Rep. Chris Kennedy

The complementary or alternative medicine pilot program (pilot program) currently applies to any person with a spinal cord injury. The bill expands the pilot program to include persons with a primary condition of multiple sclerosis, a brain injury, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, or cerebral palsy and a secondary condition of paralysis. Additionally, an eligible person must reside in either Adams county, Arapahoe county, Boulder county, the city and county of Broomfield, the city and county of Denver, Douglas county, El Paso county, Jefferson county, Larimer county, Pueblo county, or Weld county.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill requires the creation of independent county commissioner redistricting commissions (commissions) to divide counties that have any number of their county commissioners not elected by the voters of the whole county into county commissioner districts. The bill: Specifies that commissions are appointed both for counties that have any number of their county commissioners not elected by the voters of the whole county after each federal decennial census of the United States and when a county that has all of its commissioners elected by the voters of the whole county elects to have only some of its commissioners elected by the voters of the whole county; Specifies that the commissions consist of 7 members, 2 of whom must be registered with the state's largest political party, 2 of whom must be registered with the state's second largest political party, and 3 of whom must not be registered with any political party; Establishes the qualifications to serve on the commissions and the method by which commissioners are appointed; Authorizes the commissions to adopt rules and specifies how the commissions are staffed, how the commissions are funded, how the commissions are organized, and sets forth the ethical obligations of the commissioners; Requires the commissions to provide the opportunity for public involvement, including multiple hearings, the ability to propose maps, and to testify at commission hearings, and requires hearings to comply with state statutes regarding open meetings; Mandates that paid lobbying of the commissions be disclosed to the secretary of state by the lobbyist within 72 hours of when the lobbying occurred or when the payment for lobbying occurred, whichever is earlier; Establishes prioritized factors for the commissions to use in drawing districts, including federal requirements, the preservation of communities of interest and political subdivisions, and maximizing the number of competitive districts; Prohibits the commissions from approving a map if it has been drawn for the purpose of protecting one or more members of or candidates for county commissioner or a political party, and codifies current federal law and related existing federal requirements prohibiting maps drawn for the purpose of or that results in the denial or abridgement of a person's right to vote or electoral influence on account of a person's race, ethnic origin, or membership in a protected language group; Requires a majority of commissioners to approve a redistricting map and specifies the date by which a final map must be approved; Specifies that the nonpartisan staff of each commission will draft a preliminary redistricting map and up to 3 additional maps, and, in the event of deadlock by a commission, creates a process by which nonpartisan staff submit a final map to a panel of district court judges for review based on specified criteria; and Requires judicial review of a commission-approved or nonpartisan staff-submitted redistricting map, and limits district court judicial panel review to whether a commission or the staff committed an abuse of discretion. The bill also repeals anachronistic county precinct size rules and allows county clerk and recorders to redraw precincts less often. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

A recent Colorado supreme court case held that in a civil action when an employer admits liability for the tortious actions of its employee, the plaintiff cannot assert additional claims against the employer arising out of the same incident. The bill allows a plaintiff to bring such claims against an employer. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The act clarifies that any elector who has preregistered to vote, is 17 years of age on the date of a precinct caucus, and will be 18 years of age on the date of the next general election may either vote at any caucus, assembly, or convention or be elected as a delegate to any assembly or convention even though the elector has been affiliated with the political party for less than 22 days. Under current law, no later than 21 days prior to the date of the precinct caucus, the county clerk and recorder is required to furnish, without charge to each major political party in the county, a list of the registered electors in the county who are affiliated with that political party. The act changes this deadline to 18 days prior to the date of the precinct caucus in a year in which a political party's precinct caucus is held on the first Saturday following the presidential primary election. The act changes the period a candidate for precinct committeeperson must have been a resident of the precinct from 30 days to 22 days before the caucus. The act also changes the period during which such candidate must have been affiliated with the political party from 2 months to 22 days before the caucus. An exception to these requirements in current law specifies that any person who has attained the age of 18 years or who has become a naturalized citizen during the 2 months immediately preceding the precinct caucus may be a candidate for the office of precinct committeeperson even though the individual has been affiliated with the political party for less than 2 months. The act changes each of these 2-month deadlines to 22 days. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Investor-owned Utility Review Interim Study Committee. To ensure consistent funding of energy efficiency improvement programs, including the state weatherization assistance program, the bill establishes a formula by which the general assembly will authorize the state treasurer to transfer money from the general fund to the Colorado energy office low-income energy assistance fund or the energy outreach Colorado low-income energy assistance fund for use for energy efficiency improvement programs if, in a given year, an amount less than $1 million is transferred from the severance tax operational fund to the Colorado energy office low-income energy assistance fund or the energy outreach Colorado low-income energy assistance fund. The formula calls for a transfer of money from the general fund in an amount equal to 75% of the difference between the amount transferred from the severance tax operational fund to one of the funds and $1 million.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Emergency medical service providers - application for licensure - eligibility. The act authorizes a certified emergency medical service (EMS) provider to apply for licensure from the department of public health and environment based on a demonstration to the satisfaction of the department that the EMS provider has completed a 4-year bachelor's degree program from an accredited college or university in a field related to the health sciences or an equivalent field, as determined by the state board of health by rule. Specified portions of the act are contingent upon House Bill 19-1172 becoming effective. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Complementary and alternative medicine for a person with a spinal cord injury - pilot program - continuation - report. The act continues the department of health care policy and financing's pilot program that allows an eligible person with a spinal cord injury to receive complementary or alternative medicine until 2025. The act requires the independent evaluation of the pilot program and associated report to be completed no later than January 1, 2025.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Home care agencies - department to request increase in federal reimbursement rate for certain services - minimum wage - wage pass-through requirement - training - appropriation. The act requires the department of health care policy and financing (department) to request from the federal government an increase of 8.1% in the reimbursement rate for certain services delivered to consumers through the home- and community-based services waivers. For the 2019-20 fiscal year, each home care agency (agency) shall pay 100% of the funding that results from the rate increase as compensation for employees who provide personal care services, homemaker services, and in-home support services (covered services) to consumers. For the 2020-21 fiscal year, each agency shall pay 85% of the funding that results from the rate increase as compensation for employees who provide covered services to consumers. Within 60 days after the request for an increase in the reimbursement rate is approved, each agency shall provide written notice to each nonadministrative employee who provides covered services of the compensation to which the employee is entitled. The act states that on and after July 1, 2020, the hourly minimum wage for persons who provide covered services for which an agency may receive reimbursement pursuant to the "Colorado Medical Assistance Act" is $12.41 per hour. Each agency shall track and report how it used any funding resulting from the rate increase using a reporting tool developed by the department. The department may recoup from an agency part or all of the funding resulting from the rate increase if the department determines that the agency: Did not use 100% of any funding resulting from the rate increase to increase compensation for nonadministrative employees for the 2019-20 fiscal year; Did not use 85% of the funding resulting from the rate increase to increase compensation for nonadministrative employees for the 2020-21 fiscal year; or Failed to track and report how it used any funds resulting from the increase in the reimbursement rate. The act requires the department and the department of public health and environment, in consultation with stakeholders, on or before January 1, 2020, to establish a process for reviewing and enforcing initial and ongoing training requirements for persons who provide covered services. The act appropriates $5,682,377 to the department to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Licensing of home care agencies and registration of home care placement agencies - continuation under sunset law. The act implements recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies in its sunset review and report on the licensing of home care agencies and the registration of home care placement agencies by the department of public health and environment (CDPHE) by: Continuing these functions until September 1, 2028; Requiring that money assessed and collected by CDPHE as civil fines against agencies is credited to the general fund rather than to the home care agency cash fund; and Requiring the home care advisory committee to include representatives of home care placement agencies.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Recovery from substance use disorders - housing vouchers - recovery residence standards and requirements - recovery residence certification grant program - creation of the opioid crisis recovery funds advisory committee - appropriation. The act: Expands the housing voucher program currently within the department of local affairs to include individuals with a substance use disorder; Establishes standards for recovery residences for purposes of referrals and title protection and prohibits a facility from using the terms "recovery residence", "sober living facility", or "sober home" unless the facility meets specified conditions; Creates the recovery residence certification grant program; and Creates the opioid crisis recovery funds advisory committee to advise and collaborate with the department of law on uses of any custodial funds the state receives as settlement or damage awards resulting from opioid-related litigation. To implement the act: $1,000,000 is appropriated to the department of local affairs; $2,620 is appropriated to the office of the governor for use by the office of information technology; and $50,000 is appropriated to the department of human services for use by the office of behavioral health.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More