Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet

The bill strongly encourages the office of suicide prevention (office) in the department of public health and environment (department) to work with appropriate entities to develop and implement a plan to provide access to training programs related to youth suicide prevention for people who regularly interact with youth but who are not in a profession that typically provides such training opportunities, such as camp counselors, recreation center employees, youth group leaders, clergy, and parents. The office is required to contract with a Colorado nonprofit organization to offer such training through an existing statewide coordinated model. Classes and programs offered by the approved nonprofit organizations must be evidence-based and culturally sensitive, in both English and Spanish, and free to the public. The department shall reimburse the approved nonprofit organization for any direct or indirect costs associated with such classes and programs. The age of consent for a minor to seek and obtain outpatient psychotherapy services is lowered from 15 years of age or older to 12 years of age and older. The licensed mental health provider is immune from civil or criminal liability for providing outpatient psychotherapy services unless he or she acts negligently or outside the scope of his or her practice. The bill clarifies that the age of consent for a minor seeking inpatient psychotherapy or other inpatient mental health services without the consent of a parent or legal guardian remains 15 years of age or older. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

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County Courthouse and County Jail Funding and Overcrowding Solutions Interim Study Committee. Under current law, the general assembly establishes in its annual general appropriations bill the amount that the department of corrections (department) is required to reimburse any county or city and county for a portion of the expenses and costs incurred by that county or city and county for the confinement and maintenance in a local jail of any person who is sentenced to a term of imprisonment in a correctional facility. The bill states that, to assist the general assembly in determining such rate of reimbursement, each county and each city and county shall report to the joint budget committee the average cost of confining and maintaining persons in a local jail for more than 72 hours after each such person has been sentenced to the custody of the department. The joint budget committee is required to establish guidelines to ensure that each county and each city and county reports costs in a uniform manner.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) Read More

At the sentencing hearing for a defendant convicted of a crime in which an element of the crime is an act of sexual intrusion or sexual penetration, the court shall make specific findings of fact regarding the act. If the court finds that an act of sexual intrusion or sexual penetration occurred, the court shall enter a finding of rape and shall state the finding on the record.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) , Read More

The bill prohibits a licensed physician specializing in psychiatry or a licensed, certified, or registered mental health care provider from engaging in conversion therapy with a patient under 18 years of age. A licensee who engages in these efforts is subject to disciplinary action by the appropriate licensing board. 'Conversion therapy' means efforts that seek to change an individual's sexual orientation, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attraction or feelings toward individuals of the same sex. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

County Courthouse and County Jail Funding and Overcrowding Solutions Interim Study Committee. The bill directs the office of the state court administrator to operate a program that implements telephonic or internet-based networking software to let municipal courts, county courts, and district courts conduct judicial procedures with remote participants. The bill creates the telejustice program cash fund and authorizes the state court administrator to expend money from the fund for the program.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) Read More

The bill contains a legislative declaration about the circumstances facing special immigrants and refugees and the benefit of access to education. The bill grants eligibility for in-state tuition status to refugees and special immigrants admitted to the United States pursuant to federal law who have settled in Colorado. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

The bill enacts the 'Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact Act' allowing psychologists licensed in any compact state to provide: Telepsychology services to clients in any other compact state; or Temporary in-person client services in any compact state not exceeding 30 days in a calendar year. The bill authorizes the state board of psychologist examiners to promulgate rules and to facilitate Colorado's participation in the compact including notifying the compact commission of any adverse action taken by the board against a Colorado licensed psychologist. The bill appropriates $151,332 from the division of professions and occupations cash fund to the department of regulatory agencies for the division of professions and occupations to implement the bill. The bill reappropriates $15,984 to the department of law for legal services to the department of regulatory agencies and $80,000 to the office of the governor for use by the office of information technology. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

The bill prohibits a carrier that issues a health benefit plan that covers treatment for stage four advanced metastatic cancer from requiring a cancer patient to undergo step therapy prior to receiving a drug approved by the United States food and drug administration if use of the approved drug is consistent with best practices for treatment of the cancer and as long as the drug is on the carrier's prescription drug formulary. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More