Rep. Gretchen Rydin

If a mental health provider, substance use disorder provider, or psychiatric nurse (provider) has not submitted a claim for a period of at least 12 months, the act requires a commercial insurance carrier (carrier) to contact the provider to confirm the provider's participation in the carrier's provider network and to determine whether the provider is accepting new patients.     The act includes mental health providers, substance use disorder providers, and psychiatric nurses as providers who may participate in a carrier's provider network.     The act requires carriers to admit prelicensed providers into the carrier's network and to reimburse prelicensed providers for services rendered when provided under the supervision of a mental health provider, substance use disorder provider, or psychiatric nurse.     The act requires a clinical social worker to complete 3,000 hours of practice prior to licensure.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Under current law, a parent can voluntarily relinquish their child to a firefighter or hospital or community clinic emergency center staff member if the child is less than 72 hours old. The act allows a parent to voluntarily relinquish their child if the child is 30 days old or younger and requires the department of human services to adopt rules establishing a process for either parent of child who was relinquished to reunify with the child.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Maddy summaryThis Senate Joint Resolution formally recognizes the 43rd anniversary of the sister-state relationship between Colorado and Taiwan while expressing support for their ongoing trade and academic exchanges. The bill highlights recent cooperation in emerging technologies such as quantum computing and semiconductors, and it advocates for Taiwan's participation in international organizations like the World Health Organization and the United Nations. Additionally, the resolution commends Taiwan's democratic system and supports the signing of a U.S.-Taiwan agreement on avoiding double taxation. As a non-binding legislative statement, it does not alter laws or budgets but serves to publicly endorse these diplomatic and economic ties.

Colorado law exempts the owner of a motor vehicle who is a member of the United States armed forces (member) from motor vehicle registration fees and sets the specific ownership tax at $1 while the member is serving outside the United States. This applies to personal motor vehicles and intrastate trucks, truck tractors, trailers, and semitrailers used to transport property. To qualify, the member must show the military order or evidence acceptable to the department of revenue (department) demonstrating that the member served outside the United States. The act repeals a requirement that the member sign an affidavit to qualify for the $1 specific ownership fee or to be exempt from the motor vehicle fee.     Colorado law exempts members from paying late fees for failing to renew a registration for a vehicle if the member was serving outside the state when the registration period expired. The act sets the requirement to qualify for a late fee exception by requiring the member to show the military order or evidence acceptable to the department demonstrating that the member served outside of the state.     The department will notify the member that the vehicle or motor vehicle must not be driven during deployment.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act changes the term 'death reimbursement' to 'death benefit' and changes the term 'maximum death reimbursement' to 'combined reasonable charges' related to county payments for the reasonable funeral expenses or reasonable final disposition expenses of a deceased public assistance or medical assistance recipient if the decedent's estate is insufficient to pay and the persons legally responsible for the support of the deceased are unable to pay the reasonable expenses.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Current law requires the defense to furnish a copy of any report of examination of the defendant that is made at the instance of the defense to the prosecution in a reasonable amount of time in advance of trial. The act requires a copy of the report to also be furnished to the court who, upon receipt of the copy, shall provide a copy to the department of human services.     The act authorizes community placement of a defendant for treatment and rehabilitation.     For a defendant who was charged with a crime allegedly committed on or after July 1, 2026, the act clarifies the legal standard for a defendant's conditional or unconditional release from the department. The standard for unconditional release is that the defendant has no abnormal mental condition that would be likely to cause the defendant to be dangerous to the defendant's self or others or to the community in the reasonably foreseeable future, is capable of distinguishing right from wrong, and has substantial capacity to conform their conduct to the law. The standard for conditional release is that the defendant can satisfy the standard for unconditional release but with the imposition of and compliance with conditions. At an unconditional release hearing for a defendant who is on conditional release, if any evidence is introduced that shows the defendant is ineligible for unconditional release, the defendant has the burden of proving that the defendant meets the applicable test for unconditional release.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act requires that, beginning July 1, 2027, a death certification professional ensure that they are aware of the most recent epilepsy-related death certification recommendations from a nationally recognized and reputable organization. On or before June 1, 2027, the department of public health and environment (department) must electronically notify all registered medical certifier users of the Colorado vital events system of this requirement.     If a death certification professional determines that the cause of an individual's death is consistent with known or suspected sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, the act requires the professional to ensure that the individual's death certificate identifies epilepsy as a contributing cause or a suspected cause of death.     The act allows the department to provide online guidelines for clinicians and medical certifiers for death certificates regarding epilepsy-related deaths, including sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Beginning July 1, 2026, if a petitioner is under 18 years old at the time of filing a petition seeking to change the petitioner's name, the act requires the court to suppress the record unless the petitioner was previously convicted of a felony. The act authorizes the court to use the suppressed court record for administrative purposes, but the court is prohibited from publishing the petitioner's name or the petitioner's new name online. A petitioner who is under 18 years old is not required to give public notice of the name change. The act authorizes an individual to access a suppressed court record without a court order if the individual obtains verbal consent from a party to the case and submits an affidavit to the court, upon penalty of perjury, that the individual has obtained the verbal consent.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act exempts from schedule I a prescription drug product containing a schedule I controlled substance (product) if the product is:Approved for prescription use by the United States food and drug administration;Designated or rescheduled by the United States drug enforcement agency (DEA); Dispensed by a pharmacy or prescription drug outlet, or administered by an authorized practitioner; andPossessed by a person who is authorized to possess a controlled substance.     The exemption applies upon the DEA's designation or rescheduling.     The act requires that the product be controlled in Colorado in the same manner as the product is controlled by the DEA and state law.     The act clarifies that its provisions do not apply to or affect the regulation of or lawful actions or conduct concerning natural medicine, natural medicine product, marijuana, or marijuana concentrate.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Maddy summaryThis Senate Joint Resolution recognizes Nowruz, the traditional Iranian New Year, as a celebration of renewal and hope for Middle Eastern communities in Colorado and around the world. The bill extends solidarity with the Iranian people and specifically honors the Women, Life, Freedom movement advocating for gender equality and civil rights in Iran. It also mourns civilians lost to violence and expresses hope for a future where all people in Iran can live with freedom, justice, and full protection of their human rights. This resolution does not change laws or policies but serves as a formal statement of recognition and support from the Colorado General Assembly.