Currently, chartered, chauffeured transportation is regulated in the state as luxury limousine service. Pursuant to rules of the public utilities commission (PUC), a luxury limousine is a stretched limousine, an executive car that is one of a list of authorized makes and models of vehicle, or an executive van. Under the PUC's rules, a luxury limousine must be 10 or fewer model years old. Section 1 of the bill authorizes chartered, chauffeured transportation through a livery transportation authority (authority). An authority may provide service in the state if: The authority provides service within and between points in the counties of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Garfield, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, Pitkin, and Weld, and between those points and all points within the state; The authority has a fleet of at least 3 vehicles, each with a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $35,000 or more, or, if the authority is physically located in Gilpin or Pitkin county, a fleet of 2 or more such vehicles; and The authority applies for and obtains a permit from the PUC, pays the permit fee, and maintains sufficient insurance. Drivers for an authority must obtain a criminal history record check, provide proof of medical fitness, and comply with hours-of-service requirements. Vehicles used by an authority must be inspected at least annually. The PUC may promulgate safety rules regarding authority service; however, the PUC shall not promulgate rules regarding the age or make and model of vehicles within an authority's fleet. Section 2 makes a conforming amendment.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) Read More
Sponsored bills
Fireworks restrictions - period between May 31 and July 5 of any year - competent evidence of high fire danger. Under current law, a county may prohibit or restrict by ordinance the sale, use, and possession of fireworks, including permissible fireworks (fireworks restrictions), for a period that does not exceed one year in length within all or any part of the unincorporated areas of the county; except that such an ordinance shall not be in effect between May 31 and July 5 of any year unless the ordinance includes an express finding of high fire danger, based on competent evidence. The act specifies that such an ordinance is in effect for the period between May 31 and July 5 of any year only if the county adopts by resolution such fireworks restrictions for such period, which resolution includes an express finding of high fire danger, based on competent evidence. However, if the county adopts a resolution specifying that the ordinance remains in effect for such period, or any portion of such period, and subsequent to the adoption of the resolution, a change in the weather occurs resulting in competent evidence that the high fire danger is not present and no longer will be present during the remainder of the period, the act requires the county to endeavor to promptly consider whether to exercise its legislative discretion to rescind the restrictions it has adopted on the sale, use, and possession of fireworks. The ordinance remains in effect and is fully enforceable until the restrictions have been rescinded. The act also adds as a source of "competent evidence" justifying a finding of high fire danger predictions of future fire danger such as those issued by the national interagency coordination center or any successor entity as well as localized evidence of low fuel moisture content. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More
Urban renewal - blight determination - notice of determination. Under current law, before an urban renewal authority (authority) may undertake an urban renewal project for an urban renewal area, it must determine that the area is a slum, blighted area, or a combination of such conditions. When the authority determines that the area is not a slum, a blighted area, or a combination of such conditions, the authority is also required to send notice of the determination to any owner of private property located within the area within 30 days of the determination. The act modifies this latter requirement by requiring notice be provided to such property owners within 7 days of either determination being made.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More
Property tax - alternate protest and appeal procedures - notice and information for taxpayer - information taxpayer provides county. For counties that have elected to use the alternate protest and appeal procedures, the act requires: A taxpayer who owns rent-producing commercial real property to provide the assessor with property rental information (rental information) on or before July 15 of the year of the appeal; and The county assessor to mail the notice of determination regarding the appeal by August 15 of the year of the appeal instead of the last working day in August. For all counties, the act modifies: The rental information that a petitioner appealing the valuation of rent-producing commercial property or the denial of an abatement must provide to a county; and The information related to a county's determination of the value that a county is required to provide to a petitioner who has filed an appeal with the board of assessment appeals. A petitioner who provides rental information to an assessor as part of an alternate protest and appeal is not required to provide the same information in an appeal of the valuation. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More
Titles and interests - deeds for the conveyance of real property - standard forms - terms of warranty and exceptions. The act states that a licensed title insurance entity may prepare deeds for the conveyance of real property in accordance with statutory forms. Any deed prepared by a title insurance entity containing a covenant of warranty must: Include a limitation on the warranty of title; and Use the phrase "subject to statutory exceptions" and no other terms or descriptions, unless the preparing title insurance entity is otherwise instructed in writing by both the grantor and the grantee. The act provides new forms of deeds for the conveyance of real property under certain circumstances. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More
The bill requires medical and retail marijuana testing facilities to be accredited pursuant to the International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission 17025:2005 standard by a body that is itself recognized by the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation by January 1, 2019. The state licensing authority can adopt rules providing for an extension of time to comply with the standard. The bill states that medical and retail marijuana testing is a matter of statewide concern. The bill appropriates $10,656 from the marijuana cash fund to the department of revenue to implement the act. The money is then reappropriated to the department of law for legal services. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Current law authorizes 'forced' or 'statutory' pooling, a process by which any interested person–typically an oil and gas operator–may apply to the Colorado oil and gas conservation commission (commission) for an order to pool oil and gas resources located within a particularly identified drilling unit. After giving notice to interested parties and holding a hearing, the commission can adopt an order to require an owner of oil and gas resources within the drilling unit who has not consented to the application (nonconsenting owner) to allow an oil and gas operator to produce the oil and gas within the drilling unit notwithstanding the owners lack of consent. The bill clarifies that an order entered by the commission establishing a drilling unit may authorize more than one well. The order must specify that a nonconsenting owner is immune from liability for costs arising from spills, releases, damage, or injury resulting from oil and gas operations on the drilling unit. Currently, a nonconsenting owner must pay the consenting owners from the nonconsenting owner's share of production 200% of the nonconsenting owner's proportionate share of the costs of drilling, including equipment. The bill limits this 200% cost recovery to wells 5,000 feet or less in depth and increases the cost recovery to 300% for wells greater than 5,000 feet in depth and for horizontal wells. Current law prohibits entry of a pooling order until the mineral rights owners have been given a reasonable offer to lease their rights. The bill specifies that the offer must be given at least 60 days before the hearing on the order and must include a copy of or link to a brochure supplied by the commission that clearly and concisely describes the pooling procedures and the mineral owner's options pursuant to those procedures. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill allows the public utilities commission to approve, and electric utilities to charge, economic development rates, which are lower rates for commercial and industrial users who locate or expand their operations in Colorado so as to increase the demand by at least 3 megawatts. To qualify for the economic development rates, these users must demonstrate that the cost of electricity is a critical consideration in their decision where to locate or expand their business and that the availability of lower rates is a substantial factor. The rates may be offered for up to 10 years. The bill also authorizes the expansion of a voluntary renewable energy program or service offering as necessary to meet the needs of a commercial or industrial customer that makes a capital investment of $250 million or more, requires the expansion in order to remain as a customer of a utility, or is a new customer. Utilities that offer economic development rates shall not cross-subsidize the economic development rates by raising rates on other customers, and a utility bears the burden of proof on this issue in any proceeding before the commission. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill specifies that an autopsy report prepared in connection with the death of a minor is confidential and may be disclosed by the county coroner to any other person or entity only in accordance with certain exceptions. Under the bill, the coroner or his or her designee may only provide a copy of the autopsy report prepared in connection with the death of a minor to: A parent or legal guardian of the deceased if the parent or legal guardian submits a copy of a written request to the coroner for a copy of the report in addition to an affidavit, signed by the parent or legal guardian under the penalty of perjury, verifying his or her relationship to the decedent; A law enforcement or criminal justice agency, including a district attorney, that is either investigating the death or prosecuting a criminal violation arising out of the death upon the request of the law enforcement or criminal justice agency, including a district attorney; A requesting party in a civil case where the moving party demonstrates to the court that the autopsy report is discoverable in accordance with the Colorado rules of civil procedure, upon the entry of a specific order of the court authorizing disclosure of the autopsy report, and in accordance with any protective order necessary to limit disclosure of the identity of the deceased and other identifying personal information; Counsel for the defendant, or the defendant if he or she is not represented by counsel, for discovery purposes in a criminal case upon the entry of a specific order of the court authorizing disclosure of the autopsy report in accordance with the relevant rules of criminal procedure only if discovery has not otherwise been provided to counsel or the defendant; A law enforcement agency that is investigating the death upon the request of the law enforcement agency; A local or regional child fatality prevention review team upon the request of the review team; The Colorado department of public health and environment as necessary for the collection of data in accordance with the Colorado violent death reporting system. The Colorado child fatality review team upon the request of the review team; A county department of human or social services in connection with the investigation of an incidence of alleged abuse or neglect of a minor; The division of youth services in the department of human services in connection with the investigation of a fatality that has occurred within a state owned or operated residential facility; A community clinic or a treating hospital for inclusion within the medical records of the deceased; An eye bank, an organ procurement organization, or a tissue bank; or A local or regional domestic violence fatality review team or the Colorado domestic violence fatality review board upon the request of a team or the board, as applicable.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill states that any civil action to recover damages caused by an act of domestic violence must be commenced within 6 years after a disability has been removed for a person under disability or within 6 years after a cause of action accrues, whichever occurs later. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More