Rep. Tammy Story

The act creates the outdoor recreation industry office in the office of economic development. The director of the outdoor recreation industry office is designated by and reports to the director of the office of economic development.The outdoor recreation industry office serves as a central coordinator of outdoor recreation industry matters.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The law existing before the passage of the act required school districts, charter schools, and boards of cooperative services to demonstrate that, by the beginning of the 2021-22 school year, the kindergarten-through-third-grade teachers they employ have completed evidence-based training in teaching reading. The act extends the deadline for completing the training until the beginning of the 2022-23 school year.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Under existing law, a declaration made pursuant to the "Colorado Medical Treatment Decision Act" must be signed in the presence of 2 witnesses. The act permits the declaration to be witnessed, as described in existing law, or acknowledged before a notary public or other individual authorized by law to take acknowledgments.A donor may make an anatomical gift by a donor card or other record signed by the donor. If the donor is physically unable to sign a record, the record may be signed by another individual at the direction of the donor and be witnessed by at least 2 adults, at least one of whom is a disinterested witness. The act permits the record of a person unable to sign to be witnessed, as described in existing law, or acknowledged before a notary public or other individual authorized by law to take acknowledgments.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Colorado courts follow the common law rule that, generally, only a parent or guardian has the right to claim pre-majority economic damages of a minor for which another person is liable. The bill abolishes the common law rule and permits a minor to bring a claim to recover damages for the minor's pre-majority economic loss. A minor or a parent may not be awarded damages for any economic loss that have been awarded to another person. Under existing law, the statute of limitations for civil claims against health care institutions and health care professionals is 2 years, with certain exceptions. The exceptions to the 2-year limitation include claims brought by or on behalf of a minor who is under 8 years old and claims brought by or on behalf of a person under disability. The bill makes any exemption to the 2-year limitation that would apply to a minor's claim also apply to a claim brought by a person entitled or required to bring a claim to recover damages for a minor's pre-majority economic loss. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

House Bill 14-1387, enacted in 2014, inadvertently removed, through the use of the definition of "real property", the authority of the department of personnel (department) to negotiate and execute leases for state use of privately owned property, including land, office space, buildings, and special use interests. This eliminated a decades-old policy for the department to serve as the central authority to assist state agencies and state institutions of higher education to lease needed office space and other property interests. The department has been operating under custom and practice to keep negotiating and executing such leases since House Bill 14-1387 was enacted.The act officially reinstates this authority to the office of the state architect in the department, which houses the real estate program. The real estate program is the program responsible for centralized leasing.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The bill updates the "Ski Safety Act of 1979" by: Requiring each ski area to adopt and publish, in printed form and on the ski area's website, if any, a safety plan specifying the governance, management, and operational roles, responsibilities, and practices of the ski area to prevent accidents and reduce the frequency and severity of injuries; and Requiring ski areas with an elevation drop of 500 feet or more and at least one elevated lift to: Collect and disseminate seasonal data on ski and snowboard accidents and deaths, including those occurring while boarding or exiting lifts; and Collect and make available, upon request, specific information about each accident, including where and when it occurred, the conditions at the time, the type of injuries and whether death occurred on site or following medical transport, and specified nonprivate information about the injured person. The bill makes any failure to create, maintain, and publish a safety plan or provide the required reports or data grounds for discipline by the passenger tramway safety board. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill expands and extends the provisions of the food pantry assistance grant program (grant program) that is currently in law. Current law states that all grants from the grant program must be made on or before December 30, 2020, and allows for grants to food banks and food pantries, including faith-based organizations (eligible entities) . The bill extends this date to February 28, 2021. and also allows food delivery organizations to apply for a grant . The bill states that it is the intent of the general assembly that food purchased through an award from the grant program be purchased and distributed all money awarded by the grant program is expended on or before June 30, 2021. Currently, grant awards through the grant program range from $2,500 to $35,000. The bill no longer caps the grant awards at $35,000. The amount a grant recipient may use for direct and indirect costs expenses is increased from 10% to 50% 20%. Allowable expenses are expanded to include food delivery. In awarding grants to eligible entities, the department of human services shall in no case determine the amount of a grant award on the risk level of the county in which the eligible entity is located, based upon the risk level dial framework established by the department of public health and environment. The repeal date is extended one year, to June 30, 2023. The bill makes an appropriation. (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.)

Section 1 of the act directs the department of public health and environment (department) to convene stakeholders to inform the department regarding a structure and governing guidance for a recycling market development center to support the development of end-market businesses within the state. Section 1 also directs the department to conduct a literature review of what industry and other states are doing around the country regarding producer responsibility and to create policy and legislative recommendations regarding the feasibility of requiring producers to design, manage, and finance programs for end-of-life management of their products and packaging as a condition of sale. Sections 3, 4, and 5 allow the pollution prevention advisory board (board) to use the recycling resources economic opportunity fund and the front range waste diversion cash fund to reimburse eligible recycling businesses for locally assessed personal property taxes paid in the current tax year in this state on personal property. Section 2 directs the board to establish a formula that it would use in awarding personal property tax reimbursements. Section 6 requires the department, as soon as practicable, to administer a statewide campaign to educate Colorado residents concerning recycling. The department shall ensure the campaign includes: Communications delivered via social media; Television and radio public service announcements; and The placement of written materials in public locations, such as community centers, recreation centers, and shopping centers. In administering the campaign, the department shall consult with municipal governments, county governments, and private agencies that operate recycling programs. The department may contract with one or more public or private entities for the preparation of materials to be used in the campaign. The requirement is repealed, effective September 1, 2021. Section 7 appropriates $985,283 from the recycling resources economic opportunity fund and 2.1 FTE to the department to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act implements the recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies in its sunset review and report of the "Fantasy Contests Act", with modifications, by: Transferring regulatory authority over fantasy contest operators from the director of the division of professions and occupations in the department of regulatory agencies to the director of the division of gaming in the department of revenue; Requiring small fantasy contest operators (i.e., those with 7,500 or fewer active customer accounts in Colorado) to undergo annual audits by an independent third party and submit the results to the department of revenue, as larger operators are currently required to do; and Removing the regulation of fantasy contest operators from the list of programs subject to sunset review, making it permanent as are other programs administered by the division of gaming. The act reduces the fiscal year 2020-21 appropriation to the division of professions and occupations in the department of regulatory agencies by $11,252. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)