Rep. Timothy Leonard

The bill addresses the use of foreign laws, legal codes, or systems (foreign laws) by Colorado courts, arbitrations, tribunals, or administrative agencies (courts) in making decisions or rulings. Any court decision or ruling based on such foreign laws violates the public policy of Colorado and is void and unenforceable if the application of the foreign law does not grant the affected parties the same fundamental liberties, rights, and privileges granted under the constitutions of Colorado and the United States.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill clarifies that a construction professional has the right to receive notice from a prospective claimant concerning an alleged construction defect; to inspect the property; and then to elect to either repair the defect or tender an offer of settlement before the claimant can file a lawsuit seeking damages. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

A business improvement district (district) is a type of special district created within a municipality to fund certain types of improvements that will, among other things, promote the continued vitality of existing business areas within the municipality. The law currently allows a municipality to include areas in a district that do not have any existing businesses. The bill requires these areas to have existing businesses. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Each higher education institution that receives funding from the state must file a verified report each December 1 with the joint budget committee stating whether or not the institution engaged, directly or indirectly, in the purchase or trafficking of aborted human body parts in the previous year. If a higher education institution files a report affirming that the institution engaged, directly or indirectly, in the purchase or trafficking of aborted human body parts, the general assembly shall not appropriate any state funding in the next fiscal year. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Under current law, the department of education administers state assessments in English language arts and mathematics to students in grades 3 through 9 and administers state assessments in social studies to students once in elementary school, once in middle school, and once in high school. The bill repeals administration of the ninth-grade English language arts and mathematics state assessments and the state social studies assessments to align with changes to federal requirements. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Under current law, if a business has less than $7,300 of personal property that would be listed on a single personal property schedule, then the personal property is exempt from the property tax and the business is not required to submit a schedule to the county assessor. With respect to this exemption, the bill reduces the amount of personal property tax that businesses pay by: Increasing the exemption that applies per schedule from $7,300 to $50,000, adjusted for inflation in the future, which increase will allow more businesses to avoid filing personal property tax schedules; and Allowing businesses whose personal property value exceeds the total exemption amount to claim the exemption. For public utilities that are assessed statewide, the property tax administrator currently considers all of a public utility's tangible property within the state as a factor in determining the value of the public utility as a unit. The bill modifies the valuation process by: Exempting the first $50,000 or an inflation-adjusted amount of personal property from the property tax and excluding it from the administrator's consideration for valuation purposes; and Excluding the exempt personal property from the public utility's statement of property that it files with the administrator.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)