department shall provide information concerning medicaid client communications improvements as part of its annual presentation to its legislative committee of reference. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill amends the language defining the crime of human trafficking for sexual servitude to include that a person who knowingly advertises, offers to sell, or sells travel services that facilitate activities defined as human trafficking of a minor for sexual servitude commits the offense of human trafficking of a minor for sexual servitude. 'Travel services' are defined in the bill. Current law requires a person convicted of human trafficking of a minor for sexual servitude to be placed on the Colorado sex offender registry; the bill extends that requirement to persons convicted of human trafficking of any person of any age. The bill adds a provision to law allowing a person who was convicted of human trafficking for sexual servitude to petition the court to discontinue the person's duty to register on the sexual offender registry if he or she can establish, by a preponderance of the evidence, that at the time he or she committed the offense, he or she had been trafficked by another person for the purpose of committing the offense. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The starting point for determining state income tax liability is federal taxable income. This number is adjusted for additions and subtractions (deductions) that are used to determine Colorado taxable income, which amount is multiplied by the state's 4.63% income tax rate. Currently, a person who is 55-64 years old may deduct up to $20,000 of retirement benefits from federal taxable income, and a person who is 65 years old or older may deduct up to $24,000. These limits apply to retirement benefits from all sources, including those related to service in the military. The bill creates an additional deduction under which a person of any age may deduct a percentage of military retirement benefits from his or her state income tax. In 2018, the percentage is equal to 10%, and it increases by 10% each year thereafter until all military retirement benefits are exempt. All other retirement benefits and military retirement benefits in excess of the limit for the new deduction continue to be deductible under the existing deduction, subject to the existing limits on ages and amounts. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Under current law, money in the P.O.S.T. board cash fund can be used to provide training for peace officers. The bill clarifies that the money can also be used to train military law enforcement personnel stationed in Colorado. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)