Rep. Jamie Jackson

The act requires the department of higher education (department), subject to available appropriations, to develop and maintain a free, publicly accessible online platform (platform) to provide current and potential students who are pursuing postsecondary education in Colorado with relevant information about which credits and courses, work-related experiences, and prior learning opportunities are transferable to or between the state's public institutions of higher education (institution). On or before January 1, 2026, an institution may submit to the department for inclusion in the platform: A comprehensive record, from the fall 2023 term onward, of the institution's awards of postsecondary transfer credit for all courses that the institution has identified as having learning outcomes equivalent to corresponding offerings at other institutions; and Descriptions of the institution's policy on work-related experiences or prior learning opportunities, and the credentials, licenses, or apprenticeship certificates for which the institution awards postsecondary academic credit. Using the data provided by an institution, the department shall include in the platform information about the transferability to or between institutions for several sources of postsecondary academic credit. These sources include courses in the statewide common course numbering system, now referred to as the guaranteed transfer pathway matrix, and credits earned through various standardized tests. A not-for-profit private institution of higher education may, but is not required to, submit applicable information for inclusion in the platform. The act creates the postsecondary transfer credit platform cash fund to accept gifts, grants, and donations for the development, implementation, and maintenance of the platform. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act requires the state board of education (state board) to adopt standards related to Black historical and cultural studies (standards). Local education providers shall incorporate the standards into courses for public elementary and secondary school students in the state no later than 2 years after the state board adopts the standards. The act aligns the timeline for the development, adoption, and integration of the standards with the 6-year cycle that the state board of education currently uses for revising the state academic standards. The act creates the Black historical and cultural studies advisory committee (committee) in the department of education (department) to recommend standards and related materials and to provide technical assistance at the request of local education providers implementing the standards. The committee's recommendations must include updates to the state's history and civics standards and must advance developmentally appropriate but comprehensive instruction that features factual accounts of the struggles and contributions of Black Americans in all fields of endeavor. Using the committee's recommendations, the department will create and maintain a resource bank of research-based, scholarly articles and promising program materials and curricula pertaining to Black historical and cultural studies. For the 2025-26 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $19,225 from the general fund to the department for costs related to content specialists. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Beginning January 1, 2027, the act requires large group health benefit plans to provide coverage for the treatment of the chronic disease of obesity and the treatment of pre-diabetes, including coverage for a comparable program to the national diabetes prevention program, medical nutrition therapy, intensive behavioral or lifestyle therapy, and metabolic and bariatric surgery. For a large group health benefit plan offered in the state, the act requires carriers to offer the policyholder the option to purchase coverage for FDA-approved anti-obesity medications, including at least one FDA-approved GLP-1 medication. The commissioner of insurance may adopt rules for the implementation of the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The healthy school meals for all program (program) reimburses participating school food authorities for meals that those authorities provide to students without charge. Section 2 of the act allows the amount of these reimbursements to be modified in 2 different scenarios. First, if a referred measure that would, in combination with the income tax deduction modification that was approved by the voters in connection with the program, result in the collection of at least $150 million for the income tax year commencing on January 1, 2026, is not approved by the voters voting on the referred measure at the 2025 statewide election, the department of education (department) is required to only provide reimbursements to participating school food authorities for meals served at eligible sites. Eligible sites are those that either: Qualify for the community eligibility provision program, as that program exists on November 15, 2025; or Are identified as eligible sites by the department based on the amount that the general assembly appropriates for the purpose of providing reimbursements to a participating school food authority for offering eligible meals without charge and the percentage of a site's student enrollment who are certified as eligible for free meals based on documentation of benefit receipt or categorical eligibility as described in federal rule, or any successor regulations. Second, if the department, in consultation with the office of state planning and budgeting, determines that the amount that the general assembly appropriated for the purpose of providing reimbursements to a participating school food authority is less than the costs of the department providing those reimbursements, the department may determine a prorated reimbursement amount for the reimbursements that the department provides through the program to each participating school food authority for the remainder of that budget year. Sections 4 and 6 limit the existing authority of the department, if the department determines that there is an insufficient amount of money in the healthy school meals for all program cash fund (fund) for the department to provide reimbursements to a participating school food authority for offering eligible meals without charge, to make an expenditure from the general fund to provide those reimbursements to state fiscal years commencing on or before July 1, 2024. Section 3 allows the general assembly to appropriate money from the state education fund to cover program costs for which there is not sufficient money in the fund, as it was required to do for state fiscal years 2024-25, for state fiscal year 2025-26. Section 4 requires the department, on January 15, 2027, in consultation with the office of state planning and budgeting, to report to the joint budget committee on whether there is a sufficient balance in the fund for: The state treasurer to transfer an amount from the fund to the state education fund equal to the total amount of expenditures from the state education fund for the program for state fiscal years 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26 minus the amount of additional tax revenue deposited in the state education fund as a result of the increase in state income tax generated in connection with voter approval of the program for those same fiscal years; and The department to provide reimbursements to a participating school food authority for offering eligible meals without charge. Section 8 extends the local school food purchasing program indefinitely, so that the program extends beyond the 2024-25 school year. Section 9 similarly extends the required reporting on the local school food purchasing program. Section 11 decreases the appropriation for school meal reimbursements provided through the program from the general fund by $42,240,242 and increases the appropriation from the state education fund by $8,119,271 for the same purpose. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act requires the office of just transition (office) in the department of labor and employment to prioritize awarding funding to support tier one and tier 2 coal transition communities experiencing socioeconomic impacts of coal closures and for opportunities for economic diversification, local community input, feasibility studies of specific proposed projects, and needs assessments. The office is required to use money appropriated to the just transition cash fund after July 1, 2025, to support programs that support targeted investment in coal transition communities by collaborating with coal transition communities and eligible entities, state and regionally recognized governmental and economic development entities, employee organizations that represent coal transition workers, and workers who are not affiliated with employee organizations to implement the most effective projects and programs for those communities. The act requires the office to annually report to the joint budget committee and at the annual "State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act" hearings of the senate local government and housing committee and the house transportation, housing, and local government committee about the grants awarded by the office during the preceding state fiscal year, their recipients, and the purpose for which they were awarded. A public entity may invest public funds only as allowed by law. The act specifies that the investment of a payment or settlement to offset the socioeconomic impacts to a community or government from the closure of a coal mine or coal power generating station is not subject to these investment limitations. The act allows the executive director of the department of local affairs to establish a policy preference for awarding up to 70% of the money credited to the local government severance tax fund to just transition communities for a 3-year period beginning January 1, 2026. The act extends the deadline for the submittal by the director of the Colorado energy office of the findings and conclusions of assessments of advanced energy solutions in the northwestern and west end of Montrose county and in southeastern Colorado from July 1, 2025 to December 19, 2025, and makes the requirement that the findings and conclusion be submitted contingent on the director having sufficient federal money to support the submittal. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act refers 2 ballot issues to the voters at the November 2025 statewide election concerning funding for the healthy school meals for all program. Section 2 refers a ballot issue to the voters at the November 2025 statewide election to allow the state to retain and spend state revenue that would otherwise need to be refunded for exceeding the estimate in the ballot information booklet analysis for Proposition FF and to allow the state to maintain the increases in state taxable income established in Proposition FF that would otherwise need to be decreased. If voters reject the ballot issue, the state will both: Refund $12,430,388 to individuals who have a federal taxable income of $300,000 or more and claimed itemized or standard state income tax deductions greater than $12,000 for single tax return filers and $16,000 for joint tax return filers; and Adjust the limit on itemized deductions established in Proposition FF to a level that would have reduced the amount of income tax revenue attributable to these itemized deductions by $12,430,388. If voters approve the ballot measure: The state will not refund $12,430,388 to individuals who have a federal taxable income of $300,000 or more and claimed itemized or standard state income tax deductions greater than $12,000 for single tax return filers and $16,000 for joint tax return filers; and The increases in federal taxable income as a result of Proposition FF will stay at the levels established by Proposition FF. Section 3 refers a ballot issue to the voters at the November 2025 statewide election to allow the state to increase taxes by $95 million annually by increasing state taxable income to support the healthy school meals for all program. If voters approve the ballot issue: Income tax deductions for individuals who have a federal taxable income of $300,000 or more will be reduced from current levels to $1,000 for single filers and $2,000 for joint filers; and The state will allocate the additional revenue generated by the reduction in income tax deductions to the healthy school meals for all program. If voters reject the ballot issue, income tax deductions will not be reduced, and there will not be any additional revenue to be allocated to the healthy school meals for all program. In addition to the income tax changes and potential refunds that may result from voters approving or rejecting the ballot issues described in sections 2 and 3, the act also changes the healthy school meals for all program cash fund (fund) and healthy school meals for all programs. If voters approve the ballot issue submitted pursuant to section 2 and reject the ballot issue submitted pursuant to section 3, $1 million is transferred annually from the fund to local school food purchasing programs. If voters approve the ballot issue submitted pursuant to section 3, regardless of whether the voters approve the ballot issue submitted pursuant to section 2: The permissible distribution of local food purchasing grants is modified; Certain school food authorities are allowed to collaborate to implement advisory committees; The duties of an advisory committee are clarified; and The distribution of funds from the fund is changed so that the amounts distributed through local food purchasing grants for increasing wages or providing stipends for individuals whom the participating school food authority employs to directly prepare and serve food for school meals and through the local school food purchasing technical assistance and education grant program are modified based on the amount of money in the fund. NOTE: Certain provisions of the act are contingent on the results a measure concerning Proposition FF refunds or Proposition FF revenue increases being either approved or not approved by a majority of voters at the November 2025 statewide election.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act requires the division of criminal justice in the department of public safety (division) to establish an automated protection order notification system (notification system) to provide a protected person, a protected person's immediate family, and other interested persons (registered users) with information related to a criminal or civil protection order. The notification system must disseminate specific information to registered users in English and Spanish through a telephone call, email, text message, or mobile phone application. The act authorizes the division to contract with a third-party entity to provide the functionality for the notification system. A public entity is immune from liability in any civil action based on its release of information or failure to release information related to the notification system. The act prohibits the division from establishing or operating the notification system until the division receives sufficient money to establish and operate the notification system for at least one year from gifts, grants, or donations, including federal funds, or money appropriated to the division from the Colorado crime victim services fund. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act defines "knowing misconduct" as a voluntary act or omission or series of acts or omissions consciously performed by a crime laboratory employee (employee) as a result of effort or determination in which the employee is aware that the employee's conduct is improper or deceptive and involves mishandling physical evidence or data or results, incorrectly performing forensic testing, presenting misleading or false results, concealing material information, or presenting false sworn testimony about evidence. The act defines a "significant event" as an act or omission by an employee that is a gross deviation from the standard operation procedures or accreditation requirements of the crime laboratory, or requirements in law that were applicable at the time of the act or omission of the employee, that could substantially negatively affect the integrity of the crime laboratory activities. The act requires an employee to report witnessed or discovered knowing misconduct or a significant event (collectively, "wrongful action") within 7 days of witnessing or discovering the wrongful action to the director of the crime laboratory (director) or to the employee's immediate supervisor, who shall report it to the director. A director who receives a report shall investigate the alleged wrongful action. As part of the investigation, the director must compile a list of all cases that the employee worked on. At the conclusion of the investigation, the director shall prepare a written final report. When an investigation is of alleged wrongful action in a pending case, the director shall notify each district attorney who has jurisdiction over the pending case about the investigation. At the conclusion of the investigation, if the investigation determines that the employee did not engage in wrongful action, the director shall deliver the final report to each district attorney who received notice of the investigation and to each district attorney who has jurisdiction over any case that was subject to investigation. If the investigation determines that the employee engaged in wrongful action, the director shall deliver the final report and all discoverable materials to each district attorney who has jurisdiction over any case that the employee worked on in an official capacity. If an investigation concerning wrongful action by a crime laboratory occurred after July 1, 2014, and before July 1, 2025, and the investigation resulted in criminal allegations filed against the employee or a sustained internal affairs action by the department supervising the employee, the director shall, as soon as practicable but no later than September 1, 2025, prepare a final report and provide the final report to all district attorneys with jurisdiction over any criminal case that is identified in the final report that is pending or has resulted in a conviction in that jurisdiction. Upon receipt of a notice from a director about an investigation into alleged wrongful action in a pending case, a district attorney shall notify the defendant in the case of the investigation. If the case involved a crime listed in the "Victim Rights Act", the district attorney shall also notify the victim about the alleged wrongful action, if the charges have been filed but the trial has not begun. A district attorney who receives a final report of an investigation that determines that a crime laboratory employee engaged in wrongful action in any case shall notify the defendant in that case, and each defendant whose case was reviewed as part of the investigation, of the determination of wrongful action. The act establishes a defendant's right to counsel in matters involving an employee's wrongful action and a right to investigate the wrongful action, to request discovery related to the wrongful action, and to seek post-conviction relief based on the wrongful action. The act permits a court to enter a protective order related to discovery requests. The act establishes a process for a defendant convicted in a case involving an employee's wrongful action to petition for post-conviction relief based on the wrongful action. If the defendant's petition for post-conviction relief asserts facts that, if true, demonstrate that a wrongful action was material to the case, the court shall decide the claim upon the merits after an evidentiary hearing. At the evidentiary hearing, the defendant has the burden to show that the employee committed the wrongful action and that the wrongful action is material to the case. If the defendant meets their burden, the court shall vacate the defendant's conviction and grant a new trial. The act makes all records related to an investigation criminal justice records and makes release of the records governed by the existing law governing criminal justice records; except that the custodian of a final report that concludes that a crime laboratory employee engaged in wrongful action may deny inspection of the report if there is an ongoing criminal investigation or criminal case. The act appropriates $140,433 from the general fund to the judicial department for use by the state courts. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act establishes a process for a person to voluntarily waive the right to purchase a firearm (voluntary waiver). The Colorado bureau of investigation (bureau) in the department of public safety (department) shall deny a firearm transfer to the person while the voluntary waiver is in effect. The bureau shall develop an online portal (portal) for a person to electronically file for a voluntary waiver, update contact information, and revoke a voluntary waiver. The bureau is required to verify the filer's identity before accepting a voluntary waiver or revocation. The bureau shall enter a voluntary waiver into the national instant criminal background check system and any other federal or state computer-based systems used to identify prohibited purchasers of firearms. A person may revoke the voluntary waiver by filing for revocation with the bureau. The waiver remains in effect for 30 days after the bureau accepts the revocation. A person filing the voluntary waiver form may provide the name and contact information of a person who will be contacted if the person attempts to purchase a firearm while the voluntary waiver is in effect or if the filer revokes the voluntary waiver. The act prohibits a person from attempting to purchase a firearm while subject to a voluntary waiver. Attempting to purchase a firearm while subject to a voluntary waiver is a civil infraction, punishable by a maximum $25 fine. The voluntary waiver process and the prohibition on attempting to purchase a firearm while subject to a voluntary waiver are contingent on the department receiving $200,000 of gifts, grants, or donations to develop and operate the portal. The act permits the department to seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations for the portal. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act requires the judicial department to develop a form for a court to use to notify the department of human services (DHS) of the court's specific findings when the court denies a personal recognizance bond and orders inpatient restoration services for a defendant who is in custody for a misdemeanor, petty offense, or traffic offense, and who the court determines is incompetent to proceed but there is a substantial probability that the defendant, with restoration services, will attain competency in the reasonably foreseeable future. The act makes changes to the processes related to competency evaluations, including changing the deadlines and processes for requesting second evaluations and changing the requirements for conducting restoration evaluations of juveniles. The act requires a court to vacate any existing order and not enter a new order directing DHS to conduct a competency evaluation or provide restoration services to a defendant if the defendant was accepted to participate in the bridges wraparound care program. The requirements and processes related to certifying a defendant for short-term treatment are updated, including changes to the requirements for a party to request an order initiating short-term treatment and the processes when a party requests a hearing. The act permits DHS to request that the court refer a matter for filing of a petition for short-term treatment if, in the process of coordinating outpatient restoration services for a defendant, DHS determines that the defendant meets the standard for a certification for short-term treatment. The court is required to set the following hearings upon the request of a party, if a final determination is made that the defendant is incompetent to proceed: A hearing following the court's receipt, prior to ordering restoration treatment, of a competency evaluator's report concluding that there is not a substantial probability that the defendant, with restoration services, will attain competency within the reasonably foreseeable future; and A hearing if, prior to ordering restoration treatment, a competency evaluator or other expert opines that the defendant's diagnosis likely includes a moderate to severe intellectual or developmental disability, acquired traumatic brain injury, or dementia, which, either alone or together with a co-occurring mental illness, affects the defendant's ability to gain or maintain competency. The court is required to make findings about whether there are reasonable grounds to believe a person meets the standard for a certification for short-term treatment prior to dismissing charges against the person for certain competency reasons. If the charges are dismissed, the court shall notify DHS in writing that the charges were dismissed and the reason for the dismissal. Under existing law, if the court finds there are reasonable grounds, the court may stay the dismissal for 35 days. The act permits the court to grant up to four 35-day extensions to a stay of a dismissal in addition to the initial stay. DHS is permitted to continue to provide services for up to 90 days after a person's case is dismissed because the person is incompetent to proceed. DHS is permitted to enter into an agreement with an organization to provide permanent supportive housing for a person whose case is dismissed because the person is incompetent to proceed or the person has successfully completed a bridges wraparound care program, and for a person who has been referred to the bridges wraparound care program. DHS is required to collect information concerning where a person lives or intends to live following a dismissal or referral for each person whose charges are dismissed following a determination by the court that the person is incompetent to proceed or following satisfactory completion of a bridges wraparound care program, or who has been referred to the bridges wraparound care program. The act tolls the time limitations to commence a criminal proceeding against a defendant while the offender is in a competency-related diversion or deflection program. The act tolls the time limitations to commence a criminal proceeding against a defendant beginning when the defendant's case is dismissed without prejudice for the purpose of facilitating certification for short-term treatment until either the defendant's criminal case is re-filed or 6 months have passed since the case was dismissed, whichever is earlier. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)