Rep. Tammy Story

The act creates 4 new grant programs to increase capacity for early childhood care and education, improve recruitment and retention rates for early childhood educators (educators), and improve salaries for educators. The act makes an appropriation.Specifically, the act creates the following programs:The employer-based child care facility grant program; The early care and education recruitment and retention grant and scholarship program; The child care teacher salary grant program; and The community innovation and resilience for care and learning equity (CIRCLE) grant program. The act also eliminates the repeal dates for the child care sustainability grant program and the emerging and expanding child care grant program.The act appropriates money for the grant programs from the general fund as well as from federal funds from the child care development fund.The act makes the following appropriations:During the 2020 special session, the general assembly appropriated money for early childhood education. The act states that any of that money not expended prior to July 1, 2021, is further appropriated to the department of human services for the next fiscal year for the same purpose. For the 2020-21 state fiscal year, $8,800,000 is appropriated to the department of human services for use by the office of early childhood. This appropriation is from the general fund. To implement this act, the office of early childhood may use this appropriation as follows: $100,000 for administration, which amount is based on an assumption that the office will require an additional 1.0 FTE; and $8,700,000 for the employer-based child care facility grant program. Any money appropriated but not expended prior to July 1, 2021, is further appropriated to the department of human services for use by the office of early childhood for the 2021-22 state fiscal year for the same purposes. For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, $320,241,576 is appropriated to the department of human services for use by the office of early childhood. This appropriation is from federal funds from child care development funds. To implement this act, the office of early childhood may use this appropriation as follows: $292,700,664 for the child care sustainability grant program, which amount is based on an assumption that the office will require an additional 3.0 FTE. Any money appropriated for the child care sustainability grant program but not expended prior to July 1, 2022, is further appropriated for use by the office of early childhood for the 2022-23 state fiscal year for the same purposes; $16,800,000 for the community innovation and resilience for care and learning equity (CIRCLE) grant program, which amount is based on an assumption that the office will require an additional 1.0 FTE. Any money appropriated to the community innovation and resilience for care and learning equity (CIRCLE) grant program but not expended prior to July 1, 2022, is further appropriated for use by the office of early childhood for the 2022-23 state fiscal year for the same purposes; $7,200,000 for the early care and education recruitment and retention grant and scholarship program, which amount is based on an assumption that the office will require an additional 4.0 FTE; $3,000,000 for the child care teacher salary grant program, which amount is based on an assumption that the office will require an additional 1.0 FTE; and $540,912 for the administration, monitoring, compliance, and reporting requirements associated with the money appropriated in this subsection (3), which amount is based on an assumption that the office will require an additional 4.0 FTE. For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, $58,622,936 is appropriated to the department of human services for use by the office of early childhood. This appropriation is from federal funds from child care development funds. The office of early childhood may use this appropriation as follows: $23,845,252 for the child care assistance program; $32,455,511 for child care grants for quality and availability and federal targeted funds requirements, which amount is based on an assumption that the office will require an additional 6.0 FTE; $2,150,000 for the early childhood mental health consultation program, which amount is based on an assumption that the office will require an additional 1.0 FTE; and $172,173 for the administration, monitoring, compliance, and reporting requirements associated with the money appropriated in this subsection (4), which amount is based on an assumption that the office will require an additional 2.0 FTE.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act requires the Colorado work force development council (council), in collaboration with local work force boards, the department of education, superintendents of local school districts, the state board for community colleges and occupational education (community college board), and other postsecondary partners, to design a career pathway for students in the energy sector using an existing statutory model for the design and implementation of career pathways. The act defines "energy sector" to include electromechanical generation and maintenance, electrical energy transmission and distribution, energy efficiency and environmental technology, and renewable energy production.The act creates the strengthening photovoltaic and renewable careers (SPARC) workforce development program (SPARC program) in the department of labor and employment (department). The purpose of the SPARC program is to create capacity for and bolster training, apprenticeship, and education programs in the energy sector career pathway to increase employment in the energy sector, prioritizing in-demand and growing occupations in the energy sector. The department, the council, the community college board, and the department of higher education shall use money appropriated by the general assembly to expand the capacity of training programs and support the energy sector career pathway, as described in the act. The department, in consultation with the council, the community college board, and the department of higher education, shall determine the amount of money allocated to public institutions of higher education, local workforce development areas, and others. The act creates the SPARC program fund.By November 1, 2022, and each November 1 thereafter, the act requires the council to submit an annual report to the house of representatives business affairs and labor committee, energy and environment committee, and education committee, or their successor committees, and to the senate business, labor, and technology committee, transportation and energy committee, and education committee, or their successor committees , concerning the implementation of the SPARC program and the use of funding, and to present a summary of the report at the department's annual presentation to the general assembly. The act repeals the program, effective July 1, 2026.For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, the act appropriates:$90,048 and 1.3 FTE to the department from the SPARC program fund for one-stop workforce center contracts and the Colorado work force development council; and $1,724,590 to the department of higher education from the SPARC program fund for the community college board and state system community colleges.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act creates the rural jump-start zone grant program (grant program) and authorizes the Colorado economic development commission (commission) to issue grants, subject to available appropriations, as follows:Up to $20,000 to new businesses to establish operations; Up to $40,000 to new businesses to establish operations in a tier one transition community; Up to $2,500 to new businesses for each new hire; and Up to $5,000 to new businesses for each new hire who is hired for operations established in a tier one transition community. The act also authorizes the commission to issue grants, at its discretion and subject to available appropriations, not to exceed $30,000 per applicant, to a state institution of higher education or an economic development organization that collaborates with a new business in order to support the new business in meeting the requirements for the business under the grant program.The act creates the rural jump-start zone grant fund account in the Colorado economic development fund, which consists of any money appropriated to the fund by the general assembly, and may be used:By the commission to issue grants; and For the direct and indirect costs that the Colorado office of economic development incurs, not to exceed a specified amount, to administer the grant program.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act directs the state treasurer to make an immediate, one-time transfer of $3 million from the general fund to the energy fund administered by the Colorado energy office (CEO). The CEO may use the money for making grants for the weatherization assistance program. The act requires the CEO to periodically report on its expenditures to the office of state planning and budgeting and the general assembly.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act implements the recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies' sunset review and report on the registration of direct-entry midwives by:Continuing the registration requirements for 7 years, until September 1, 2028; Authorizing direct-entry midwives to administer group B streptococcus (GBS) prophylaxis; Adding licensed birth centers to the locations where a direct-entry midwife may practice; and Requiring the director of the division of professions and occupations (director) to develop policies regarding direct-entry midwives in training. The act also:Specifies that a direct-entry midwife who is granted additional authority is not required to apply for renewal of that authority or pay any renewal fees for the authority; Removes the requirement that a direct-entry midwife report certain data at the time of registration renewal; Authorizes the director to order the physical or mental examination of a direct-entry midwife if the director has reasonable cause to believe that the direct-entry midwife is subject to a physical or mental disability that renders the direct-entry midwife unable to treat patients with reasonable skill and safety or that may endanger a patient's health or safety; and Requires the state registrar to revise the birth certificate worksheet form to include a requirement to report whether the live birth occurred after a transfer to a hospital by a direct-entry midwife. The act appropriates to the department of public health and environment: $50,080 from the health facilities general licensure cash fund for use by the health facilities and emergency medical services division for administration and operations; and $30,000 from the vital statistics records cash fund for use by the health statistics and vital records subdivision for operating expenses.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Under current law, an entity may appeal a decision by a school district board of education (local board) concerning a charter school to the state board of education (state board). The state board reviews the decision to determine whether it was contrary to the best interests of the students, school district, or community. The bill creates a rebuttable presumption that a local board's decision was in the best interests of the students, school district, or community if the decision was based on at least one of several specified considerations. A person bringing an appeal may overcome the presumption by a preponderance of the evidence demonstrating that the decision was not based on at least one of those considerations. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Under current law, the admission standards for first-time admitted freshmen students must use high school academic performance indicators and national assessment test scores. The act removes the requirement for a national assessment test score. The act states that the governing board of a state institution of higher education (institution) may, but is not required to, require a national assessment test score as an eligibility criterion for admission.An applicant may submit a national assessment test score to an institution that does not require a national assessment test score as an eligibility criterion and request that the institution consider the national assessment test score.Starting June 30, 2023, the department of higher education (department) shall publish and submit to the education committees an annual report of various data intended to determine whether requiring or not requiring a national assessment test score as an eligibility criterion for the admissions process provides greater diversity among institutions without causing negative student outcomes that are directly attributable to the change in the admissions process.On or before June 30, 2027, and on or before June 30, 2032, the commission on higher education shall publish and submit to the education committees a report analyzing the annual reports submitted by the department.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act authorizes a school district, a board of cooperative services, an institution of higher education, a nonprofit organization, a charter school, the state charter school institute, a nonpublic school, or any combination of these entities to create an alternative principal program (program). The program must meet statutory requirements and is subject to approval and periodic reapproval by the state board of education. A person who completes an approved program while employed by a school district, board of cooperative services, or charter school may qualify for an initial or professional principal license.For the 2021-22 fiscal year, the act appropriates $16,692 from the educator licensure cash fund to the department of education for the office of professional services.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act clarifies the authorized distributions from the local government limited gaming impact fund by:Specifying that "documented gaming impacts" should be for negative impacts and defining that phrase; Requiring grant awards to be prioritized for: Eligible local governmental entities that have lower property values compared to all eligible local governmental entities; or prioritized for eligible local governmental entities located in counties with lower property values compared to the property values of all counties that are eligible local governmental entities. If an eligible local governmental entity has a jurisdictional boundary that includes more than one county, then the prioritization for that eligible local governmental entity is established based on the county in which the eligible local governmental entity's administrative offices are located; and Based on a methodological approach that incorporates a weighted decision matrix which includes community and impact scoring; Defining "property values" as the sum of the actual value of all property, including the actual value of all tax-exempt property, as of December 31 of the prior year; Requiring documented negative gaming impacts to be explicitly identifiable; Defining "negative impacts"; and Allowing grants from the gambling addiction account to be used to provide gambling addiction treatment training to staff at nonprofit community mental health centers or clinics; this is in addition to the current authorized use for gambling addiction counseling services to Colorado residents.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The limited gaming control commission consists of 5 members, 4 of whom are from specified professions and industries and one of whom is a registered elector of the state who is not employed in one of the specified professions or industries. The act requires the governor to prioritize appointing members who are registered electors of Gilpin county or Teller county and allows the registered elector members of the commission from Gilpin and Teller County to be employed in one of the specified professions or industries.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)