The act creates the "Traveling Animal Protection Act" (Act), which prohibits a person from causing the performance of specified animals, such as whales, dolphins, wild cats, marsupials, nonhuman primates, rhinoceroses, seals, elephants, large birds, penguins, and bears, in a traveling animal act. The Act exempts the use of livestock and alternative livestock.The Act also exempts the use of the specified animals by or at:Wildlife sanctuaries; Nonmobile, permanent institutions, facilities, zoos, and aquariums; Environmental education programs; Universities, colleges, laboratories, and other research facilities conducting research; Film and television productions; Rodeos; and County fairs. A person who violates the act commits a misdemeanor and is subject to a fine ranging from $250 to $1,000 per violation.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
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A crime victim is entitled to compensation under the "Colorado Crime Victim Compensation Act" if, in part, the victim cooperates with law enforcement officials. The act clarifies that a victim of strangulation satisfies the cooperation requirement by undergoing a medical forensic examination.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
With regard to the Colorado professional fire fighters special license plate, the act:Reduces from 20 years to 15 years the length of time an organization must be in existence to qualify to issue the license plate; and Specifies the evidence an organization is to submit to demonstrate compliance with the requirement that an organization have at least 3,000 members residing in Colorado.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act creates the "Pet Store Consumer Protection Act", which requires each pet store licensed to sell or offer to sell dogs or cats to:Include on all advertisements, including website postings, the purchase price of the dog or cat and any applicable federal or state license numbers for the breeder of the dog or cat; Post on the enclosure of each dog or cat the purchase price of the dog or cat and certain information on the dog's or cat's breeder; and Make certain written disclosures to a prospective consumer prior to selling a dog or cat. The act preserves the right of a statutory or home rule local government to enact requirements for pet stores that are more stringent than the requirements of the act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The bill requires that firearms be responsibly and securely stored when they are not in use to prevent access by unsupervised juveniles and other unauthorized users. The bill creates the offense of unlawful storage of a firearm if a person stores a firearm in a manner that the person knows, or should know: That a juvenile can gain access to the firearm without the permission of the juvenile's parent or guardian; or A resident of the premises is ineligible to possess a firearm under state or federal law. Unlawful storage of a firearm is a class 2 misdemeanor. The bill requires licensed gun dealers to provide with each firearm, at the time of a firearm sale or transfer, a locking device capable of securing the firearm. Transferring a firearm without a locking device is an unclassified misdemeanor punishable by a maximum $500 fine. The bill requires the state court administrator to annually report to the general assembly about the number of charges related to unsafe firearms storage and the disposition of those charges. The bill requires the office of suicide prevention within the department of public health and environment (department) to include on its website, and in materials provided to firearms-related businesses and health care providers, information about the offense of unlawful storage of a firearm, penalties for providing a handgun to a juvenile or allowing a juvenile to possess a firearm, and the requirement that gun dealers provide a locking device with each firearm transferred. Subject to available money, the department is required to develop and implement a firearms safe storage education campaign to educate the public about the safe storage of firearms, and state requirements related to firearms safety and storage, and information about voluntary temporary firearms storage programs . (Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.) (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The act continues the ability of dental hygienists to place interim therapeutic restorations (ITR) and apply silver diamine fluoride (SDF) until September 1, 2025, to align with the sunset review of the Colorado dental board (board).The act also:Relocates the statutory language granting dental hygienists the authority to apply SDF; Specifies the requirements of an articulated plan between a dental hygienist and a collaborating dentist for purposes of dental hygienist prescribing; Repeals the requirement that a dental hygienist carry professional liability insurance to place ITR or apply SDF because the requirement exists in another provision of the "Dental Practice Act" that applies to all dental hygienists; Removes language specifying the timeline for communication with a distant dentist when using telehealth; Removes language specifying the number of hours of experience a dental hygienist is required to obtain before the board may grant the dental hygienist a permit to place ITR; Requires a dentist who collaborates with a dental hygienist in ITR placements using telehealth supervision to have an active license issued by the board and have a practice location that is either in Colorado or within reasonable proximity of the location where the ITR is placed; Requires the board to develop a waiver process to allow dentists to supervise more than 5 dental hygienists who place ITR; and Removes language regarding "store-and-forward transfer" technology to allow both synchronous and asynchronous technology when dental hygienists use telehealth in ITR placements and SDF applications.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Colorado Commission on Uniform State Laws. The bill enacts the "Uniform Recognition and Enforcement of Canadian Domestic Violence Protection Orders Act" as recommended by the national conference of commissioners on uniform state laws. The bill allows a peace officer to enforce a Canadian domestic violence protection order. The bill allows a court to enter an order enforcing or refusing to enforce a Canadian domestic violence protection order. The bill provides immunity for a person who enforces a Canadian domestic violence protection order.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill directs the state treasurer to transfer, on the effective date of the bill, $5 million from the general fund to the energy outreach Colorado low-income energy assistance fund (fund). The Colorado energy office administers the fund for use by Energy Outreach Colorado, which organization provides direct utility bill payment assistance to low-income households. Energy Outreach Colorado must expend the money before June 30, 2021. On or before July 15, 2021, Energy Outreach Colorado is required to report to the Colorado energy office regarding the amount of the transferred money that was disbursed for direct bill payment assistance and the amount returned to the state. The Colorado energy office may audit Energy Outreach Colorado's financial transactions and accounts regarding the money received. (Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.) (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
For the purpose of establishing a worker's eligibility for unemployment benefits,"immediate family" includes: A sibling of the worker who is under 18 years of age and for whom the worker stands in loco parentis; and A sibling of the worker who is incapable of self-care due to a mental or physical disability or a long-term illness. A worker who separates from a job because the worker reasonably believes that continuing employment would jeopardize the safety of the worker or any member of the worker's immediate family as a result of domestic violence no longer must provide certain documentation to establish the worker's eligibility for unemployment benefits. The term "severance allowance" is substituted for "remuneration" in a provision that concerns remuneration received by an individual who has been separated from employment. Subject to the approval of the executive director of the department of labor and employment, the director of the division of unemployment insurance may enter into an interagency agreement with the department of law for assistance in enforcing certain provisions concerning the misclassification of employees by an employer. Fines imposed pursuant to the enforcement of laws concerning employment security must be transferred to the department of labor and employment and credited to the unemployment revenue fund. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The voluntary contributions to the American Red Cross Colorado disaster response, readiness, and preparedness fund, Colorado domestic abuse program fund, Habitat for Humanity of Colorado fund, pet overpopulation fund, and Special Olympics Colorado fund are currently scheduled to appear on the state income tax return form for income tax years beginning prior to January 1, 2020. The contributions are set to repeal unless they are continued. The act reauthorizes the funds to remain on the form so long as they meet the existing statutory requirement that a voluntary contribution fund must receive at least $50,000 in contributions each tax year. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)