Rep. David Ortiz

The act allows Colorado residents who display a purple heart special license plate free entrance to any state park or recreation area, not including campgrounds, on any day of the year that such park or area is open.The act also allows a Colorado resident to acquire a free transferable annual state parks pass by presenting the same documents required for a purple heart special license plate at a regional office or the central office of the division of parks and wildlife, or at any other locations the division determines. Thus, Colorado residents who have received a purple heart will be able to obtain free access to state parks without acquiring a purple heart special license plate.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act requires the department of military and veterans affairs (department) to pay, subject to available money, a stipend of up to $75 to a veterans service organization for each time the organization performs a basic military funeral honors ceremony or other funeral-related services for an honorably discharged veteran. The act requires the department to create a process for veteran service organizations to apply for and receive a stipend.The act appropriates $30,930 from the general fund and provides for an additional 0.3 FTE to the department for the western slope veterans cemetery.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Current law allows a voter with a disability to use an electronic voting device that produces a paper record to vote in a mail ballot election. If a voter receives a ballot through an electronic voting device, the voter is required to print the ballot to return it to the applicable election official. The act allows a voter to either print and return the ballot or to return the ballot by electronic transmission if the voter affirms the voter is an "eligible person" as defined in the act. Regardless of the method of return, the act specifies that to be valid, a ballot must include a signed affidavit or a copy of an acceptable form of identification and must be received by the election official in the applicable jurisdiction before the close of polls on the day of the election.The act also requires the secretary of state to establish an electronic transmission system through which a voter with a disability may request and return a ballot.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act prohibits a health-care provider, hospital, or other entity involved in making a decision regarding a person's eligibility to receive an anatomical gift, organ transplant, or any related treatment or services from discriminating against that person solely on the basis of a disability. The act authorizes an aggrieved person to commence a civil action for injunctive and equitable relief in the appropriate district court.The act also prohibits a health insurance carrier that provides coverage for an organ transplant from denying or limiting coverage to a covered person for an anatomical gift, organ transplant, or any related treatment or services due to a disability. The act clarifies that a health benefit plan is not required to include coverage for an organ transplant.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act requires the department of corrections (department) to operate a program to assist offenders with acquiring state-issued identification cards and other identification documents necessary for offenders to obtain state-issued identification. The department can enter into agreements with the Colorado department of revenue and federal social security administration as necessary to operate the program.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act establishes a "discharged LGBT veteran" status for the purposes of Colorado law. A person is a discharged LGBT veteran if the person was discharged from the armed services due to:The person's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression; Statements, consensual sexual conduct, or consensual acts relating to sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression unless the statements, conduct, or acts are prohibited by the uniform code of military justice on grounds other than the person's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression; or The disclosure of statements, conduct, or acts relating to sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression that were prohibited by the armed services at the time of discharge. A person who received a dishonorable discharge, bad conduct discharge, or, if the person was an officer, a dismissal from the armed services is not eligible to be a discharged LGBT veteran.Pursuant to a process established by the division of veterans affairs, the board of veterans affairs determines whether a person qualifies as a discharged LGBT veteran. This determination does not change the veteran's official character of discharge on the veteran's discharge paperwork, nor does it affect a person's eligibility for federal veterans programs or benefits. The act amends various existing state programs and benefits to make a discharged LGBT veteran eligible for those programs and benefits.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The bill creates the driver's license and identification card processing unit (unit) in the department of revenue. The unit processes and issues a driver's license or identification card to persons who are eligible for a driver's license or identification card and are scheduled to be released from the department of corrections or a jail. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The act creates a program in the office of economic development and international trade (OEDIT) to support entrepreneurs in the marijuana industry, which will primarily assist social equity licensees, as that term is used in the "Colorado Marijuana Code". The program consists of:Loans to social equity licensees for seed capital and ongoing business expenses; Grants to social equity licensees to support innovation and job creation and organizations that support marijuana businesses to be used to support innovation and job creation of social equity licensees; and Technical assistance for marijuana business owners, prioritizing social equity licensees who have been awarded a loan or grant through the program. OEDIT is authorized to directly administer the program itself or through one or more partner entities. In consultation with other relevant state agencies, industry experts, and other stakeholders, OEDIT is required to establish policies setting forth the parameters and eligibility for the program. OEDIT is required to consult with the Colorado economic development commission regarding the administration of the program. OEDIT is also required to submit a report by July 1 of 2022 and 2023 to the governor and legislative committees detailing program expenditures.The program is initially funded with a $4 million transfer from the marijuana tax cash fund to the newly created marijuana entrepreneur fund, from which the money is continuously appropriated to OEDIT for the program. OEDIT may use some of this money for the program's administrative expenses. Beginning with the fiscal year 2022-23, the general assembly may appropriate additional money from the marijuana tax cash fund to the marijuana entrepreneur fund.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The bill requires a person who owns, leases, leases to, or operates a movie theater open to the public in Colorado to provide, on or before January 1, 2022, and ongoing thereafter, open captioning at all indoor and outdoor movie showings of each movie that is produced and offered with open movie captioning, including trailers. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)