Rep. Colin Larson

The act authorizes the department of higher education to collect the data necessary to calculate return on investment metrics for certain higher education institutions not currently covered in the department's annual return on investment report. The department may include the information collected in its annual return on investment report. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act clarifies that a registered prescription drug outlet and an other outlet may make a casual sale of a drug in the manufacturer's sealed container to another registered outlet and to a practitioner authorized to prescribe the drug. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act requires the department of labor and employment to collaborate with the department of education to include in the Colorado state apprenticeship resource directory the name and contact information for at least one designated apprenticeship training program contact for every public high school and school district. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The bill creates the home visiting expansion grant program (grant program) in the department of human services (department). The purpose of the grant program is to expand the number of children and families served by nationally recognized, evidence-based home visiting models (models) throughout the state and thus improve school readiness of Colorado children. The grant program has 2 cycles of 3 years each and shall award up to a total of $2 million in grants for each cycle, payable in equal annual amounts. The state board of human services is authorized to promulgate rules that specify the criteria for the grant program, including eligibility of applicants and models, timeline, and review and selection criteria. The department is required to prepare an evaluation report at the conclusion of each grant cycle and present that report as part of its next "SMART Act" report to its committee of reference. The grant program is repealed, effective September 1, 2028. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Current law requires a public school that offers human sexuality education to provide to the parent or legal guardian of each student, prior to commencing the planned curriculum, written notification of the ability to excuse a student and a detailed, substantive outline of the topics and materials to be presented during the planned curriculum. The bill requires an electronic notification to be provided to the parent or legal guardian of each student, in addition to the written notification, 90 days prior to commencing the planned curriculum. The notification must include the date the planned curriculum will be taught and it must be sent separately from any other school notifications. Any materials used during the planned curriculum must be made available for viewing online 90 days prior to the commencement of the planned curriculum.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Fire and police pension association - entry for social security employers - participation in defined benefit system. The board of the fire and police pension association (association) is authorized to allow an employer that covers employees under the federal "Social Security Act" whose duties are directly involved with the provision of law enforcement or fire protection (employer) and that is eligible to participate in the social security supplemental plan established by the association to alternatively elect to participate in one or more of the defined benefit plans administered by the association with full benefits and unreduced contribution rates. An employer that elects to affiliate with the association to participate in a defined benefit plan is required to make the election through the governing board of the local government or county. An application for coverage by the association is required to be approved by at least 65% of all active members employed by the employer who vote in the election proposing coverage. The board of the association is authorized to adopt rules to allow an employee of the affiliating employer to elect to remain in a predecessor plan and not have coverage by the association. All active employees at the time of affiliation with the association, with the exception of employees who elect to remain in a predecessor plan, and all employees who are hired after affiliation will become participants in the association and such participation cannot be revoked. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Aid to the needy disabled program - applications - navigation assistance - appropriation. The act creates a program to help persons with disabilities participating in the state aid to the needy disabled program navigate the application process for federal disability benefits, including supplemental security income and social security disability insurance. The program is provided by participating county departments of human or social services (county departments) and is administered by the state department of human services (state department). Funding for the program is distributed to participating county departments pursuant to an allocation formula determined by state department rules after the state department receives input from counties, county representatives, and other relevant stakeholders. The act describes the services that may be provided by county departments participating in the program, including assistance with compiling and drafting supporting documentation for the application for federal disability benefits and assistance in completing and submitting the application. The state department shall evaluate the program pursuant to the time frame set forth in the act to determine if the program is meeting the program goals described in the act. The act creates the disability benefits application assistance fund and requires the state treasurer and controller to annually transfer to the fund money appropriated for the aid to the needy disabled program that remains unencumbered and unexpended at the end of the fiscal year. For the 2019-20 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $1,450,000 from the marijuana tax cash fund to the department of human services for adult assistance programs and disability benefit application program funding. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Protective services - access to records - clarifies disclosure of report to at-risk adult. House Bill 19-1063, concerning the ability to share information between county adult protective services with county child protective services as well as at-risk adults obtaining their own information, allowed an at-risk adult to access a report of the mistreatment or self-neglect of an at-risk adult (report) without a court order, but the act did not specify that only the individual who is the subject of the report may access the report. This act clarifies that a court order is not required when a report of the mistreatment or self-neglect of an at-risk adult is disclosed to the at-risk adult who is the subject of the report.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Smoking restrictions - application to vape and e-cigarette use - exemptions - age restrictions in permitted smoking areas - signage - penalties. The act amends the "Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act" by: Adding a definition of "electronic smoking device" (ESD) to include e-cigarettes and similar devices within the scope of the act; Citing the results of recent research on ESD emissions and their effects on human health as part of the legislative declaration; Eliminating the existing exceptions for certain places of business in which smoking may be permitted, such as airport smoking concessions, businesses with 3 or fewer employees, designated smoking rooms in hotels, and designated smoking areas in assisted living facilities; Repealing the ability of property owners and managers to designate smoking areas through the posting of signs; Exempting FDA-approved nebulizers, inhalers, and vaporizers, as well as humidifiers that emit only water vapor, from the definition of an ESD; Amending signage requirements for tobacco businesses and vape shops that must notify customers of prohibitions on entry by persons under the age of 18; Increasing the radius of an "entryway", the area around the doorway to a building where smoking is not permitted, from a minimum of 15 feet to a minimum of 25 feet except where existing local regulations permitted a smaller radius when construction or renovation of a business commenced, on or before July 1, 2019; and Creates a grace period, affirmative defenses, and graduated penalties for enforcement of the amended signage requirements and age restrictions for tobacco businesses and vape shops. The act takes effect July 1, 2019, except for the provisions requiring exclusion of minors and the posting of appropriate signage relating to the exclusion, which provisions take effect October 1, 2019. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More